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THE    LITERARY    DIARY 

OF 

EZRA    STILES,    D.D.,    LL.D. 


VOLUME    I 


Ri.v.   KzRA  Stii.es,   D.D. 
From  a  Porlrait  panited  by  Samuel  Khtt;  i)i  i~~i 


THE 


LITERARY     DIARY 


EZRA  STILES,    D.D.,    LL.D. 


PRESIDENT    OF    VALE    COLLEGE 


EDITED    UNDER   THE    AUTHORITY    OF    THE    CORPORATION    OK    YALE    UNIVERSLIY 


FRANKLIN    BOWDITCH    DEXTER,    M.A. 


VOLUME    I 
JANUARY  I,  ij6cj—MARCH  ij,  lyyd 


N  \i  W    Y  O  I'l  K 

CHARLES    SCRHiNER'S    SONS 

1901 


Copyright,   igoi. 

By  the  Pkesidknt  and  Fellows  of 
Yale  University 


THE  LITERARY  DIARY 
OF  EZRA  STILES 


Ezra  Stiles,  the  author  of  the  following  Diar}^,  was 
the  son  of  the  Rev.  Isaac  Stiles,  of  the  parish  of  North 
Haven,  in  New  Haven,  Connecticut,  by  his  iirst  wife 
Kezia  Taylor,  and  was  born  on  November  29th,  1727. 

He  was  graduated  at  Yale  College  in  1746,  and  then 
pursued  further  studies  in  New  Haven.  He  was  licensed 
to  preach  on  the  28th  of  May,  1749,  and  the  same  week 
entered  on  a  tutorship  in  Yale  College,  which  he  retained 
until  his  acceptance  of  a  call  to  the  pastorate  of  the  Second 
Congregational  Church  in  Newport,  Rhode  Island,  where 
he  was  ordained  and  installed,  on  October  22,  1755.  The 
following  Diary  was  begun  there  in  1769. 

He  married,  Februar}^  10,  1757,  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Colonel  John  Hubbard,  of  New  Haven ;  and  at  the  date 
of  the  opening  of  this  Diary  had  the  following  children  : 
Elizabeth,  or  Betse}^,  born  April,  1758  ;  Ezra,  born  March, 
1759;  Kezia,  born  September,  1760;  Emilia,  born  April, 
1762  ;  Isaac,  born  August,  1763  ;  Ruth,  born  August, 
1765  ;  Mary,  or  Poll}^,  born  August,  1767. 

He  was  of  a  slight  physical  frame, — his  height,  5  feet, 
4)^  inches,  his  weight  under  130  pounds. 

He  received  the  degree  of  Do6lor  of  Divinity  from  the 
University  of  Edinburgh  in  1765. 

By  the  will  of  Dr.  Stiles,  a  portion  of  his  manuscripts 
became  at  his  death  (in  1795)  the  property  of  his  successor 


2  DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 

in  the  Presidency  of  Yale  College,  and  in  this  portion  was 
inchided  the  Diary  now  printed.  The  other  manuscripts 
of  Dr.  Stiles  quoted  in  the  annotations  to  the  Diary  were 
all  included  in  this  bequest,  unless  otherwise  stated ;  the 
one  most  frequently  referred  to  is  the  ''  Itinerary,"  or 
Record  of  Journeys,  which  extends  to  six  volumes,  and 
covers  the  years  from  1760  to  1795. 


In  editing  Dr.  Stiles's  Diarj^,  it  has  been  thought 
impracticable  to  print  the  entire  text.  The  omissions, 
however,  ma}-  be  grouped  under  the  following  heads  : — 

1 .  Repetitions  of  passages  in  other  parts  of  the  Diary ; 
and  quotations  from  books,  pamphlets,  and  newspapers, 
elsewhere  easily  accessible. 

2.  Daily  or  otherwise  frequentl}^  recurring  statements 
of  the  authors  and  subjects  of  his  current  reading  and 
meditation. 

3.  Occasional  extended  expository  or  exegetical  remarks 
on  the  Holy  Scriptures. 


In  cases  where  the  author  made  additions  to  the  text 
subsequent  to  the  date  of  the  original  entr}^,  such  addi- 
tions are  included  within  brackets. 


LITERARY   DIARY 

January,  1769. 

1.  Lord's  da)'.  Preached  forenoon  &  afternoon.  Fine  mild 
New  Years  day. 

2.  Read  a  chapter  in  Hebrew,  &  some  Arabic. 

3.  Read  two  chapters  in  Hebrew,  &  Arabic. 

4.  Read  two  chapters  in  Hebrew.  I  begun  to  write  my  Ecclesi- 
astical History  of  New  England  &  British  America'  22''  of  last 
month.     Wrote  some  upon  it. 

5.  Mr.  Ephraim  Judson"  came  to  preach  on  the  Hill  (late 
Ar  Vinal's'). 

6.  Read  five  chapters  in  Heb.  &  some  Arabic. 

8.  Eord's  day.     Preached.     Mr.  Judson  preached  on  the  hill. 

9.  Wrote  history  ;  finished  first  three  sheets.  Ezra^  began  to 
learn  hebrew  about  this  time,  ^t.  10. 

10.  Read  two  chapters.  Begun  Joshua  in  Hebrew;  &  read  some 
Arabic. 

11.  Wrote  Histor5^ 

12.  Wrote  Historj'. 

13.  Read  two  Chap,  in  Heb.,  Arab.     Wrote  history. 
15.   Lord's  day.     Preached. 

17.   Wrote  hist.;  finished  first  Chapter. 

'  A  volume  of  MS.  notes  and  statistics,  for  the  illustration  of  this  histor}-,  is 
included  among  the  Stiles  papers  belonging  to  the  College  ;  but  the  histor}- 
itself,  so  far  as  completed,  was  retained  in  manuscript  by  Dr.  Stiles's  family 
after  his  death.  (Cf.  Holmes's  Life  of  Stiles,  p.  132.)  In  1875  this  MS.,  or  a 
part  of  it,  was  given  to  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Society.  See  their  Pro- 
ceedings, xvii,   137-38. 

'  A  graduate  of  Yale,  1763,  who  was  scLLied  in  Norwich,  Conn.,  in  1771.  See 
Diary,  Oct.  9  and  16,  1771. 

^  Rev.  William  Vinal  (Harv.  Coll.  1739),  predecessor  of  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins 
(Y.  C.  1741)  as  pastor  of  the  First  Congregational  Church,  Newport ;  ordained 
Oct.  29,  1746,  dismissed  Sept.  21,  1768;  see  also  Diary,  May  18,  1770,  Oct.  25, 
1773,  and  June  14  and  18,  1774.  The  church  stood  on  Mill  street,  a  short  dis- 
tance south  of  Dr.  Stiles's,  and  in  1835  was  sold  to  a  Unitarian  Society. 

*  Elder  son  of  the  diarist ;  born  March  11,  1759. 


4  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

18.  .   .   .   Wrote  hist. 

19.  Wrote  hist.  Dr.  Whittelsey  and  M'  Hubbard'  came  from 
Connecticutt. 

20.  Visited,  &c.     Wrote  Hist. 

26.   Dr.  Whittelsej-,  &c.,  went  away.     Read  three  Chaps.  Heb. 
29.   Lord's  day.     Preached. 
31.   Finished  Joshua.     Arab. 

February. 

I.   Read  heb.  first  chap.  Judges.     Arab.     Wrote  history. 

5.  Lord's  day.     Changed  with  M""  Judson  in  afternoon. 

6.  Heb.  Arab.  It  is  my  custom  to  read  daily  a  Chapter  in  the 
hebrew  Bible  ;  and  a  portion  of  Arabic  in  Selden's  Works. 

7.  Wrote  History  all  day. 

8.  Wrote  history. 

1 1 .  Made  Fast  .sermon  for  next  week. 

12.  Lds  day.     Preached. 

13.  Mr.  Austin^  came  [&  went  away  next  morn.] 

14.  Wrote  history. 

15.  Nothing.     N.  B.   I  weekly  make  two  sermons. 

16.  Fast  on  the  hill  to  implore  divine  Direction  in  Choice  of 
Pastor.     I  preached  foren.     M''  Judson  Aft. 

19.  Lds  day.     M'  Judson  &  I  changed  Forenoon. 

20.  Wrote  Hist. 

21.  Wrote  Hist.      Made  map  of  Indian  Tribes  N.  B. 

25.  Wrote  Hist.     Copied  Map  of  Connecticutt. 

26.  Lds  day.     preached. 

27.  Finished  Judges.  Arab.  Read  serm.,  Mr.  Smith  of  So. 
Carolina. 

28.  Begun  I  Samuel.     Arab. 

March. 

I.  Finished  a  Map  of  Connecticut  divided  into  near  two  hun- 
dred parishes  ;  I  have  put  down  nearly  all  the  Congregational, 
Bapti.st  &  Separate  Meeting-hou.ses,  besides  the  Episcopal  Churches. 
This  day  I  begun  this  Diary. 

'  Samuel  Whittelsey  (Y.  C.  1764),  of  Milfonl,  who  married,  Jan.  2,  1771,  Mary 
Hubbard,  a  sister  of  Mrs.  Stiles  ;  and  Rev.  John  Hubbard  (Y.  C.  1744),  of 
Mcrideii,  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Stiles.  It  appears  from  a  letter  of  Dr.  W.  (among 
Dr.  Stiles's  papers),  dated  Sept.  23,  1769,  that  there  had  been  some  thought  of 
his  settling  in  Newport  as  a  physician  ;  but  he  remained  in  Milford. 

*  See  below,  March  5. 


JANUARY    18-MARCH    18,    1769  5 

2.  Read  Chap,  in  Hebrew.  And  finished  reading  Eutychii 
Origines  Ecclesiae  Alexandrince  in  Arabic  a  third  time.  Wrote 
History,  and  made  a  Map  of  the  Patent  granted  to  the  No.  and  So. 
Virginia  Companies  1606.  Read  in  Stith's  History  of  Virginia, 
and  Douglass'  Summary. 

3.  Writing  Hist. — preached  ni}-  sacramental  lecture. 

4.  Map  of  French,  Dutch  &  Swedes  Patents  for  No.  Amer. 
before  arrival  of  Leydeners  at  Plymouth. 

5.  Lds  da}'.  Preached  A.M.  from  Jno.  vi,  58,  and  adminis- 
tered the  Lords  Supper  to  my  church.  Preached  P.M.  i  Cor.  i, 
31. — Yesterday  came  Mr  Austin,'  a  Candidate  for  the  Ministry 
educated  at  Yale  College  ;  &  this  day  preached  the  first  Time  to 
the  first  congreg''.  Chh.  in  Newport. 

6.  Wrote  seven  pages  histor}-. 

7.  Wrote  hist.  5  pages  &  2  maps. 

8.  Wrote  hist.  5  p. 

9.  Made  map  of  the  Coast  fr.  Plymo.  to  C.  Ann. 

10.  Nothing. — Read  Dr.  Bellamy  on  half  cov\'^ 

11.  Read  in  Stith's  Hist,  of  Virginia.  By  post  have  news  of 
Diploma  from  Edinburgh  creating  Rev.  John  Rodgers  presb.  Min. 
at  N.  York  a  Doctor  in  Divinit}'.  An  English  Gentleman  this 
day  offered  to  procure  Five  Thousd.  subscriptions  in  England  for 
my  Historj^ — which  I  declined. 

12.  Lds  Day.  Preached  from  Luke  xii,  47,  Foren.  &  Aft.  I 
made  two  Sermons  last  week. 

13.  Latin  Lett,  to  Univ-"  Ley  den. 

14.  Ray's  Travels  v.  2. 

15.  Arminii  Opera. 

i6.  Examined  with  the  Jew  priest  Jacob's  prophecy  of  the 
scepter  departg.  from  Judah.  Read  Eliot's  Life  in  Dr.  Mather's 
Magnalia.     Most  of  this  day  with  the  Jews. 

18.  Went  to  S3''nagogue'  with  Mr.  Austin  :  afterwards  spent 
several  hours  in  discourse  with  a  roniish  Priest,  a  Knight  of  Jerusa- 
lem or  Malta,   travelling  from  Hispaniola  to  Quebec.     He  tells  me 

'  Punderson  Austin  (Y.  C.  1762) ;  see  below,  July  27,  1769,  and  April  17,  1773. 
Dr.  Stiles  was  probably  responsible  for  his  candidacy  here. 

^  A  pamphlet,  in  form  of  dialogue,  pul)lished  in  January,  1769,  which  gave 
rise  to  a  lively  controversy. 

*  The  Jewish  Synagogue  in  Newport  was  built  in  1762-3,  in  the  immediate 
neighborhood  of  Dr.  Stiles's  residence,  Peter  Harrison  being  the  architect,  and 
is  still  in  use. 


6  DIARY    OF    EZRA     STILES 

there  are  in  hispaniola  22  parishes,  and  28  parishes  between  the 
Dominicans  &  Capuchins  on  french  part  of  Hispaniola.  That  in 
all  Canada,  his  native  country,  at  the  Surrendery,  1760,  were  One 
Hundred  &  sixty  Thousand  vSouls  French,  and  between  three  and 
four  hundred  Clergy. 

This  is  LIBERTY  DAY;'  celebrated  at  Newport,  B^  N. 
York,  6cc. 

The  following  account  of  the  Synagogue,  written  by  Dr.  Stiles  in  1763,  is 
extracted  from  another  volume  of  his  jaapers. 

Dec.  2,  1763,  Friday.  "In  the  Afternoon  was  the  dedication  of  the  new 
"  Synagogue  in  this  Town.  It  began  b}^  a  handsome  procession  in  which  were 
"carried  the  Books  of  the  Law,  to  be  deposited  in  the  Ark.  Several  Portions 
"  of  Scripture,  &  of  their  Service  with  a  Prayer  for  the  Royal  Family,  were  read 
"and  finely  sung  by  the  priest  &  People.  There  were  present  many  Gen- 
"  tlemen  &  Ladies.  The  Order  and  Decorum,  the  Harmony  &  Solemnity  of 
"the  IMusick,  together  with  a  handsome  Assembly  of  People,  in  a  Edifice  the 
"  most  perfect  of  the  Temple  kind  perhaps  in  America,  &  splendidly  illumi- 
"  nated,  could  not  but  raise  in  the  Mind  a  faint  Idea  of  the  Majesty  &  Grandeur 
' '  of  the  Ancient  Jewish  Worship  mentioned  in  Scripture. 

"  D'.  Isaac  de  Abraham  Touro  performed  the  Service."  The  Synagogue  is 
about  perhaps  fourty  foot  long  &  30  wide,  of  Brick  on  a  Foundation  of  free 
Stone  :  it  was  begun  about  two  years  ago,  &  is  now  finished  except  the  Porch 
&  the  Capitals  of  the  Pillars.  The  Front  representation  of  the  holj^  of  holies, 
or  its  Partition  Veil,  consists  only  of  wainscotted  Breast  Work  on  the  East  End, 
in  the  lower  part  of  which  four  long  Doors  cover  an  upright  Square  Closet  the 
deptli  of  which  is  about  a  foot  or  the  thickness  of  the  Wall,  &  in  this  Apart- 
ment (vulgarly  called  the  Ark)  were  deposited  three  Copies  &  Rolls  of  the 
Pentateuch,  written  on  Vellum  or  rather  tanned  Calf  vSkin  :  one  of  these  Rolls 
I  was  told  by  D'  Touro  was  presented  from  Amsterdam  &  is  Two  Hundred 
years  old  ;  the  Letters  have  the  Rabbinical  Flourishes. 

A  Gallcr}-  for  the  Women  runs  round  the  whole  Inside,  except  the  East  End, 
supported  by  Columns  of  Ionic  order,  over  which  are  placed  correspondent 
Columns  of  the  Corinthian  order  supporting  the  Cieling  of  the  Roof.  The 
Deptli  of  the  Corinthian  Pedestal  is  the  height  of  the  Balustrade  which  runs 
round  the  Gallery.  The  Pulpit  for  Reading  the  Law,  is  a  raised  Pew  with  an 
extended  front  table  ;  this  placed  about  the  center  of  the  Synagogue  or  nearer 
the  West  End,  being  a  Square  embalustraded  Comporting  with  the  Length  of 
the  indented  Chancel  before  &  at  the  Foot  of  the  Ark. 

On  the  middle  of  the  North  Side  &  affixed  to  the  Wall  is  a  raised  Seat  for 
the  Parnas  or  Ruler,  &  for  the  Elders  ;  the  Breast  and  Back  interlaid  with 
Chinese  Jlosaic  Work.  A  Wainscotted  Seat  runs  round  Sides  of  the  Syna- 
gogue below,  &  another  in  the  Gallery.  There  are  no  other  Seats  or  pews. 
There  may  be  Eighty  Souls  of  Jews  or  15  families  now  in  Town.  The  Syna- 
gogue has  already  cost  Fifteen  Hundred  Pountls  Sterling.  There  are  to  be  five 
Lamps  iK-ndant  from  a  lofty  Ceiling. 

'  The  anniversary  of  the  King's  signing  the  repeal  of  the  Stamp-Act.  1766. 


MARCH    I9-APRIL    6,    1769  7 

19.  lyds  day.  Preached  all  day  from  Ps.  xxxi,  19.  Read 
Hervej^'s  lyCtters  :  and  examined  the  last  chapter  of  Zechariah. 

22.  In  Even^  heard  book  of  Esther  read  out  in  Synagogue. 

23.  Read  Magnalia.      Purim  to  day. 

24.  Wrote  Hist.     Good  Fryday. 

26.  Ivds  day.     Preached  Mat.  xv,  27,  A.M.  &  Luke  xi,  13,  P.M. 

27.  Wrote  History  &  read  Sir  Ferdinand  Gorges. 

28.  Wrote  a  letter  to  Rev.  Mr.  WhitteLsey  on  the  Import  of  ^'^^^ 
and  the  Trinity  of  the  Zohar? 

April. 

1 .  Finished  the  first  Book  of  Samuel  in  Hebrew.  Made  a  ser- 
mon. Conversed  with  the  romish  priest,  who  shewed  me  his  gold 
cross  of  the  order  of  Knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem  or  Malta. 
Wrote  a  letter  to  Dr.  Alison'^  of  Philad-'.  upon  the  plurality  of 
Elohim  in  Jehovah,  and  the  rabbinical  Trinity  in  the  Zohar. 

2.  Lords  day,  preached  Prov.  ix,  12.  &  2  Pet.  iii,  11.  Made 
two  sermons  last  week.     Read  Theologia  Germanica. 

3.  Begun  2d  Book  of  Samuel  in  Hebrew  ;  read  also  Arabic. 

5.  Made  a  sermon. 

6.  Public  Fast  in  province  of  Massachusetts  &  among  the  Con- 
gregational Clihs.  in  Rh.  Isld.  Formerlj'-  here  in  my  Congrega- 
tion &  that  of  the  first  chh.  we  used  to  have  but  one  Service  on 

The  "Tree  of  Liberty"  was  planted  at  the  head  of  Thames  street  in  1765, 
and  Vjore  a  copper  plate,  affixed  in  1766,  with  the  record  of  the  repeal  of  the 
Stamp  Act. 

In  a  loose  memorandum  Dr.  Stiles  writes  as  follows  : 

This  anniversary  of  the  Stamp  act  repeal  was  celebrated  at  Newport  by  the 
Sons  of  Iviberty.  At  the  Dawn  of  Day  Colours  or  a  large  Flag  was  hoisted  & 
displayed  on  the  Top  of  the  Tree  of  Liberty,  and  another  on  the  Mast  of  Lib- 
erty at  the  point.  At  the  same  time  my  bell  began  &  continued  ringing  till 
Sunrise.  About  nine  o'clock  a.m.  the  bell  of  the  first  Congreg'*  Chh.  began  to 
ring  &  rang  an  hour  or  two.  The  EpisC.  Chh.  bell  struck  a  few  strokes  and 
then  stopped,  the  Episcopalians  being  averse  to  the  Celebration.  At  Noon  the 
canon  were  discharged  at  the  point  near  Liberty  pole  or  Mast.  The  colors 
were  also  displayed  at  the  Fort  all  day,  &  on  some  Vessels.  Towards  night  my 
bell  rang  again,  &  ended  at  about  sunset,  when  all  the  colours  were  struck. 
The  committee  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty  met  &  supped  with  Capt.  John  Collins. 

'  The  book  of  Zohar,  supposed  by  Dr.  Stiles  (see  Diary,  Oct.  29, 1772)  to  have 
been  composed  in  the  2d  century,  has  been  conclusively  shown  by  Dr.  Ginsburg 
to  be  a  forgery  by  a  vSpanish  Jew  of  the  13th  century. 

'^  Francis  Alison,  D.D.,  an  intimate  correspondent  of  Dr.  Stiles.  SeeSprague's 
Annals  of  the  Anier.  Pulpit,  iii,  73-76. 


8  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Fast  Da}^s.  This  day  had  public  worship  forenoon  and  afternoon  ; 
when  I  preached  two  sermons  from  Joel  ii,  12-14.  Afterwards  I 
read  a  chapter  in  Hebrew  &  a  portion  of  Arabick. 

7.  Read  Dean  Swift  on  Spirit  of  the  Whigs.  And  conversed 
with  Mr.  Welch  who  was  in  the  City  of  Morocco  last  year. 

8.  Read  Theologia  Germanica.     Made  four  Sermons  this  week. 

9.  Lds  day.  Preached  in  the  foren.  from  Luke  xii,  40.  Be 
ye  therefore  ready  also,  &c.,  four  adult  persons  of  myCongreg*. 
having  died  within  seven  days,  the  funeral  of  one  of  which  was 
still  to  be  attended  after  meeting.  Exchanged  with  Mr.  Austin 
in  the  aftern.  when  I  preached  from  Ps.  cxix.  iii.  Finished  the 
little  golden  Manual  of  mystical  Divinity,  entituled  Theologia 
Germanica. 

II.  Copied  &  translated  the  13  Articles  of  the  Jewish  Creed. 
Read  in  Irenseus. 

14.  Visited  by  Mess''^  Willard  &  Hylier,  two  of  the  Fellows  of 
Harvard  College.' 

16.  Lds.  day.  Mr.  Helyerd  preached  for  me  A.  M.  from  Mat. 
V,  6.     Mr.  Willard  preached  P.  M.  from  Mark  viii,  36-37. 

19.  Wrote  six  pages  History. 

20.  This  afternoon  I  was  in  Company  with  Francis  Bernard^  Esq"" 
eldest  son  of  Gov''  Bernard.  He  was  educated  in  the  Universitj''  of 
Oxford.  Of  the  Literature  there  we  had  much  conversation. 
Wrote  hist'y. 

22.  Sermon.     Read  Herveys  Lett. 

23.  Lds  Day.  Preached  A.M.  from  Ps.  cxix,  iii.  P.  M. 
Philip,  i,  8-11.  Examined  Poli  Synopsis  upon  Christ's  Sermon 
on  the  Mount.     Read  Herveys  Letters  v.  2. 

24.  Magnalia. 

26.  Spinning  Match  at  my  House,'  thirty-seven  Wheels ;  the 
Women  bro't  their  flax — &  spun  ninety-four  fifteen-knotted  skeins  : 
about  five  skeins  &  half  to  the  pound  of  16  ounces.       They  made 

^  Joseph  Willard  (Harv.  1765),  now  Tutor  and  Fellow,  afterwards  President  ; 
and  Timothy  Hilliard  (Ilarv.  1764),  now  Tutor,  afterwards  pastor  in  Barnstable 
and  Cambridge,  Mass. 

-Graduated  B.  A.  at  Christ  Church,  Oxford,  1766,  and  died  in  Boston,  Octo- 
ber, 1770,  aged  26. 

^  Dr.  Stiles's  house  is  still  standing,  on  the  east  side  of  Clark  street,  opposite 
the  lot  next  north  of  his  church  ;  it  was  built  as  a  parsonage  during  the 
earlier  years  of  his  pastorate,  he  having  lived  at  first  on  Division  street,  two 
blocks  to  the  eastward. 


APRIL    7-28,    1769  9 

us  a  present  of  the  whole.  The  Spinners  were  two  Quakers,  six 
Baptists,  twenty-nine  of  my  own  Societ)'.  There  were  beside  four- 
teen Reelers,  &c.  In  the  evening  &  next  day.  Eighteen  14-knotted 
skeins  more  were  sent  in  to  us  by  several  that  spun  at  home  the 
same  day.  Upon  sorting  &  reducing  of  it,  the  whole  amounts 
to  One  hundred  &  eleven  fifteen-knotted  Skeins.  We  dined  sixty 
persons.  My  p'ple  sent  in  4"'  Tea,  9""  Coffee,  Loaf  Sugar,  above 
3  qrs.  veal,  i)4.  doz.  Wine,  Gammons,  Flour,  Bread,  Rice,  &c.,  &c., 
&c.,  to  Amount  of  ^150.  Old  Tenor,  or  about  twenty  Dollars  :  of 
which  we  spent  about  one-half.  In  the  course  of  the  day,  the 
Spinners  were  visited  by  I  judge  six  hundred  Spectators. 

27.  Nothing. 

28.  Yesterday  Aft.  I  went  to  Elder  Thurston's'  meeting  and 
saw  Mess.  Burroughs,  set.  70,  Barker,  aet.  45,  and  lyilly,  aet.  30, 
ordained  Deacons  of  the  Baptist  Chh.,  by  the  laying  on  of  hands 
of  Elder  Thurston,  and  Mr.  Mason,  Elder  of  a  Baptist  Chh.  in 
Swanzey,  who  gave  them  a  charge.  The  prayer  and  Imposition 
of  hands  was  several  &  distinct  over  each  Deacon,  but  the  charge 
only  one  &  general.  It  was  the  Thursday  lecture  weekly  &  in 
course.  There  were  on  this  occasion  three  Elders  in  the  pulpit, 
viz.,  Mr.  Maxson',  Elder  of  the  Sabb.  Bapt.  Church  in  this  T\  & 
Messrs.  Thurston  &  Mason.  Mr.  Mason  began  with  Prayer  ;  then 
they  sung  an  Hymn  composed  b}^  one  of  the  Deacons  elect ;  Elder 
Thurston  then  read  the  whole  Acco'.  in  Acts  of  the  choice  & 
ordin-^  of  Deacons,  with  the  character  or  Qualific'^  of  a  Deacon  in 
Timothy,  as  the  basis  of  a  Sermon  ;  after  Sermon  the  three  Elders 
descended  into  the  Deacons'  seat  &  sat  with  the  three  Deacons 
Elect.  Then  Mr.  Thurston  read  the  narrative  of  the  transactions 
of  the  Chh.  at  several  Chh.  meetings  respect^  the  choice,  and  the 
final  vote  for  electing  these  3  Brethren  ;  and  publickly  asked  their 
Acceptance,  which  they  declared.  Upon  which  he  began  praj^er, 
in  which  after  a  few  introductory  supplications,  he  laid  both  his 
hands  upon  the  head  of  Deacon  Burroughs,  Elder  Mason  at  the 
same  time  laying  on  one  of  his  hands  : — then  having  praj-ed  over 
him  a  proper  time  &  commended  him  to  the  divine  blessing, 
Elder  Thurston  removed  off  his  hands,  &  laid  them  upon  the  head 
of  Deacon   Barker  and  then   on   Deac.   Tilley,   pray^  distinctly  & 

^  Gardner  Thurston,  pastor  of  the  2d  Baptist  Church.     See  Sprague's  Annals, 

vi,  50-54- 

'^  See  Diary,  July  24,    1776. 


lO  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

separately  over  each.  Elder  Mason  joined  also  in  each  Imposit''. 
of  hands.  But  ISIr.  Thurston  did  not  ask  Elder  Maxson  to  assist, 
&  tho'  he  sat  with  them,  he  did  not  lay  on  hands,  nor  perform 
any  part.  The  whole  was  concluded  by  a  hymn  composed  by  one 
of  the  Deacons,  I  suppose  ]\Ir.  Barker,  an  ingenious  man  ;  it  was 
read  by  Elder  Thurston  :— many  perhaps  half  the  singers  in  this 
baptist  chh  present,  stood  at  the  singing  ;  and  yet  this  chh.  &  Con- 
greg^  never  sang  in  public  worship  from  its  beginning  or  for  the 
first  hundred  and  &  ten  years,  or  from  1656  to  1766.  Their  first 
singing  was  1766  or  1767. 

29.  Finished  second  Book  of  Samuel  in  Hebrew. 

30.  Lds  day  :  preached  A.  M.  2  Cor.  iii,  5,  and  P.  M.  Gal.  iii, 
29  ;  lead  two  to  own  the  Covenant,  &  baptized  four  Children. 
Read  Institut.  of  Sanhedrim  in  Ainsworth  on  Pentateuch  ;  and 
Rabbi  Judah  Monis's  Discourses  at  his  Baptism  in  1722.  Made 
two  sermons  the  last  week. 

May. 

1.  Begun  first  Book  of  Kings  in  Hebrew. 

2.  Rev.  Joshua  Prentiss'  here. 

3.  Election.     Gov.  Wanton.  Dep.  Gov.  Sessions  chosen. 

4.  Smiths  Optics,  \'.  2.     Winthrop  on  Transit. 

5.  Prof.  Winthrop's  Eect.  on  Transit  Venus.  Preached  my 
sacramental  Lecture  this  Aft.  i  Pet.  i,  12. 

6.  Dr.  Lev\  Hubbard  &  Wife'  came. 

7.  Lds  da3^  Preached  A.  M.  Heb.  iii,  i,  and  administered 
the  Lords  Supper,  and  received  two  persons  into  the  Chh.  In 
Afternoon  i  Jn".  iii,  2,  3. 

ID.   Received  Dr.  Franklin's  Exp"  Electricity  4^". 
14.   Lds  day.     Preached     A.    M.    Matt,    x,    41.       Mr.    Church' 
preached  P.  M.  Numb,  xxiii,  10,  a  candidate  for  the  Ministrj-. 
16,  Went  to  association  at  S".  Kingston.      Mr.  Parks^  preached. 

'Joshua  Prentice  or  Prentiss  (Harvard  173S),  pastor  in  Holliston,  INIass., 
1 743-88. 

*  Leveretl  Hubbard  (Y.  C.  1744),  of  New  Haven,  a  l;rotherof  Mrs.  Stiles.  His 
vnk,  Sarah,  only  child  of  Stephen  and  IMar}'  (Miles)  Whitehead,  of  New- 
Haven,  died  Dec.  5,  1769. 

^  Probably  Aaron  Church  (Yale  1765),  of  Springfield,  Mass.,  who  was  licensed 
to  preach  in  Jan.,  1769,  &  was  settled  in  East  Hartland,  Conn.,  in  1773. 

*  Rev.  Joseph  Park  (Harv.  1724),  of  Westerly,  from  1733  to  his  death  on  March 
I,  1777. 


APRIL    29-MAY    22,    1769 


II 


^  Among  Dr.  vStiles's  papers  is  a  list  of  "Jews  in  Newport  in 
2  Harts, 


17.   Returned  :  heard  Even^  Lect.  on  hill  by  Mr.  Hart'  of  Preston. 

19.  This  Evening  went  to  the  Synagogue  &  saw  two  Copies  of 
the  Law  deposited  there.  One  a  new  Vellum  Roll  given  by  Mr. 
Lopez  ^40.  ster.  The  other  a  present  from  the  Portugue.se  Syna- 
gogue in  London.  Both  with  Silver  Tops  &  bells  washed  with 
Gold.  They  have  now  Six  Vellum  Rolls  of  the  Law.  There  are 
now  in  Town  about  Twenty-five  Families  of  Jews.^ 

20.  Read  76  pages,  or  the  first  twelve  Chapters  of  the  first  Book 
of  Irenaeus  against  Heresies. 

21.  Ldsday.  Mr.  Austin  preached  for  me  A.  M.  from  i  Jn"  v,  10. 
Rev.  Penuel  Bowen'  of  Boston  preached  P.  M.  from  Ps.  iv,  6. 
Read  four  chapters  in  Ireneeus. 

22.  Attended  an  Evening  Lecture  at  Mr.  Thurston's  Baptist 
meeting  preached  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Backus^  of  Middleborough,  a 
Baptist  Minister. 

'  Rev.  Levi  Hart  (Y.  C.  1760). 

[760,"  as  follows  : 
4  souls 
Moses  Levy  &  Brother, 

Sarsidas, 

Aaron  Lopez, 
Moses  Lopez, 
Jacob  Isaacs, 
Isaac  Elizur, 
old  Polloc, 
Issachar  Polloc, 

Polloc,  junior,    . 

Rod.  Levarez, 

Hart, 

Lucina, 

To  this  list  is  appended  the  note, 

Mar.  2,  1761,  and  10  Families." 

From  the  draft  of  a  letter  of  Dr.  Stiles  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Nathaniel  Lardner, 
of  London,  dated  June  20,  1764,  and  preserved  among  the  Stiles  Papers : 

We  have  15  or  20  Families  of  Jews  here,  almost  the  only  ones  in  New 
England  (&  perhaps  there  are  not  so  many  more  on  this  Continent).  They 
have  eredled  a  small  Synagogue  in  New  York  ;  and  another  at  Newport, 
met  in  for  the  first  time  in  Decemb"'  last  ;  it  is  superbly  finished  withinside 
at  a  Cost  of  £2, 000.  sterling  ;  in  the  place  of  the  Ark  they  have  deposited 
Three  Vellum  Copies,  Rolls  of  the  Law,  one  of  which  is  said  to  be  above  Two 
hundred  years  old,  which  I  judge  true  from  the  Aspedl  &  Rabbinical  Flourishes. 
They  have  a  Chuzzan  from  Amsterdam. 

^Harv.  Coll.  1762  ;  see  Sprague's  Annals  of  the  American  Pulpit,  i,  708. 

■•Rev.  Isaac  Backus,  the  historian,  b.  1724,  d.  1806. 


7 
6 

7 
II 

5 
2 
6 
I 
2 

5 
2 


"  Moses  Levy  reckoned  56  souls  of  Jews 


12  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

23.   Employed  in  preparing  for  the  Transit  of  Venus. 

25.  Employed  in  taking  equal  Altitudes  &c  &c. 

26.  Getting  an  astron.  Sextant  made. 

27.  Last  night  let  down  two  Threads  pendant  from  my  Garret 
Windows,  &  affixed  weights  at  the  bottom,  and  immersed  them  in 
two  vessels  of  water  ;  then  ranged  them  to  Alioth  &  the  pole  star. 
This  noon  regulated  the  two  clocks  by  the  Meridian. 

28.  Ldsday.  A.M.  The  aged  Rev.  Mr.  Maxwel'  preached  for 
me  from  Mat.  xi,  28.  He  was  formerly  a  Baptist  Minister,  but 
has  for  many  years  been  a  professed  Psedobaptist.  He  is  now  aet. 
81,  was  born  in  Sir  Edmund  Andross's  time  in  Boston,  Aug.  31, 
1688.  He  always  wrote  his  Sermons  at  full  length  &  read  them  in 
delivery.  He  preached  for  me  about  a  year  ago  when  he  read 
both  his  Sermons.  Soon  after  his  sight  failed  him.  Lords  day, 
Sept.  1 1,  1768,  he  preached  at  Bristol  for  the  Rev.  Mr.  Burt ;  this 
was  the  first  time  he  preachecV  without  Notes  or  reading,  the  day 
he  was  aet.  80.  The  sermon  he  preached  to-day  was  all  written 
and  delivered  verbatim  memoriter.  He  dare  not  venture  to  preach 
extemporaneously.  I  preached  P.  M.  i  Sam.  xii,  22-24.  My 
sermon  one  hour  &  five  minutes,  unusually  long  ;  being  commonly 
from  half  to  three  qu'^  an  hour. 

June. 

I.   Finished  Sextant  for  observing  the  Transit  of  Venus. 

3.  Fine  serene  day.  Assiduousl}^  employed  in  observing  the 
Transit  of  Venus,  which  will  not  happen  again  in  above  an  hun- 
dred years  at  either  node  ;  and  at  this  descend^  node  again,  not 
in  Two  hundred  &  36  years  or  before  A.D.  2004.  We  prepared 
Meridional  Threads  ranged  to  Alioth  &  the  pole  star  when  on  the 
Merid.,    two    Clocks   well    regulated,    a    Reflecting   Telescope    of 

'Samuel  Maxwell;  born  in  Boston,  Aug.  31,  168S  ;  ordained  over  a  Baptist 
church  in  Swanse^-,  Mass.,  April  18,  1733;  announced  his  preference  for  keep- 
ing the  Seventh  Day  as  the  Sabbath,  Aug.  6,  1738;  dismissed  from  Swansey 
church,  April  5,  1739;  accepted  a  call  to  Baptist  Church  in  Rehoboth,  Mass., 
Sept.  25,  1745,  and  was  installed  Dec.  25  ;  declared  for  ptedobaptism,  Jan.  8, 
1753.  and  left  the  Rehoboth  church,  April  4,  1754;  later,  preached  in  Warren, 
R.  I.;  see,  also,  this  Diary  for  April  3  and  25,  1772,  and  Backus's  Hist,  of  the 
Baptists. 

His  father  was  James  Maxwell  ;  born  in  Dumfries,  Scotland  ;  died  in  Boston, 
1720,  aet.  85  ;  by  first  wife,  Margery  Crump,  had  21  children  ;  by  second  wife, 
Dorcas  Stone,  of  Lexington,  had  9  children,  of  whom  was  Samuel. 


MAY    23-JUNE    7,    1769  13 

Eighteen  Inches,  a  Sextant  of  five  foot  Radius  furnished  with 
telescopic  Sights,  &  a  nonius  division  to  five  vSeconds.  I  saw  the 
moments  of  external  &  internal  Contacts,  the  first  at  II'''  31/  27" 
P.  M.  app.  Time,  the  latter  II''-  46.'  46"  P.  M.  Difference  fifteen 
minutes  eighteen  seconds.  We  took  27  Altitudes  of  the  sun  on 
the  day  of  the  Transit.  There  were  three  observers  at  the  same 
Time  looking  at  the  Sun.'  I  was  the  first  that  espied  Venus's 
Entrance,  the  other  two  soon  saw  it  tho'  not  till  several  seconds 
after  I  gave  the  word.  The  moment  of  Immersion,  or  first  internal 
contact,  was  seen  by  two  of  us,  Mr.  William  Vernon^  &  myself, 
both  gave  the  word  the  same  Instant.  We  had  two  observers  at 
each  of  the  clocks.  At  Sunset  Venus  had  passed  the  middle  of 
the  Transit  &  sat  in  the  Sun's  Disk. 

4.  Edsday.  Preached  A.  M.  from  Job  xxxviii,  31-33.  Canst 
thou  bind  up  the  sweet  Influence  of  the  Pleiades?  &c.  P.  M. 
Rom.   xiv.  12. 

5.  Making  calculations  on  Suns  Altitudes,  &c. 

6.  Calculations.  Obs.  Sun's  Merid.  Alt.  19.  7.  5.  Eat.  41.° 
26.' 53." 

7.  Received  Providence  obs.  of  the  transit  from  Mr.  Howel* 
who  was  present.  External  Contact,  II''-  29.'  35"  P.  M.  Immer- 
sion, II.''  46.'  31."  Altitudes,  O  36.°  19.'  &  39.°  28'.  Venus's 
Diam.  58".  Eeast  Dist.  Cent.  10.'  34".  So  difference  of  the  two 
contacts    16.'  56,"  that  is  i.'  37"  longer  than  at  Newport. 

^  Among  Dr.  vStiles's  papers  is  a  separate  MS.  volume  devoted  to  this  Transit. 
In  this  he  mentions  "The  Arrangement  of  Observators,"  as  follo-ws  : 

Mr.  Benjamin  King  at  the  Tube  of  the  Sextant. 

Mr.  Wilham  Vernon  and  E.  S.  at  the  perpendicvilar  Hair  or  Plumb. 
Mr.  Henry  Marchant  at  the  Reflecting  Telescope. 
Mr.  Henry  Thurston  with  a  good  Prospective  at  Corner  House. 
In  the  House,  at  the  Clocks. 
Mr.  Townsends  Clock.  B.  Stiles's  Clock. 

Mr.  Punderson  Austin,  Mr,  William  EHery, 

Mr.  Christopher  Townsend.  Capt.  Caleb  Gardner. 

^  A  distinguished  merchant  of  Newport,  born  1719,  died  1806.  His  house  was 
near  Dr.  Stiles's,  at  the  corner  of  Mary  and  Clark  streets.  See  Mason's  Annals 
of  the  Redwood  Library,  84. 

^  David  Howell,  Tutor  and  afterwards  Professor  in  Brown  University.  His 
letter,  dated  Warren,  June  5,  1769,  is  preserved  among  Dr.  Stiles's  papers,  in 
the  volume  of  manuscript  matter  on  this  Transit. 


14  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

8.  Waited  on  Rev''.  Mr.  Pembertoii'  of  Boston  &  Rev".  Mr. 
Treat'  of  New  York  : — compared  Clocks  &  the  Meridian. 

9.  Went  to  Fricjids  Gen.  Meeting;  and  heard  M""'  Wilson,'  an 
eminent  Quaker  Preacher  lately  come  from  Westmoreland  in  Eng- 
land.    She  spoke  above  an  hour.     She  is  a  pious  sensible  woman. 

11.  Ldsday.  A.M.  Rev'^  Eben'.  Pemberton  of  Boston,  act.  65, 
preached  for  me.     Ps.     P.M.  I  preached  from  Hebrews  v,  8-9. 

12.  Calculating  Eclipses  of  Jupiter's  Satellites. 

15.  Sat  out  on  a  Journey  into  Connecticutt  accompanied  with 
Major  Jonathan  Otis,'  a  Messenger  of  my  Chh.' 

'  Rev.  Ebenezer  Pemberton,  Jr.  (Harvard  1721),  was  settled  over  the  New 
Brick  Church,  Boston,  1754. 

*Rev.  Joseph  Treat  (Coll.  of  N.  J.  1757),  installed  in  1762  as  colleague  pastor 
of  the  ist  Presbj-teriaa  Church,  N.  Y.  City,  over  which  Mr.  Pemberton  was 
settled  from  1727  to  1753.     See,  also,  this  Diary,  Jul}-  25-27,  1769. 

^  Rachel  Wilson,  from  Kendal,  Westmoreland. 

■•Son  of  Nathaniel,  of  Sandwich,  Mass  ;  born  1723.    See  Diary,  Feb.  25,  1791. 

'  The  notes  of  this  Journey  in  the  author's  MS.  Itinerary  are  in  part  as 
follows  : 

June  15.  Dined  at  Bristol;  passed  Provid.  and  11  m.  beyond;  lodged  at 
Pierce  in  Smithfield. 

16.  Dined  Grosvenor's,  Pomfret.  Visited  Mr.  Ripley  and  lodged  in  Ken- 
nedy [/.  e.,  Canada  Parish,  now  Hampton].  y$,.  At  Pomfret  parted  with 
Major  Otis  who  went  for  Mansf 'd. 

17.  Dined  Mr.  Whiting's  at  Windli.  als.  Scotland.  !•=.  Th.  87°>^,  ¥>■.  Th. 
90°  in  shade,  and  V'  10^  87°. 

18.  Ldsday  at  Mr.  White's,  Windham  ;  preached  A.M.  and  partook  of  the 
Lds  Supper. 

19.  Rode  to  Gilead  :  lodged  Rev.  Mr.  Lothrop's. 

20.  Dined  at  Beckley's  in  Kensington.  Th.  85°  noon.  Arrived  at  Meriden 
and  joyned  the  Eccl.  Council. 

21.  In  Council.     6  Chhs. 

22.  Ord.  Rev''  John  Hubbard,  Rev.  Messrs.  Breck,  Rallantiue,  Whittelsey, 
Dana,  Lothrop,  Stiles,  joyning  in  Lay^  on  hands. 

23.  Dined  Dr.  Dana's,  Wallingf'',  &  rode  to  Carmel  to  visit  Mother  and  Br. 
Bradley  &  Munson. 

24.  Dined  Br.  Isaac  Stiles  at  North  Haven.  Th.  84°  and  at  IV  P.  M.  S6°>^. 
Roile  to  New  Haven. 

25.  Ixlsday.     Preached  all  Day  for  Mr.  Whittelsey. 

26.  Set  out  for  Newport.  Dined  Guilf"!.  II''.  Th.  8o°>^.  Visited  Rev.  Mr. 
Ruggles,  ancl  Mr.  Todd,  Dr.  Gale.     Lodged  Mr.  Devotion's. 

27.  Th.  86°  at  crossing  Sayb.  Ferry.  Again  in  Lyme  XI'>.  Th.  88°X-  At 
Rope  Ferry,  II""  P.M.  Th.  79°.  N.  Lond.  Ferry  IVj^  Th.  91°.  VI''  Th.  82° 
at  Stonjngton,   VI>^  Th.  79°.  • 


JUNE    8-JULY    3,    1769  15 

20.  Council  of  six  Chhs.  assembled  at  Meriden  on  Letters  mis- 
sive from  the  Chh.  there,  viz.  the  Pastors  and  a  Messenger  for  each 
of  the  Chhs.  of  Springfield  first  Chh.  8c  second  Chh.,  the  Chh.  of 
Westfield,  of  New  Haven,  Wallingford,  &  of  Newport  second  Con- 
greg'  Chh.     A  Pastor  and  Messenger  fr.  each  Chh. 

22.  P.M.  Rev''  John  Hubbard,  jun','  ordained  Pastor  of  the 
Chh.  of  Meriden  by  Prayer  and  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the 
six  Pastors  in  the  Council,,  viz.  Rev''  Messieurs  Rob.  Breck,  of  first 
Chh.,  Springf'd,  Moderator;  James  Dana,  D.  D.,  of  first  Chh., 
Wallingf'd,  Scribe ;  John  Ballantine,  of  Westfield  ;  Chauncy 
Whittelsey,  of  New  Haven  first  Chh.;  Joseph  Lothrop,  of  2''  Chh., 
Springt'd.;  Ezra  Stiles,  of  2''  Cong.  Chh.,  Newport. 

28.   Returned  home  &  arrived  at  Newport. 

July. 

2.  Ivdsday.      Preached  A.M.   Cant,   v,    8,   &  administered  the 
Lord's  Supper  to  44  Communicants.     P.M.  Heb.  vii.  26,  27. 

3.  Calculating  Altitudes  obs.  Venus  Transit. 

28.  Capt.  Russel's  in  Stonington.  VI''  Th.  79°.  At  Blevins,  Westerly, 
X.^}4  Th.  87°.  At  Champlin's  in  Chariest"  I''  Th.  89°.  Last  Obs.  Here 
broke  m}-  Thermometer.     Arrived  at  Newport  X''.  at  night.     Expenses  2  Doll. 

Dr.  Stiles  makes  the  following  further  note  in  his  Itinerary  under  June  18  : 
Windham,  June,    1769 — Customs,  &c. 

Begin  public  W^orship  by  ask"  Bless?  on  the  Word— then  sing — then  read 
chapter  in  O.  Test,  in  Forenoon — then  prayer — singing — Preach?- — prayer — 
Bless?.     Afternoon,  same,  read?  Chap,  in  N.  T. 

Lds.  Supper  once  in  vSix  Weeks  from  Spring  to  Fall  :  not  at  all  in  Winter. 

Sing  Watts — Sing  standing  about  half  congregation — Minister  stood  in  last 
singing.     Have  read  Scripture  so  as  to  have  finished  New  Test,  and  begun  again. 

Congregation  220  below,  40  in  each  Side  Gallery  &  perhaps  80  in  front — 
Total  380  not  400  souls,  and  yet  a  large  Assembly  and  rather  crouded. 

Four  Deacons,  &  perhaps  100  or  120  Communicants  all  very  serious  &  de- 
vout. The  presence  of  the  great  Head  of  the  Chh.  seemed  to  be  amongst  them. 
The  Rev*^  Mr.  White  prayed  affectionately  &  under  a  powerful  vSense  of  the 
Eove  of  Jesus.  He  did  not  say  any  Thing  during  the  dispensing  &participat?  of 
the  Elements,  excepting  Take,  Eat,  &c.  Nor  did  he  consecrate  the  Elements. 
He  begun  with  observ?  that  Xt  the  night  &c.  instituted  this  Supper  a  Memo- 
rial, &c.  Then  prayed — brake  the  bread — Deliv>'  to  Deacons — Participation — 
Then  he  took  the  Cup  &  gave  Thanks — poured  out — ^delivered  to  Deacons,  &c. 
— Singing — Contribution — Blessing. 

'  Yale  Coll.  1744  ;  a  brother  of  Mrs.  Stiles.  In  Dr.  Stiles's  MS.  Itinerary  are 
copies  of  various  docimients  relating  to  this  ordination  and  the  controversy  over 
the  rights  of  the  local  church  as  opposed  to  Consociation.  Dr.  Stiles's  partici- 
pation in  this  ordination  was  supposed  by  some  of  his  friends  to  have  prevented 
his  election  to  the  Presidency  of  the  College  at  this  time. 


l6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

6.   Copying  Rev.  Peter  Hobart's  antient  MS.' 

S.  Trials  &  Difficulties,  i.  With  my  own  heart  in  keep-  fr. 
the  World  &  living  to  Gd.  2.  On  ace "  of  my  wife — her 
pregnane)' — her  declining  &  dangerous  state — &  anticipa- 
tion of  irretrievable  Loss  in  her  death,  as  a  Comp'^  &  as 
an  oeconomist  &  as  to  care  of  Fam. 

3.  M5'  Children.     Sollicitude   about  their  doing   well   in 

Life, — Educ'' — Eternal  State. 

4.  Sub.sistence  or  living,  being  in  debt,  &c. 

5.  My  Chh.   &  Cong'. 

6.  So  many  Enemies,  especially  Chhmen.  &  Tories. 

7.  Lest  my  Imprudence  involve  me. 

8.  Concern  for  the  Cong''  Chhs.,    &  prevalence  of  Kpisc'' 

&  Wickedness. 

9.  Labor  in  compile  hist-'. 

10.  Fruitlessness  of  gt.  part  of  my  Labors. 

1 1 .  That  generally  things  turn  out  diff-'   from  our  plans 

respect^  child.  &  Fam.  &  Aims  at  doing  pub'  Good. 

12.  Want  of  stead}'  daily  calm  Resign^,  to  Gd. 

13.  Absence  of  Comforter  &  divine  presence. 

14.  Doubts  about  my  Etern'  state. 

Comforts. 

1.  A  good  Wife  &  Children. 

2.  Extensive  know,    of  all  K"''  of  the    World,    of  nat., 

above  all  of  Gd. 

3.  Have  got  know,  of  Supreme  Good. 

4.  Successfully  gone  thro'  a  great  part  of  the  Studies  and 

labors  of  Life  for  one  <;et.  42. 

5.  Some  success  in  Min^\ 

6.  Beloved  of  my  Chh.  &  Cong. 

7.  Have  much  Respect  among  Ministers,  Chhs.  and  the 

learned  World. 

8.  Have  an  E.state  of  /"500  ster.,  besides  Income  of  ^100 

ster.  ann,  as  good  as  a  Fund  of  ^2000  ster. 

'  This  MS.  contained  records  made  by  the  Rev.  Peter  Hobart,  of  Hinghatn, 
Mass.,  from  1635  till  his  death  in  1679,  with  continuation  by  his  son  David  to 
17 1 7.  Dr.  Stiles's  copy  is  preserved  among  his  papers;  the  original  was  lent 
him  in  1768  by  the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Gay,  of  Hingham.  Dr.  Stiles  has  also  pre- 
served a  copy  of  a  letter  from  the  same  author  to  the  ist  church,  Boston,  signed 
"Peter  Ilubbcrd  "  ;  and  a  letter  from  his  grandson,  the  Rev.  Noah  Ilobart,  of 
Fairfield,  1772,  commenting  on  the  various  modes  of  spelling  the  name. 


JULY    6-27,    1769  17 

9.   At  Times  sens.  Coram,  with  God,  at  least  high  delight 
in  contemplate^'   his  Glories  &  the  immense  Grace  by 
J.  G.  all  my  hope. 
10.   Feeble  hopes  of  happ)'  Immort-'. 
9.   Ivdsday.    Preached  A.M.  2  Cor.  x,  17,  18.     P.M.  Phil,  iv,  6,  7. 
12.  Joseph  S3^1vester  Bsq''  ob.  set.  — .' 

14.  At  IV''  7'  this  Morning  my  Wife  delivered  of  a  Daughter. 
16.   Iydsda3\   I  preached  A.M.  Job  xix,  25,  26,    &  P.M.    Ps.  civ, 
34,  &  baptized  my  Daughter  Sarah  Stiles. 

19.  Finished  2''  Book  of  Kings,  Heb.  Bib.  Commenc'.  Harv. 
Coll. — Professor   Winthrop  presided   &  gave  Degrees.^ 

21.  News  that  the  Parliament  intend  to  repeal  the  obnoxious 
American  Revenue  Acts.° 

22.  Mr.  Hopkins'  came  to  Town. 

23.  lydsday.  Mr.  Austin  preached  for  me  A.M.  from  Ps.  97,  i. 
I  preached  in  P.M.  James  i,  25.  Attended  an  Evening  I^ecture  on 
the  Hill  and  heard  Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins  preach. 

24.  Mr.  Hopk.  preached  first  Serm.  yest^'  fr.  Acts  x,  29. 

25.  Rev.  Mr.  Treat'  of  N.  York  came  hither. 

26.  Mr.  Treat  settled  at  N.  Y.,  1761.  Dr.  Rogers's  Diploma  bj^ 
Dr.  Franklin'  &  Mr.  Whitfield  :  he  is  now  set.  43.  Mr.  Treat 
tells  me  that  the  Jews  in  New  York  expected  the  Messiah  1768, 
and  are  greatly  disappointed.  That  this  expect-'  was  excited  by 
some  comput"^  on  the  prophetic  numbers  by  the  Rabbins  of  the 
present  day  ;  that  two  Jews  from  Constantinople  visited  New  York 
last  year. 

27.  This  day  Mr.  Punderson  Austin,  V.  D.  M.,  left  Newport, 
having  preached  to  the  first  Cong.  Chh.  here  ever  since  the  fourth 
of  March.     Mr.  Treat  &  Dr.  Rodgers  baptized  about  170  in  1768 — 

'  A  member  of  Dr.  Stiles's  congregation  ;  his  second  wife,  Mercy  (Daven- 
port), survived  him. 

^President  Holyoke  died  June  i,    1769. 

2  The  Townshend  Acts,  passed  in  June,  1767,  imposing  duties  on  glass,  paper, 
painters'  colors,  and  tea  ;  all  but  the  last  were  removed  in  April,  1770. 

''Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins  (Y.  C.  1741),  of  Great  Barrington,  Mass.  He  came  to 
Newport  as  a  candidate  for  settlement  in  the  ist  Congregational  Church. 

^  See  above,  June  8. 

^  For  Rev.  John  Rodgers  see  Sprague's  Annals,  iii,  157  ;  and  this  Diary,  March 
II,  1769,  and  Aug.  31,  1776.  Dr.  Stiles  maintained  a  frequent  correspondence 
with  him  from  1766,   and  many  of  his  letters  are  preserved  in  the  Stiles  papers. 

Dr.  Stiles's  own  diploma  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  was  procured  from  Edinburgh 
University  in  1765  through  Dr.  Franklin's  exertions. 
2 


l8  DIARY    OF   EZRA   vSTILES 

in  two  Presb.  congregations,  in  the  City  of  N.  York.  Their  Sal- 
ary each  ^250  L.  M.  Out  of  which  pay  House  rent  ^40,  and  for 
wood  /,'20.  Left  ^190=^107  Ster.  My  usual  Income  besides 
Wood  and  House  about  ^95  to  / 100  Ster. 

28.  Dr.  Husius  near  Esopus  a  learned  Dutch  Min.' 

29.  Visited  by  Mr.  Dawson,"  who  has  preached  two  Even'gs 
publickly  in  the  late  Moravian  Meetinghouse  here.  He  says  he 
was  a  Linnen  Draper  in  London,  bro't  up  an  Episc",  about  seven 
years  ago  became  religious,  &  joyned  Rev''  Dr.  Gifford's  Baptist 
Chh.  in  London.  Failing  in  Trade,  came  to  America,  commenced 
Preacher,  &  had  a  call  by  a  Eapt.  chh.  at  Gorhamtowu  in  Mass.^ 
consist^  of  about  24  Memb.  male  &  fem.  constituted  by  Rev. 
Mr.  Smith'  of  Haverhill,  &  till  this  a  Branch  of  Mr.  Smith's  chh. 
This  chh.  requested  Mr.  Smith  to  ordain  Mr.  Dawson,  but  he 
declined  :  and  then  the  chh.  by  lay  Brethren  ordained  him  by  Lay- 
ing on  of  hands.  Before  this  he  had  preached  at  Haverhil  for  Mr, 
Smith,  but  not  since.  And  Feb'-'  last  he  made  a  Tour  to  the  west- 
ward about  40  miles  beyond  Philad'' — but  has  not  been  acknowl- 
edged as  a  minister  by  Mr.  Edwards  of  Philad^,  Mr.  Gano  of  N. 
York,  Mr.  Thurston  of  Newport,  Mr.  Stilman  of  Boston,  &c.  or 
indeed  by  any  Baptist  ministers.  He  however  preached,  he  tells 
me,  in  the  presb.  meetingh.  at  New  Haven,  tho'  not  asked  by 
the  pastor, — and  in  the  presb.  meetingh.  at  New  London  ; — at 
Mr.  Snow's  meet*^'  in  Providence.  I  recollect  that  they  told  me  last 
month  that  an  illiterate  Bapt.  preacher  wearing  a  Band  offer*''  to 
preach  at  New  Haven  lately,  when  they  were  assembling  at  the 
Courthouse  one  of  the  p'ple  proposed  to  go  to  Mr.  Whittelseys 
meetgh.  which  they  accord^ly  did  in  night,  but  such  disturb- 
ances arose  that  the  preacher  broke  off  in  sermon  &  the  whole  con- 
greg'  broke  up  in  Confusion.  As  to  N.  London  he  told  me  Mr. 
Hart  of  Preston  had  changed  with  Mr.  Woodb.'  the  candidate, 
&c.,  on  Ldsday,  and  Mr.  Hart  a.sked  Mr.  Dawson  to  preach.  Mr. 
The'.  Green  Merch^   set  him  to  preaching  in  this  place.     He  says 

'  The  reference  is  luuloubtedly  to  Uoniine  John  Mauritius  Goetschius,  who 
was  settled  from  1760  to  1771  at  New  Paltz,  near  Esopus  or  Kingston,  N.  Y.  He 
was  orij^inally  a  physician. 

*See  Diary,  April  18,  1771,  and  Jan.  12,  1773. 

*Now  Gorhain,  Maine.     A  Baptist  church  was  formed  there  in  June,  1768. 

••  Hezekiah  .Smith  (Coll.  of  N.  J.  1758).     See  Sprague's  Antials,  vi,  97-103. 

*I%phraim  Woodhridge  (Y.  C.  1765),  ordained  at  New  London,  Oct.  11,  1769. 


JULY    28-AUGUST    10,    1769  19 

Mr.  Gano  wrote  over  to  Dr.  Gifford,  &  received  answer  that  Mr. 
Dawson  was  of  his  chh. 

30.  Ldsday.  Mr.  Treat  sailed  for  New  York.  Rev.  Dr.  James 
Dana'  of  Wallingford  preached  for  me  both  parts  of  the  da3\  In 
Forenoon  from  ;  aft.  Mat.  v,  20. 

31.  In  company  with  Dr.  Dana.  Sloop  I^iberty  burnt.'  Violent 
Hail  Storm  this  afternoon. 

August. 

[4.  Gov""  Bernard  sailed  for  L,ondon.  Vale.  I,  Dedccus !  /, 
nostriLin^ 

7.  Rev.  Elder  Thurston  tells  me  that  Mr.  Dawson  was  suspended 
from  Communion  in  Dr.  Gifford's  Baptist  chh.,  London — was 
refused  communion  at  Mr.  Gano's  chh.,   N.  York — then  procured 

himself  to  be  received  into  Mr. Bapt.  chh.  in  Dutchess  Co.,  N. 

York,  but  behaved  so  that  he  was  excommunicated  there.  After 
this  came  to  Haverhill  &  preached  in  Mr.  Smith's  Absence —thence 
to  Gorhamt".     He  has  many  Hearers  in  Newport. 

8.  Mess''*-  Scales  &  Austin"  here  again. 

9.  Attended  evens''  Lect.  Bapt.     Mr.  Davis^  preached. 

ID.  Mr.  Tutor  Scales  went  away.  This  day  one  of  the  Jews  shewed 
me  a  computation  of  one  of  the  present  Rabbins  of  Germany  : 
wherein  he  makes  Time,  Times,  and  half,  to  denote  the  space  from 
the  last  Destruct''  of  the  Temple  to  its  Restor-'  &  Return  of  XII 
Tribes.  Time  he  calls  "  Seventy  Semitots"  or  490  years,  Times 
980,  half  245,  total  1 715  years,  ending  he  says  A.D.  1783,  when  the 
Messias  is  expected.  N.  B.  The  Jews  are  wont  in  Thunder  Storms 
to  set  open  all  their  Doors  &  Windows  for  the  coming  of  Messias. 
Last  Hail  Storm  31  July,  when  Thunder,  Rain  &  Hail  were  amaz- 
ingly violent,  the  Jews  in  Newport  threw  open  Doors,  Windows, 
and  employed  themselves  in  Singing  &  repeating  Prayers,  &c., 
for  Meeting  Messias.     Attended  Mr.  Hopk.  Even^'  Lect. 

•  Harvard  Coll.  1753.     See  Sprague's  Annals,  i,  565-71. 

^See  R.  I.  Colonial  Records,  vi,  593-96,  for  an  account  of  "  the  first  overt  act 
of  violence  offered  to  the  British  authorities  in  America  "  The  vessel  was  scut- 
tled in  Newport  Harbor  on  July  17,  in  revenge  at  her  part  in  detecting  viola- 
tions of  the  revenue  laws  ;  and  was  set  on  fire  on  the  31st. 

^  For  Gov.  Bernard,  see  IMentorial  Hist,  of  Boston,  iii,  27,  28. 

•'Stephen  Scales  (Harv.  1763),  tutor  at  Harvard,  1767-70  ;  and  Punderson  Aus- 
tin, as  above,  March  5,  etc. 

^Rev.  John  Davis,  who  had  just  come  from  Philadelphia,  introduced  by  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Alison.     See  Diary,  Junes,  ^772,  and  Feb.  20,  1773. 


20  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

II.  Providence  Gentlemen  returned  the  Astron.  Sextant  into 
the  Redwood  Librar)-.     They  tell  me   Providence  is   in   Lat.  41° 

50'.' 

13.  Ldsday.  I  preached  A.M.  Ps.  139,  17.  P.M.  Eph.  111,  7-10. 
After  Meeting  I  baptized  a  sick  child  privately.  Anniversary  of 
Destruction  of  second  Temple  celebrated  at  the  Synagogue. 

14.  Copying  Rev.  Peter  Hobart's  MS.  records. 

15.  My  Babe  Sally  very  sick. 

16.  14  Aug^  celebrated  at  Liberty  Tree  in  Dorchester.' 

18.  Finished  copying  Rev.  Peter  Hobart's  MS. 

19.  Writing  Dett.  to  Dr.  Chauncy,"  &c. 

20.  Lordsday.  Preached  A.M.  Isai.  xxvi,  12.  P.M.  Col.  iii, 
I,  2,  3,  old  ser.  Read  Mr.  Cottons  Exp.  of  Ecclesiastes,  & 
Sarson's  Tracts. 

21.  Copying  Rev.  Jno.  Lothrop's  MS.  Records  of  the  beginning 
of  the  chhs.  of  Scituate  and  Barnstable.'  Examined  with  Mr 
Touro'  an  hebrew  Commentary  on  "  the  scepter  shall  not  depart 
from  Judah,  &c.,"  but  without  Satisfaction.   .   .    . 

23.  Finished  reading  a  second  time  all  the  Arabic  in  Seldeni 
Opera,  v.  3.  Fol. 

24.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins'  Evening  Lecture.  Finished  tran- 
scribing Rev**  Mr.  Eothrop's  MS. 

25.  Congreg-'  voted  Mr.  Hopkins  ^70.  ster.  Salary,  Wood  & 
house." 

'  The  correct  latitude  is  41°  49'  22''. 

-The  anniversary  of  the  date  in  1765  of  the  uprising  in  Boston  against  the 
Stamp  Act. 

*  Rev.  Dr.  Charles  Chauncy  (Harvard  1721),  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  Bos- 
ton, born  1705,  died  17S7.     Dr.  Stiles  was  an  intimate  correspondent. 

*  Dr.  Stiles  had  obtained  this  MS.  during  his  recent  journey  into  Connecticut, 
from  Rev.  Elijah  Lathrop  (V.  C.  1749),  of  Gilead,  in  Hebron.  The  copy  is  pre- 
ser\-ed  among  the  Stiles  papers;  it  has  been  printed  in  vols.  9,  10,  of  the 
N.  E.  Hist,  and  Genealogical  Register. 

*  Isaac  Touro,  the  priest  of  the  Newport  Hebrews  from  about  1760  until  the 
war  of  the  Revolution.  He  died  in  Jamaica  in  December,  1783,  at  the  age  of 
46.  His  sons  were  benefactors  of  Newport  and  of  its  synagogue.  See  Mason's 
Reminiscences  of  Newport,  61-64,  and  R.  /.  Historical  Magazine,  vi,  100. 

«.\s  illustrative  of  Dr.  vStiles's  feelings  towards  Mr.  Hopkins  at  this  time 
the  following  draft  of  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  Noah  Welles,  of  Stamford,  Conn., 
may  be  (juoted  : 

Aug.  26,    1769. 

The  Rev'  .Mr.  H<>])kiiis  has  a  Call  from  the  Chh.  late  the  pastoral  care  of  the 
Rev**- Mr.  Vinall.     His  peculiarities  give  some  uneasiness  ;   &  there  is   far  from 


AUGUST    II-SEPTEMBER   4,    1 769  21 

28.  This  day  I  translated  into  English  Eutichii  On'gines  Ecclesia 
Alexandfince  from  the  original  Arabic. 

29.  Copied  the  Arabic  of  Hutychius. 

30.  This  morning  at  II''.  45'  I  got  up  and  saw  the  Comet/  south 
of  Pleiades  &  a  little  S.W.  of  Aldebaran  in  Taurus,  and  a  tail 
ten  Degrees  long,  whitish.  At  night  watched  for  the  Comet.  But 
at  XI''  at  night  the  Heavens  covered  with  cloud. 

Sept. 

1.  Good  Obs.  Comet  at  P  30'  Mane,  I^ongit.  6°,  lyat.  13°  30' 
Aust.     Wife  seized  with  a  Fit.       Preached  my  sac""'  Lect.   Ps.  1,  5. 

2.  At  IIP>^  mane  Comet  II  10°.   I^at.  15°  Austral. 

3.  Lordsday.  Preached  A.M.  from  2  Cor.  v,  15  &  administered 
the  Lords  Supper  to  above  fifty  Communicants.  Preached  P.M. 
from  Jno.  vi,  66-69.  And  about  five  o' Clock  P.M.,  after  meeting, 
I  married  Billings  Coggeshall  and  L,ydia  Hammett  at  Deacon  Cog- 
geshalls.''  Mr  Ellery  tells  me  the  Comet  rose  this  morning  four 
minutes  after  midnight. 

4.  At  II''  mane  the  Comet  was  conjojnied  with  y  or  Bellatrix  in 
the  left  shoulder  of  Orion  ...  At  III"  45'  my  Daughter  Sally 
died,  aged  seven  weeks  &  three  days.  At  IV'  15'  or  20'  I 
observed  the  Comet  disjoyned  from  y.  .  .  .  This  Junction  of  the 
Comet  with  y  Orion  ascertains  its  place  with  the  greatest  precis- 
sion,  to  be  in  II  i6i^°  Eongit.  &  17°  Eat.  aust.  fr.  ecliptic,  &  6°  N° 
of  Equator.     This  obs.  made  at  three  .separate  places  in  Town,  viz., 

being  a  unanimity.  However  as  the  Chh.  is  small,  he  will  probably  persuade  a 
majority  to  submit  to  his  baptismal  Restrictions.  If  I  find  him  of  a  Disposi- 
tion to  live  in  an  honorable  Friendship,  I  shall  gladly  cultivate  it.  But  he 
must  not  expect  that  I  recede  from  my  Sentiments  both  in  Theology  and  eccle- 
siastical Polity,  more  than  he  from  his,  in  which  I  presume  he  is  immoveably 
fixed.  We  shall  certainly  differ  in  some  Things.  I  shall  endeavor  to  my 
utmost  to  live  with  him  as  a  Brother  :  as  I  think  dishonorable  that  in  almost 
every  populous  place  on  this  Continent,  where  there  are  two  or  more  Presb.  or 
Cong.  Chhs.  they  should  be  at  greater  variance  than  Prot.  &  Romanists  : 
witness  every  city  or  Town  from  Georgia  to  Nova  Scot,  (except  Portsm") 
where  there  are  more  Presb.  chhs.  than  one.  The  Wound  is  well  nigh  heald 
here — may  it  not  break  open  again.  If  Mr.  Hopkins  Candor  is  equal  to  his 
Sense  and  Abilities,  it  is  in  his  power  to  make  both  our  chhs.  happy :  else  we 
must  be  disconnected. 

^  A  notable  comet,  first  observed  in  Paris  on  August  8. 

'  Billings  Coggeshall,  born  October  17,  1733,  son  of  Deacon  Nathaniel  Cogges- 
hall (of  Dr.  Hopkins's  church),  by  his  first  wife,  Sarah  Billings. 


2  2  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 

by  Mr  Ellery  &  Mr.  Thurston  at  Ur.  EHery's,  by  Mr.  Marchant' 
at  his  own  house,  and  myself  at  my  house.  Upon  comparison  in 
the  morning  all  agreed. 

5.  This  morning  at  II''  by  Mr.  Ellery' s  &  Mr.  Marchant's 
observations  compared,  the  Comet  nearl}-  in  a  range  with  a  in 
right  shoulder  &  w,  in  Orion.  .  .  .  This  aft.  buried  my  Daughter 
Sail}',  aet.  seven  weeks. 

7.   Catechised  45  Children.     Commencemt  at  Warren.^ 

'  Henry  Marchanl,  afterwards  an  eminent  lawyer.     See  also  Diary,   July  6, 

1771- 

'  The  college  later  named  Brown  University.  To  illustrate  Dr.  Stiles's 
relations  with  this  enterprise,  a  draft  of  his  letter  declining  a  seat  in  the  Cor- 
poration may  be  quoted: 

To  the  Chancellor,  President,  Fellows,  &  Trustees  of  the  College  of  Rhode 
Island  : 

Gentlemen,  you  will  please  to  accept  m}-  respectful  Acknowlegenients  for 
the  Honor  you  have  done  me  in  electing  me  one  of  the  Fellows  of  the  College. 
I  was  too  sincere  a  Friend  to  Literature  not  to  have  taken  part  in  the  Institu- 
tion at  first  upon  my  nomination  in  the  Charter  had  I  not  been  prevented  by 
Reasons,  which  a  subsequent  immediate  Election  could  not  remove.  Which 
Reasons  are  still  of  so  much  Weight  with  me,  that  I  beg  leave  to  decline  the 
office  to  which  you  have  invited  me.  I  am  unworthy  the  repeated  Deputa- 
tions, the  Politeness  &  Respect  with  which  3'ou  have  condescended  to  treat  me 
on  this  occasion.  I  heartily  wish  success  to  the  College,  &  make  no  doubt  but 
in  time  it  will  become  an  Honor  to  this  Colon}-  &  to  America.  I  hope.  Gentle- 
men, 30U  will  lie  animated  &  vigorously  engaged  in  the  Enterprize,  in  a  Trans- 
action which  I  am  sure,  will  honor  you  to  posterit}-.  With  the  greatest 
Pleasure  &  Alacrity  I  could  have  joyned  with  you  in  so  noble  a  Work,  but  that 
I  am  obstructed  by  Reasons,  which,  however  they  may  justlj-  influence  Con- 
gregationalists  in  general,  ought  not  now  to  have  any  Weight  with  you  as  a 
Body  ;  and  which  shall  not  jirevent  me  from  being  ready  to  assist  as  effectually 
as  if  in  the  Corporation,  nor  from  participating  your  Joy  in  the  Figure  &  Pros- 
perity of  this  future  Seat  of  Wisdom  &  Learning.   .   .   . 

Newport,  3.  Sept.  1766. 

In  further  illustration  of  Dr.  Stiles's  attitude  is  an  extract  from  a  draft  of  a 
letter  of  his  to  the  Rev.  J.J.  Zubly,  dated  August  26,  1768  :— 

We  had  lately  a  catholic  plan  for  a  College  in  Rhode  Island,  but  it  turned 
out  Supremacy  &  Monopoly  in  the  hands  of  the  Baptists,  whose  Influence  in 
our  Assembly  was  such  that  they  obtained  a  most  ample  Charter  to  their 
purpose.  They  inserted  my  Name,  but  I  take  no  part  in  the  Institution — not 
you  may  be  sure,  because  I  am  unfriendly  to  literature,  but  for  other  Reasons. 
However  I  heartily  wish  the  College  prosperity,  as  it  is  the  only  IMeans  of 
introducing  Learning  among  our  protestant  Brethren  the  Baptists,  I  mean 
among  their  Ministers. 


.     SEPTEMBER   5-12,    1769  23 

8.  Violent  N.R.  storm  at  night. 

10.  Ldsday.     I  preached  A.M.  Isai.  xxx,  iS.     P.M.  Titus  ii,  12. 

11.  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards  Bapt.  Minister  in  Philad''  last  year  soUic- 
ited  in  Eng.  &  Irel''  Benefact.  for  Rh.  Isl.  College  :  was  at  War- 
ren at  Commencem^  last  week,  where  he  took  final  lycave  of  his 
Friends,  telling  them  he  had  for  sundr}'  3^ears  had  a  persuasion  that 
he  should  dj^e  in  1770.  This  I  was  told  of  last  evening.  This  day 
set  out  in  company  with  Mr.  Campbell  &  Mr.  Ellis  for  Association. 

12.  At  Association  of  the  Congregational  Pastors  of  the  Colony 
of  Rhode  Isl'd,  at  Mr.  Parks  in  Westerly  ;  assembled,  Rev.  Mess'^ 
Campbell,  Torry,  Park,  Ellis'  and  myself. 

The  IMS.  correspondence  of  Dr.  Stiles  shows  that  as  earh-  as  1761  he  was 
endeavoring  to  bring  about  the  foundation  of  a  College  in  Rhode  Island. 

A  copy  of  the  Providence  Gazette  for  April  28,  1764,  which  contains  the 
charter  for  Brown  University,  is  in  the  Yale  Library  ;  a  note  is  attached  as 
follows,  signed  b}^  Dr.  Stiles  : — This  charter  draughted  by  Mr.  William  Ellery, 
Jun''.  and  myself  before  the  Baptists  deserted  the  Congregationalists. 

In  an  interleaved  Almanac  for  1763,  belonging  to  Mrs.  Kate  Gannett  Wells  of 
Boston,  is  this  entry,  in  Dr.  Stiles's  baud  : 

Sept.  20.  The  Baptists  desert  their  Junction  with  the  Congregationalists, 
and  engross  all  the  Power  in  the  proposed  Rh.  Isl.  College  to  themselves,  after 
they  had  agreed  to  share  the  Ballances  with  us. 

^  These  four  were  all  Harvard  graduates  : — Othniel  Campbell  (1728),  of  Tiv- 
erton ;  Joseph  Torrey  (1728),  of  South  Kingston  ;  Joseph  Park  (1724),  of  West- 
erly ;  and  Jonathan  Ellis  {1737),  of  Little  Compton. 

The  records  of  the  Old  South  Church  in  Boston  (v.  Hill's  Hist.,  i,  466,  476, 
&c.)  show  that  Mr.  Torrey  received  contributions  from  that  church,  as  a  home 
missionary,  also,  Mr.  Campbell. 

See,  also,  for  Mr.  Torrey,  Collections  of  the  Conn.  Historical  vSociety,  v,  170. 

The  Rev.  David  [Sherman]  Rowland,  of  Providence  (Yale  Coll.  1743),  was 
a  member  of  the  Association,  but  not  present.  A  letter  of  his,  in  Dr.  Stiles's 
unbound  correspondence,  refers  to  this  meeting,  as  follows  : — 

Providence,  Aug.  31,  1769. 
Friend  and  D'^   S'. 

Last  evening  I  received  a  message  from  B''  Ellis,  acquainting  me  that  our 
Association  was  to  be  at  Mr.  Parks's  next  week,  and  that  he  would  be  glad  to 
meet  me  at  Tower  Hill  munday  about  noon.  I  had  never  heard  when,  or 
where,  we  were  to  meet  next,  till  last  Evening ;  previous  to  which  I  had 
appointed  to  Set  out  on  Munday  for  Fairfield. — Am  sorry  to  miss  another  meet- 
ing of  my  Brethren,  but  don't  see  at  present  how  I  can  well  help  it;  unless  I 
should  conclude  to  take  my  journey  by  the  sea  Side,  which  I  am  not  very  fond 
of,  on  account  of  the  Ferries  :  But  if  I  should  conclude  to  goe  that  Way,  I  can't 
possibly  tarry  longer  than  to  enquire  after  their  welfare  :   Nor  could  I  with  any 


24  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

13.  Rev.  Mr.  Campbell  preached  the  lecture. 

14.  Returned  to  Newport.  Yesterday  morning  I  observed  the 
Comet's  Tail  ninetj^  degrees  in  length. 

17.  Ldsda}-  A.  M.  Rev''  Morgan  Edwards',  a  Baptist  Minister 
from  Philadelphia,  preached  for  me  from  Jn  '  iii,  7,  and  P.  M.  Mr. 
Davis  of  Pensj-r',  a  Baptist  candidate,  preached  for  me  from  Mat. 
v.  26. 

18.  Yesterday  in  conversation  with  Mr.  Edwards  I  told  him  I 
understood  that  he  had  a  Presentiment  of  his  own  Death  next  year. 
He  intimated,  it  was  true  he  had  ;  but  seemed  rather  to  avoid  dis- 
coursing on  it — adding  that  he  designed  to  publish  it  to  the  world 
the  beginning  of  the  j^ear,  when  he  purposed  to  print  all  his  Expec- 
tation, <&  send  it  his  Friends  as  a  new  year's  Gift,  promising 
to  send  me  one.  He  is  solid,  grave,  learned  Divine,  tho'tful,  pene- 
trating, cool  &  judicious,  without  Enthusiasm.  He  is  now  in  firm 
Health  (except  an  incidental  cold)  robust  &  hearty  ;  &  aet  48,  as  he 
tells  me. 

19.  Finished  translating  the  Book  of  Isaiah.  I  have  read  the 
Hebrew  Bible  thus  far  in  course.  Employed  in  calculations  for 
investigating  the  Trajectory  of  the  Comet. 

20.  Began  Jeremiah.     Comet. 
22.   On  Comet's  Trajectory. 

22.  This  Day  President  Manning  told  me  that  Mr.  Edwards  of 
Philad-'  told  him  at  Commencm*  here,  that  his  Expectation  of  dying 
next  year  had  been  of  about  Ten  years'  standing.  He  was  rather 
averse  to  conversing  about  it.  But  upon  Mr.  Manning's  urging,  he  sd. 
had  it  not  by  Revelation,  nor  Dream.  But  one  day  as  he  was  calmly 
sitting  in  meditation,  the  Notion  or  Tho't  instantly  rushed  into  his 

comfort  be  at  Towerhill  by  uoon,  for  I  Suppose  it  to  be  30  or  35  uiiles  from 
hence. — I  am  no  racer— you  will  be  kinde  enough  to  excuse  me  to  the  Gent, 
with  my  sincere  and  hearty  regards — I  am  In  hast 

Sir,  your  Sincere  friend  &  Humble  ser' 

D.  Rowland. 
Sept'  1st 

P.  S.  I  have  within  a  few  moments  received  a  Letter  from  a  Com"  at  N. 
York  formed  with  a  design  to  prevent  an  American  Episcopate  If  it  be  possible  ; 
the  design  you  no  doubt  are  acquainted  with.  This  has  pretty  fully  determined 
me  to  take  my  journey  by  the  Seaside,  that  I  may  have  an  opportunity  of  a 
little  conversation  ujkju  the  affair —  D.  R 

To  Dr.  E.  Stiles  Bishop  in  N.  P. 

'  See  Sprague's  Annals,  vi,  S2-85;  he  died  in  1795. 


SEPTEMBKR    13-OCTOBER   3,    1769  25 

Mind  with  distinct  and  vivid  clearness,  in  a  singnlar  manner,  he 
knew  not  how,  but  giving  him  a  fixt  indubitable  Persuasion  of  the 
future  fact,  the  year  when  he  should  die,  viz.,  1770  and  the  very- 
day  of  the  year.  He  had  endeavored  to  banish  it  out  of  his  mind 
as  a  chimerical  Notion,  but  it  has  ever  since  abode  fixt  &  firm 
&  indubitable,  remaining  still  &  always  indubitable  whenever  he 
tho't  of  it.  He  was  not  fond  of  divulging  it :  but  had  mentioned 
it  to  a  friend  or  two  in  England  before  he  came  to  settle  at  Philad^, 
which  was  7  or  eight  years  ago,  who  communicated  it  as  an  Anec- 
dote to  Philad''.  &  so  the  Notion  (as  Mr.  Edwards  calls  it)  got 
abroad.  Mr.  Edwards  constantly  refers  his  Inquirers  to  an  ace",  he 
intends  to  print  next  New  Year's  day.  He  told  Mr.  Manning  the 
Text  he  intended  to  preach  from  on  New  Year's  day,  and  the  plan 
of  his  Discourse  which  was  to  contain  this  narrative.  Previous  to 
preaching  it  he  intended  to  print  the  sermon  (to  be  a  secret 
between  him  and  the  printer  as  to  the  contents)  &  have  it  ready 
to  deliver  &  send  to  his  friends  a  New  Year's  Gift.  He  declined 
telling  Mr.  Manning  the  day  he  should  die  :  which  sd.  he  had 
imparted  to  none. 

Mr.  Edwards'  wife  died  16  iVugust  last.  He  told  Mr.  Manning, 
that  soon  after  their  marriage  she  had  a  persuasion  that  she  should 
have  six  children,  and  dye  in  child-bed  of  her  seventh  child  unde- 
livered, which  proved  Fact.  She  had  often  told  this  Expectation, 
and  particularly  to  the  women  present  at  her  Delivery  of  her  sixth 
child,  who  remarked  and  spake  of  it  at  her  Death. 

24.  Ldsday.  Preached  A.  M.  Rom.  xi,  20,  21.  P.  M.  Prov. 
X,  9. 

26.   Comets  trajectory.     Read  Hart's  answer  to  Whitaker. ' 

Oct. 

1.  Edsday.  I  preached  A.  M.  Ps.  cxix,  9.  P.  M.  Eccl.  xii,  13. 
Read  President  Oakes'  excellent  artillery  Sermon,  1677.  This  aft. 
all  my  family  went  to  Meeting,  viz.,  my  Wife,  seven  Children,  a 
Maid,  &  my  Negro  Man  : — shutting  up  the  house. 

2.  New  Year's  da}^  at  the  Synagogue. 

3.  Began  reading  the  Arabic  in  the  second  Volume  of  Selden's 
Works,  folio. 

'  A  pamphlet  by  the  Rev.  WilHam  Hart,  of  Saybrook,  Conn.,  pubHshed  in 
1769. 


26  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

4.  Rev^^-  Mr.  Brown  of  Killingly  &  Mr.  Tutor  How  of  Yale 
Coll.  came.' 

5.  Lent  Mr.  Tutor  How,  Origines  Kcclesise  Alexandrinse  by 
Eutycliius,  Patriarch  of  that  Chh.  in  the  Tenth  Century  ; — which 
I  had  copied  in  the  Arabic  Letter  ; — with  the  English  Translation 
which  I  made  from  the  Original  Arabic.  This  Evening  visited  by 
a  young  Man— Hamilton,  set.  20,  born  a  mile  from  Providence,  but 
bro't  up  in  Coventry  ;  can  read  the  Bible,  but  scarce  knows  the 
nine  figures,  can't  set  down  any  sum  in  figures,  yet  has  a  surprizing 
Talent  at  Addition  &  Multiplication  of  large  numbers.  I  asked 
him  with  my  Watch  in  my  hand,  how  many  Minutes  there  were  in 
Ten  Million  years  ?  then  in  an  hundred  Million  j^ears  ?  he  told  me 
both  in  less  than  one  minute  b}^  m}^  Watch.  I  gave  him  an  Idea  of 
the  solar  System — led  him  to  conceive  every  fixt  Star  as  Suns  & 
centers  of  revolving  Systems  of  Worlds.  I  told  him  to  imagine  all 
these  hosts  of  Worlds  filled  with  innumerable  Millions  of  Inhabit- 
ants, and  by  considering  our  Earth,  a  Ball  of  8  Thousand  miles 
Diameter  as  having  five  at  least,  perhaps  7  or  Eight  hundred  Mil- 
lions p'ple  upon  it,  led  him  to  estimate  the  number  of  Inhabitants 
in   Sat.,  Jup.,  &c,  our  solar  system  of  6  primary  planets  &  above 

fifty  comets  all  cqualh'  inhabited.  From  the  collected  N"-  in  our 
system,  I  led  him  to  expand  his  Ideas  of  Numbers,  by  transferring 
himself  to  the  innumerable  Systems  that  fill  the  Realms  of  Immen- 
sity. 

He  imbibed  all  with  the  greatest  Avidity  &  Amazment,  It  being 
an  api^lication  of  numbers  of  which  he  had  no  Idea  before. 

6.  On  the  Trajectory  of  the  comet.  At  night  read  Rev.  Moses 
Mather's  tract  on  the  Qualifications  for  Bapt.  &  Lds  vSupper. 

7.  Ld.sdy.  Preached  A.  M.  Ezek.  xxxiii,  10,  11.  P.  M.  i  Cor. 
i,  18. 

Read  Sermons  at  Gen.  Fast  in  Ma.ssach.  Apr  9,  1769  by  Mr. 
Amos  Adams,  Pastor  of  the  first  chh.  in  Roxbury.  In  evening 
read  in  Theodorits  Ecc.  Hist,  of  third  &  fourth  century. 

II.   vSet  out  on  Journey  to  Attleborough. 

'Rev.  Aaron  Brown  (Y.  C.  1749),  pastor  of  North  Killingly,  now  East  Put- 
nam, Conn.;  his  wife  was  the  widow  of  his  predecessor.  Rev.  Perley  Howe 
(Harv.  1 731),  and  mother  of  Joseph  Howe  (Y.  C.  1765),  who  had  a  brief  but 
brilHant  career,  first  as  Tutor  at  Yale  (i  769-1 772),  and  then  as  pastor  of  the 
New  South  Church,  Boston  (1773-75.  See,  also,  this  Diary,  Oct.  21,  1772,  and 
Sept.  15,  1775). 


OCTOBER   4-29,    1769  27 

14.  I  returned,  accompanied  with  Rev''-  Mr.  Searl. 

15.  lydsdy.     Rev*'-  Moses  Tuttle'  preached  for  me  all  da3\ 
16  &  17.   Went  to  Bristol  for  my  Wife. 

18.  Read  the  life  of  Rev''-  Henry  Grove  of  the  Taunton  Academy. 

19.  Read  one  of  president  Chauncys  Sermons  on  Justification. 

20.  Read  Huddleston's  I^etters  upon  Paedobaptism. 

22.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  Rev"^-  Jn"-  vSearl  of  Stoneham,  ^tat.  48, 
preached  for  me  from  Gal  ii,  17,  18,  an  excellent  Sermon.  Rev^' 
Moses  Tuttle,  P.M.  from  Rom.  v,  10.  Read  further  in  Chauncy's 
Sermons  on  Justification.  This  day  I  have  been  fourteen  years 
ordained  Pastor  of  this  chh.  O  Jesus  !  how  weighty  a  Trust?  & 
how  poorly  executed  ?  Perhaps  two  hundred  have  died  from  under 
my  ministry  :  how  manj^  of  them  are  perished  thro'  my  unfaithful- 
ness ?  how  few  have  I  assisted  in  ascending  to  Glory  ?  Oh  the 
Blood  of  Souls  !  may  I  be  quickened  to  greater  Fidelity  in  the  Lds. 
Work,  and  resolve  more  and  more  thro'  Grace  to  press  home  Evan- 
gelical Truths,  warning  every  one,  &  testifying  to  all,  Repent- 
ance towards  Gd  &  Faith,  &c.,  reprehending  with  all  Authority, 
not  shunning  to  declare  the  whole  Truth. 

25.  Kvening  Lecture  on  the  Hill,  I  heard  Rev''-  Mr.  McWhor- 
ter^  of  Newark  preach, — by  Grace  are  3'e  saved,  &c.  Ephes.  Mr. 
Zubly,  Jun''-'  of  Georgia,  here. 

26.  B"'  Isaac  Stiles'  of  North  Haven  came  to  see  me.  This 
Evening  at  VII''  I  saw  the  Comet  reappearing.  It  was  about  half 
an  hour  high  &  one  pt.  S.  of  West.  It  was  in  or  near  the  left  Fist 
of  Serpentarius. 

28.  Mr  Hopkins  tells  me,  he  saw  the  Comet  last  Monday  Even- 
ing about  ten  miles  out  of  Providence,  as  he  was  coming  from 
Boston. 

29.  L,dsdy.  I  preached  A.  M.  Rom.  xv,  5,  6.  P.  M.  Jn'^ 
vii,  37- 

^Y.  C.  1745  ;  a  classmate  of  Rev.  John  Searl,  and  in  the  class  next  before 
that  of  Dr.  Stiles. 

"  Alexander  McWhorter  (Coll.  of  N.J.  1757);  see  Diary,  Dec.  23,  1779.  Mr. 
McWhorter  and  his  wife  were  at  this  time  on  their  way  to  or  from  a  visit  in 
Boston.     (Cf.  Hill's  Hist,  of  the  Old  South  Church,  ii,  124.) 

^Son  of  the  Rev.  J.  J.  Zubly,  a  frequent  correspondent  of  Dr.  Stiles,  for 
whom  see  Diarj-,  May  16,  1772. 

-*  Born  Sept.  25,  1729;  died  March  13,  17S3.  A  half-brother  of  the  writer  of 
the  Diarj\ 


28 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


November. 

5.   Ldsdy.     I  preached  A.  M.   Gal.  i,  4,  &  adm.  L,ds  Supper  to 
above  40  Commun.;'    P.  M.  2  Cor.  7,  9. 

8.  prepare  for  Transit  Mercury — 

9.  Obs.  Transit  of  Mercurj'  in  m}^  Yard.   Ext.  contact,  II,  52,  18, 
Int.  contact,  II,  53.  54,  app.  Time  by  clock,  seen  by  Mr.  Thurston. 

12.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  James  i,  12.  P.  M.  i  Cor.  xv,  57. 
Read  one  of  President  Chauncj^'s  excellent  Sermons  upon  Justifica- 
tion, in  which  he  consid.  Satisfaction. 

16.  Public  Thanksgiving.  I  preached  Ps.  Ixxxix,  i  ;  attended 
Mr.  Hopkins  Evening  Lecture. 

19.  Ldsdy.  Preached  A.M.  i  Cor.  iii,  11-15.  P.M.  2  Thess.  i,  11, 
12.  Read  four  Sermons  of  President  Chauncy — and  some  in 
Irenaeus. 

21.  Read  Hermippus. 

22.  Einished  Jeremiah  in  Heb.  Bible. 
Began  P^zekiel. 
Sermon. 
Ldsdy.     I  preached  A.M.     Ps.   cxix,    114 — P.M.   Prov.   iv, 


25- 
26. 


18. 

'  On  a  loose  scrap  of  paper  is  preserv-ed  the  following 
nicants  present  Nov.  5,  1769." 
'M"  Stiles 

Miss  Ann  Clianning 
Mrs.  More 
Mrs.  Frost 
Mrs.  Chesebro 
\\ro.  Treby,  of  Providence 
Mrs.  Stevens 
Mrs.  Carr 
Mrs.  Channing 
Mrs.   Merriss 

Mrs.  Rolong  [=Roland?]    Mrs.  Many 
Mrs.  Spinney                           Miss  Bissell 
Miss  Gary                                    do.      do. 
Mrs.  Campbell                        Mrs.  Trevitt 
Mrs.  Burt  


Mrs.  Peck 

Mrs.  Sayer,  jun. 

Mrs.  Potter 

Mrs.  Godfrey 

W"-  S3'lvester 

Betty     do. 

W"-  Topham 

Miss  Hannah  Pitman 

Nurse  Town  send 

W"  Way 


list,  headed    "  Conimu- 

Mr  Coit 
Mr.  Chesebro 
Capt.  Hammond 
Mr.  Stevens 
Major  Otis 
Mr.  P.  Cary 
Mr.  Jno.  do. 
Mr.  Merriss 
Mr.  Davenport 
Br.  Primus 
Mr.  Dennis 
Mr.  IMany 
E.  Stiles 


Mr.  I'itm.'in 
Mr.  Hersey 
W"   Baker 
\V    Trebv 


ABSENT. 

W"  Searing 
W°Bennet 
W"-  Peckham 
Mrs.  Saver 


'Sirs.  Luther 
Mrs.  Otis 
Mrs.  Brown 


It  is  uncertain  in  which  list  the  four  following  names  are  intended  to  stand 
Deacon  Sayer,  Tho.  Brown,  Job  Caswell,  Caesar. 


NOVEMBER    5-DECEMRER    25,    1 769  29 

December. 

2.  Sermons. 

3.  Ldsday.  I  preached  A.M.  Acts  xiii,  38-41.  P.M.  Rom. 
viii,  I,  «&  baptized  an  adult,  Moll)-,  the  wife  of  Tho.  Weedon,' 
&  with  a  silential  Vote  of  the  Brethren,  admitted  her  into  full 
Communion  with  the  Church.  Read  Simplicii  Comment'',  in 
Caput  38  Enchirid.  Epicteti. 

4.  Chh.  Meeting  for  choice  of  Deacons,  adjourned  to  Apr. 
7.   Magazines. 

9.  Sermon.  Read  Rev  Jn°  Norris  excellent  Visitation  Sermon 
from  Jn".  21,  15.  preached  July  30,  1689. 

10.  lydsday.  A.M.  I  preached  Rom.  xv,  13.  P.M.  2  Pet.  i,  10,11, 
Baptized  two  children'^  one  ten  the  other  7  or  8  years  old,  on 
Ace",  of  their  mother,  giving  them  a  public  charge  at  the  same 
time.  Read  three  Chapters  in  Ezekiel  in  the  Hebrew  Bible  this 
day,  which  is  my  Birth  day,  being  now  by  the  patience  of  a  merci- 
ful G^'  fourty-two  j^ears  old.' 

11.  Reading  in  Reviews,  Mr.  Dow's  History  of  Hindostan.   .   . 
13.   Rev"*.  Mr.  Rowland  visited  me. 

15.  Examining  with  Mr.  Rowland  the  Passage  in  Irenaeus 
respecting  Infant  Baptism,  denied  by  Dr.  Gill  of  lyondon. 

17.  Rev.  David  Shearman  Rowland,^  of  Providence,  preached 
for  me  in  the  Forenoon,  &  I  preached  on  the  Hill  from  Mat.  vi. 
19-21.     I  preached  at  home  P.  M.  from  Eph.  ii,  19-22. 

19.   Mr  Rowl''  went  away. 

21.   Digesting  Materials  for  Ecc.  Hist. 

23.  Last  Night  (tho'  I  seldom  dream)  I  had  two  :  in  one  I  was 
at  Commence  at  Harv.  Coll.  &  saw  Presid*  Holyoke,  &c. — :  in  the 
other,  I  had  my  Chh.  around  me  in  a  private  House,  discourse  with 
them  on  the  Love  of  Jesus,  &  on  the  Exercises  of  the  divine  Life, 
earnestly  psuad^  them  to  great  heavenly  mindedness  &  Holiness. 

24.  Ldsday.     I  preached  A.  M.  Ps.  139,  23,  24.    P.  M.  Jn"  i,  50. 

25.  Christmas.  Went  to  the  Moravian  Meeting  A.  M.  &  P.  M.  & 
heard  Rev.  Mr.  Rusmeyer'  preach. 

'  Son  of  Samuel  and  Ruth  (Everson)  Weeden. 

^  These  were  Samuel  and  Ruth,  children  of  Mrs.  Weeden  (see  above,  Dec.  3). 

^Dr.  Stiles  was  born  on  November  29,  1727,  Old  Style;  but  observed  his 
birthday  on  the  corresponding  date  by  New  Style. 

*See  above,  Sept.  12. 

^  Rev.  Albertus  Ludolphus  Rusmeyer,  pastor  of  the  Moravian  Society  in 
Newport  from  1766  to  1783;  see,  also,  Diary,  Feb.  21,  1772.  That  Society 
was  formed  in  1758. 


30  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

26.  Wrote  copj-  Letter  to  Mr  Channing,'  a  young  gent,  edu- 
cated under  my  Ministry,  now  lately  removed  to  settle  in  Chariest"., 
S"  Carolina. 

Mr.  Xic.  P.  Tillinghast  two  days  ago  returned  from  Philad"^, 
He  was  there  told  that  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards  had  let  out  or 
quitted  his  Dwelling  house  the  ninth  day  of  March  next,  expect- 
ing to  die  before  that  time.  Dr.  Eyres"  this  day  tells  me  that  five 
years  ago  Mr  Edw*^*  told  some  friends  in  Rh.  Isld,  that  if  he 
should  live  to  New  Years  day  1770  he  shd.  preach  on  that  Text — 
this  year  thou  shalt  dye. 

27.  Writing  Letters  to  London — to  D''.  Franklin  &  Mr.  Alex"" 
Dow,  author  of  History  of  Hindostan.'  This  day  heard  that  Rev. 
Sam'  Lock,'  of  Sherburn,  was  elected  Prses.  Coll.  Harv. 

29.  This  Aft.  fell  in  Comp\  with  Mr.  Nic"  P.  Tillinghast,  who 
came  from  Philad""  abo't  a  fortnight  ago.  When  there  he  dined 
with  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards,  but  he  said  noth"  of  his  Death.  Mr. 
Sullyvan  lives  in  the  house  with  Mr.  Edw""  &  he  told  Mr.  Tilling- 
hast that  in  way  of  Banter  he  had  offered  to  rent  Mr.  Edwards 
house  after  the  9th  or  Eleventh  of  March  next.  Mr.  TilP 
understood  that  this  was  the  Day  fixt  for  Mr.  Edw''*  death. 

31.   Ldsday.     Preached  A.  M.  Gal  ii,  21.     P.  M.  Eccles.  xi,  7,  8. 

Finis  Anni. 

1770 
Janry. 

1.  Ezra  finished  Eutropius  &  began  Corn.  Nepos. 

2.  Col.  Godfry  Malbone  of  Newport  owns  about  one  quarter  of 
the  Land  in  the  small  parish  of  Brookline  in  Connecticutt.  For 
some  years  he  voluntarilj'  consented  to  pay  a  part  of  the  ministe- 
rial Tax,  as  making  a  parish  &  settling  a  minister  there  has  given 
perhaps  a  fourfold  \'alue  to  his  Land.  I  am  informed  that  lately 
the  parish  voted  to  build  a  new  Meetinghouse.  His  Lands  as  he 
is   an  Episcopalian  are   exempted  by  Law  of  that  Colony.      Per- 

'  John  Channing,  Jr.,  uncle  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  W.  K.  Channing.  The  draft  of 
tliis  letter  i.s  in  Dr.  Stilcs's  MS.  Letter  Book,  Vol.  iv  (quarto,  bound),  pp.  421-30  ; 
it  is  devoted  to  religious  counsel. 

•Thomas  Eyres  (Y.  C.  1754),  of  Newport,  •born  Aug.  2,  1735. 
.\  draft  of  this  interesting  letter  is  preserved  among  the  Stiles  papers,  and 
an  abstract  is  given  in  Holmes's  Life  of  Stiles,  pp.  135-36. 

*St-e  Diary,  June  24  and  Dec.  20,  1773,  ^"fl  May  24,  1779. 


DECEMBER    26,    1769-JANUARY    5,    1770  31 

haps  he  felt  himself  under  some  Obligations  of  honor  to  contribute 
a  part.  I  hear  to-day  that  he  had  engaged  to  erect  an  episcopal 
chh  there — prevailed  upon  25  Families,  as  is  said,  to  declare  for 
the  chh — &  lately  procured  a  Subscription  here  of  three  hundred 
Dollars  in  the  Fryday  Night  Club,  towards  building  a  chh — 
&  sent  home  to  the  Bp  of  London  by  Collector  Harrison,'  to  get 
the  Society  to  erect  a  Mission.  Col.  Malbone  is  a  Gentleman  of 
Politeness  &  great  Honor,  was  educated  at  Oxford,  and  dispised 
all  Religion.  But  now  is  become  a  zealous  Advocate  for  the 
Church  of  England." 

3.  D'  Eyres  visited  me  this  Morn'^'  to  discourse  about  the  place 
of  the  Baptist  College.  He  tells  me  that  Providence  has  sub- 
scribed ;i^3090.  Iv.  M.  of  which  about  ;;!^2 200  truely  is  conditional 
that  the  College  Edifice  be  erected  there  :  but  of  the  Eight  hun- 
ered  pounds  they  had  before  subscribed  unconditional,  they  had 
the  subscript,  papers  for  ^300  in  their  own  hands  &  refused  to 
deliver  them — holding  in  this  manner  about  ^2500  conditional. 
D"'  Eyres  said  that  the  Newport  subscription  was  about  Nine 
Thous'd  Dollars,  but  said  they  did  not  choose  to  mention  the  Am" 
exactly,  nor  how  much  conditionally.  The  Case  is  this.  M"" 
Redwood  &  some  others  have  said  they  would  give  largely,  in  Case 
it  was  here,  but  that  Providence  by  Artifice  and  Stratagem  would 
in  Event  get  it  there  ;  &  yet  would  not  subscribe  ;  but  will  un- 
doubtedly give  liberally.  So  there  is  a  real  uncertainty.  They 
are  endeavoring  to  get  a  Meet^  of  the  Corporation,  but  Provid. 
oppose  it.     jSP  Manning  the  president  is  for  Providence.' 

5.  My  Sacramental  Lecture  preached  by  Rev'^  M'  Hopkins — 
Cant.  V,  16,  this  is  my  beloved  &  this  is  my  friend.  Read  this 
day  in  Justin  Martj^r,  especially  the  passage  respecting  the  Millen- 

'  Probably  Joseph  Harrison,  Collector  of  the  Customs  at  Boston  since  1766, 
is  meant.  He  had  previously  been  a  merchant  in  Newport ;  and  in  connection 
with  him  in  business  was  his  brother  Peter,  the  distinguished  architect,  who 
was  Collector  at  New  Haven  from  176S  to  his  death  on  April  30,  1775. 

-Cf.  Larned's  Hist,  of  Windham  Co.,  ii,  6-15,  for  a  full  account  of  this 
affair.  Colonel  Malbone's  church  was  opened  on  April  12,  1771.  (See  this  Diary, 
March  8,  1771.)  He  was  the  eldest  son  of  Godfrey  Malbone  (from  Princess 
Anne  County,  Va.),  and  was  matriculated  at  Queen's  College,  Oxford,  in  1742; 
died  on  Nov.  12,  1785,  aged  60. 

^Cf.  Guild's  3'Ianning  &  Brown  University,  pp.  108-14.  Dr.  Eyres  was 
one  of  the  Fellows,  and  Secretary  of  the  Corporation.  The  decisive  vote  to  go 
to  Providence  was  passed  on  February  7. 


32 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILES 


mum.  I  lately  read  a  letter  of  Rev''  David  Imrie  of  Anandale  in 
Scotland,  dated  Apr.  25.  1754,  printed  1755.  He  supposes  the 
Return  .S:  Conversion  of  the  Jews,  the  Destruction  of  Antichrist,  & 
beginning  of  Millennium,— will  all   be  accompli.shed  within /o?irij' 

vears  fr.  1754  or  by  A  D  1794 Mr.  Hopkins  tells  me  that 

M'  Imrie  has  written  a  piece  to  prove  the  Indians  of  America  to  be 
the  Ten  Tribes,  &  sent  it  over  in  MS  to  be  communicated  to  the 
Indian  Missionaries,  but  not  to  be  printed. 

7.  Ldsday  AM.  I  preached  Gal.  ii.  20.  admitted  two  Members 
into  the  chli  &  administered  the  Lords  Supper.  P.M.  Mat.  xviii,  10, 
baptized  four  Children,  &  propounded  four  persons  to  be  received 
into  the  Church. 

9.  Read  this  Foren.  in  Seldeni  Opera.  This  Afternoon  Hon. 
Alex''  Grant  Esq  returned  here  to  his  Famil)'  after  four  3'ears' 
Absence,  at  London  &  Jamaica.' 

10.  Yesterda}' finished  Ezeki el :  to-day  began  Hosea. 

12.  Went  to  the  Synagogue  this  Evening  and  heard  a  Son  of  M' 
Moses  Lopez  deceased,  ^t.  13,  read  the  Evening  Service,  M"" 
Tauro  the  Chuzan  present.  It  is  the  Custom  in  the  foreign 
Synagogues  to  initiate  Boys  ^Et.  13,  thus  to  read  publicklj'.  This 
is  the  first  Instance  in  the  Sjniagogue  at  Newport. 

13.  Went  to  the  vSynagogue  A.M.  Read  in  Dupin's  Ecc. 
Hist.  V.  1. 

14.  Ldsdy.   I  preached  A  M.  Rom.  viii,   37.     P  M.  Ps.  xxvii,  8. 

15.  Read  in  Euseb.  Ecc.  Hist — &  Justin  Mart5'r  &  Ditton  on 
Resurrection.  Also  this  da}'  received  a  Sermon  of  Rev.  Morgan 
Edwards  of  Philad"  preached  there  the  first  Instant  from  Jer. 
xxviii,  16 — This  year  thou  shall  Dye.  It  was  printed  at  Philad^ 
&  sent  by  the  Author  to  M""  Thurston  the  latter  End  of  Dec.  with 
orders  not  to  communicate  it  till  New  Years  daj'.  Reprinted  at 
Newport  &  published  here  this  day.  It  is  short,  consist^  of  but 
Eleven  pages  in  duodecimo.  He  mentions  a  few  Instances  of  pre- 
monition of  Death,  viz.,  Hananiah,  Hczckiah,  Saul,  Dives: — Justin 
Martyr,  Cyprian ;  Hale,  Usher,  Jewel,  Tyro,  Peden.  Then  he 
mentions  or  alludes  to  his  Wife's  Impression  "  that  she  should  die 
with  her  eighth  Child,  &  in  her  eighth  pregnancy  she  died,  Aug. 
6,    1769."     And    subjoins,  "  I    myself  know  a   Man,  who    on  the 

'  Son  of  Sir  Alexander  Grant,  of  Scotland  ;  born  1733,  and  married,  Oct.  20, 
1760,  Abigail,  daughter  of  David  &  Abigail  (Rogers)  Cliesebrough,  of  Newport, 
born  1734.     Sec  also  Diary,  ISIay  29,  1770. 


JANUARY    7-18,    1770  33 

'  Ninth  day  of  March  in  the  year  1755  was  seized  with  a  Persiia- 
'  sion,  that  at  the  End  of  full  Fifteen  years ,  from  that  Time,  he  should 
'  be  dead.  The  Impression  was  sudden  &  strong,  so  strong  as  not 
'  to  leave  a  doubt  respecting  the  Issue,  &  has  continued  the  same 
'  to  this  day.  About  four  years  after  he  told  a  friend  of  it  ;  that 
'  friend  endeavouring  to  rally  him  out  of  the  notion,  made  the 
'  thing  known  abroad,  which  was  presently  spoken  of  in  various 
'  Ways.  But  the  above  is  the  state  of  the  Case.  Whether  a  Pre- 
'  monition  or  a  Deception,  time  will  show  &that  Time  is  at  hand  ; 
'  If  the  first  the  Thing  will  claim  no  praise  because  involuntary  ; 
'  if  the  last,  others  have  been  deceived  the  same  way  without 
'  Blame,  &  that  for  the  same  Reason."  p.  8.  Again  speak*-'  of  his 
own  Congreg",  he  says,  "this  Congregation  consists  now  of  an 
'  hundred  &  fourty  Nine  Communicants,  and  as  man}^  Hearers 
'  besides  as  will  augment  the  Number  to  about  Four  hundred. 
'  If  we  suppose  five  in  100  will  die,  &c,  a  score  will  never  see 
'  another  New  year's  day  " —     But  at  least  "  it  is  certain,  morally 

'  certain  some  one  of  us  z<.nll  die  this  year" ' '  there  stands 

'  among  3^ou  one  who  firmly  believes  that  he  is  the  Man. ' '   Extracted 
from  the  sermon  this  Aft.' 

I  have  for  several  years  purposed  to  set  up  a  monthly  Meeting  of 
my  Chh.  b}^  themselves,  to  pray  &  .sing  together  and  to  adapt 
a  Discourse  to  Believers  advancing  &  improving  in  the  religious 
Life.  My  Congreg".  consists  of  five  hundred  &  fifty  Souls  Whites 
&  seventy  Blacks,  Men  Wom.  &  Children.'  But  of  these  about 
fifty  or  55  are  Communicants.  L,ast  Ldsdaj^  I  proposed  it ;  and  this 
Evening  about  twenty  of  the  Brethren  &  Sisters  met  at  my  house 
for  a  religious  Exercise  &  Conference  which  was  carried  on  in  this 
Manner.  We  begun  with  singing  Watts  Psalms  standing  ;  then  I 
prayed  &  sat  down  ;  I  then  took  the  Bible  &  read  i  Cor.  xiii,  13. 
&  discoursed  sitting  ;  then  prayed  ;  then  we  had  some  Discourse  & 
appointed  nexi  Meet^  at  Brother  Rob.  Stevens,  2^  Wednesday 
Even^  next  Month ;  then  sung  standing,  &  dismissed  with  a 
Blessing. 

17.  Vaticin.  K.  T.  10  vel  15  ann.  omnes  uno  die  morit. 

18.  This  day  I  persuaded  three  persons  to  profess  the  Faith.  I 
am  next  L,dsday  to  propound  them  for  Baptism  &  Admission  to  the 
Eds  Table.     I  had  Satisfac^lion  in  discoursing  with  them  on  the 

'  See  above,  Sept.  17-18,  1769. 
-  See  Diary,  Jau.  i,  177 1. 


34 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILES 


Doctrines  of  Grace  and  experimental  Religion  ;  &  have  Reason  to 
hope  that  as  their  Lives  are  unblemished,  so  they  are  also  in  heart 
Lovers  of  the  Blessed  Jesus.  They  have  several  years  attended  my 
Meeting,  but  two  were  originally  Quakers  &  one  a  Baptist :  but  all 
now  fully  satisfied,  that  Water  Baptism  &  the  Lords  Supper  are 
Christ's  Institutions,  that  Infants  ought  to  be  baptized,  and  that 
the  Quantity  of  water  is  immaterial  ;  one  of  them  will  have  two 
Children  baptized.' 

21.  Ldsday  I  preached  A.M.  &  P.M.  from  Ephes.  iv,  30,  &  pro- 
pounded three  more  for  full  Commun  in  the  Chh.  Read  Marshall's 
Sermon  on  Justification  ;  also  examined  Christ's  Sermon  on  the 
Mount  in  Matthew  &  Luke  to  see  whether  its  Address  was  confined 
to  the  XII,  or  extended  to  the  whole  promiscuous  Multitude? 
There  is  an  extend'^'  Clause  especially  in  Luke,  address^  it  to  the 
Multitude,  &  even  to  the  unregenerate  of  such  Obdurac}'  as  to  die 
in  Impenitence  &  be  rejected  at  last.  However  a  consid.  part 
must  have  been  delivered  with  primary  Reference  to  the  Apostles 
only. 

22.  Read-'  M''  Hopkins  Answer  to  M'  Mills.' 

28.  Lordsday — I  preached  A.M. — from  Jn".  viii,  46.  P.  M. 
from  Ps.  XXV,  10,  &  after  Sermon  admitted  two  Sisters^  into  full 
Communion  with  the  Chh.:  &hada  Collection  made  for  a  poor  man 
at  Prudence*  having  a  Wife  &  Eleven  Children,  of  whom  the  Wife 
and  vSeven  Children  were  blind,  I  think  the  Children  were  born 
blind  ;  the  Contribution  was  ^230. 

29.  Young  Men's  rel.  Meet^  at  my  house. 

30.  This  Day  if  observed  at  all,  ought  to  be  celebrated  as  an 
anniv-'  Thanksgiving  for  or  Memorial,  that  one  Nation  on  Earth 
had  so  much  fortitude  &  public  Justice,  as  to  make  a  Royal  Tyrant 
bow  to  the  Sovereigntj-  of  the  People,  institute  a  judicial  Trial  of 
a  Monarch,  Resentence  him  to  the  Punishm'^  &  Execution  which  he 
merited  ;  by  dissolving  his  Pari'.  12  years,  deforcing  Loans  on  the 

*  These  persons  (admitted  to  the  church  ou  Februar\^  4)  were  :  Hannah 
(Smith),  wife  of  Ebenezer  Davenport,  Jr.;  Rebecca  Phetteplace  ;  and  EHzabeth 
(Smith),  wife  of  John  Stevens. 

*  The  True  State  and  Character  of  the  Unregenerate.  A  Reply  to  ^Ir. 
Jedediah  Mills's  Infjuiry  concerning  the  vState  of  the  Unregenerate  under  the 
Gospel.     Hy  the  Rev.  Samuel  Hopkins,  of  Newport.     Published  in  1769. 

"Widow  Mary  Childs,  and  Hannah,  wife  of  Captain  Thomas  Cliilds. 

*  A  small  island  north  of  Newport.  The  man  was  named  Thomas  Allen,  and 
the  contribution  was  equivalent  to  6|^  guineas  sterling. 


JANUARY    2 1 -FEBRUARY    4,    177O  35 

subject  by  rigorous  flues  &  arbitrary  luiprisonments,  bj'-  burying  D"" 
Laytou  iu  a  Dungeon  for  12  years  for  boldly  telling  the  truth,  for 
those  proclam"'  &  Juliets  by  which  Pyni,  Bastwick  Mothers  suffered 
most  barbarous  Cruelties,  &  for  exalting  and  sustain  ing  that 
Scourge  of  Justice,  Religion  &  Humanity,  ABp.  Laud,  for 
arbitrarily  vacating  the  New  Engl''  Charter  in  1635  within  7  or 
8  j^ears  after  he  had  granted  it,  &  for  establishing  under  ABp. 
Laud  a  Commission  to  rule  the  Colonies  by  subjecting  to  Episcopal 
&  military  Govennnent,  with  Authority  of  remand'''  all  offenders 
from  hence  to  be  tried  in  England  at  the  pleasure  of  those  who 
could  with  good  will  have  bro'  on  an  Extirpation  of  Puritanism 
from  England  and  America  by  Fire  &  Sword — in  a  word,  K. 
Charles  I.  had  established  Maxims  of  civil  &  religious  Polity 
utterly  subversive  of  all  the  principles  of  Runemede  Liberty  &  the 
English  Constitution.  For  if  that  point  can  be  carried,  that  an 
Eng.  Monarch  can  raise  a  Revenue,  dissolve  &  institute  Laws  by 
Edict,  and  rule  without  Parliament  twelve  years,  he  ma);-  banish 
Parliaments  into  Desuetude  first  and  bring  on  an  Annihilation,  & 
thus  the  whole  Government  will  be  reduced  to  the  will  of  the 
Sovereign — wdiich  however  the  Case  in  most  Empires  on  Earth, 
can'  be  the  Case  in  Engl''  without  an  Abolition  of  English  Liberty, 
a  Demolition  of  the  Pillars  of  the  English  Constitution.  That 
Eng.  Monarch  which  actually  does  this  forfeits  his  Life  to  the 
pple.  This  was  the  Case  of  the  despotic  deluded  Charles.  It  has 
been  usual  here  to  preach  a  Sermon  on  this  Day.  But  M'  Bisset' 
declined  &  omitted  it  this  Day.  This  the  first  Time  it  has  been 
omitted  here. 

Febry. 

2.  Writing  Letters  to  D'.  Chauncy  «S:c.  Finished  reading  D'" 
Bellamy's  Answer  to  Rev''  M''  Moses  Mather  on  the  Qualifications 
for  Baptism  &  Comunion. 

4.  Ldsdy  A.  M.  I  preached  Mark  viii,  19,  20.  P.  M.  Ps.  cxix, 
125  and  admitted  three  Members''  into  the  Chh.,  baptizing  them  as 
also  baptizing  two  Children. 

'  Rev.  George  Bisset,  Assistant  INIinister  of  Trinity  Church,  Newport.  He 
died  in  St.  John,  N.  Brunswick,  March  3,  1788.  See  Sprague's  Annals,  v,  80, 
and  Mason's  Annals  of  Trinity  Church,  Newport,  i,  150-52.  The  minister  of 
the  church,  the  Rev.  Marmaduke  Browne,  was  now  absent  on  a  visit  to  England. 

'  See  above,  Jan.  18. 


36  DIARY    OK    EZRA    STILEvS 

5.  This  Eveuing  the  young  Women  of  my  Congreg^'  met  at"my 
house  for  a  religious  Exercise.  Above  Seventy.  I  prayed  with 
them,  &  discoursed  to  them  upon  Jn"  xv,  13,  14,  and  after  they 
were  dismissed,  one  came  to  discourse  wuth  me  &  desired  Baptism 
and  Admission  to  the  Lds  Table.  This  Day  I  receiv'  the  supple- 
ment or  third  Volume  of  V'  Gov.  Hutchinson's  Hist,  of  Massachu- 
setts.' presented  me  by  the  Author.  Received  news  that  M"" 
Wilkes  had  recovered  &  received  FourThous'^  vSterl^  Damages  from 
L'  Halifax,  one  of  the  Ministers  of  State  ;  &  other  agreeable  Arti- 
cles of  Intelligence,  or  rather  of  Expect'^  from  Europe. 

6.  Read  the  Rev.  M''  Mills'  Tract  on  the  Tenets  of  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Hopkins  &  others  respecting  the  use  of  Means,  &  the  greater  real 
Vileness  derived  to  the  unregenerate  by  the  highest  Convictions 
&  Illuminations,  preceeding  Faith. 

7.  Read  in  the  public  prints  that  Janry.  24th  died  at  Marble- 
head  the  Rev"'  &  venerable  John  Barnard,  A.M.,  aged  above 
Eighty  Eight  years,  in  55 ""  year  of  his  Ministry,  having  preached 
ever  since  Aug.  1701.  He  \vas  born  in  Boston  1681,  educated  at 
Harv.  Coll.  went  to  England  in  ,  preached  for  the  most  emi- 
nent Loudon  Dissent^  Ministers,  returned  &  settled  at  Marblehead 
1 7 16.  He  was  author  of  printed  Works  to  amount  of  six  or  seven 
Octavo  Volumes.^ 

8.  Reading  Gov.  Hutchinson's  Hist.  Mass.  V.  3''.  At  the 
Synagogue,  where  upon  asking  a  little  Jew  Boy  the  use  of  the 
strings  at  the  Corner  of  the  White  Surplice  worn  bj^  all  Jews  in 
their  Worship  : — he  said,  they  kissed  the  strings  three  times  at  the 
Repetition  of  the  great  HtDCi^  or  Hear  o  Israel  the  L''  our  God  is  one 
Lord.  Quere.  Did  this  originally  denote  acknowleg*  of  Trinity  in 
Unity  ? 

10.  I  was  married  Febr3^  10,  1757. 

11.  Ldsday.  Preached  A.  M.  Ps.  xxxii,  2.  P.  M.  James  v,  7,  8. 
Read  Lee's  Joy  of  Faith. 

12.  Society  Meeting  on  the  Hill  respecting  settling  Rev.  M""  Hop- 
kins. 

13.  \'isiting  my  people. 

'  Entitle*!  A  Collection  of  Original  Papers  relative  to  the  History  of  the  Col- 
ony of  Massachusetts  Bay,  Boston,  1769. 

'  His  autobiography  is  printed  in  the  Collections  of  the  Mass.  Historical  Soci- 
ety, 3(1  series,  vol.  5,  pp.  177-243  ;  the  original  manuscript  is  among  the  Stiles 
Papers. 


FEBRUARY    5-18,    177O  37 

14.  This  Even^  the  Brethren  &  Sisters  of  my  Chh  met  at  B'"  Rob. 
Stevens,  where  I  discoursed  to  them  from  Jn°-  xv,  8. 

15.  Attended  M''  Hopkins'  Sacramental  Lecture  upon  the  Hill 
this  Afternoon.     I  preached  it,  i  Pet.  i,  8. 

18.  Ldsd}^  Preached  A.  M.  Haggai  ii,  7.  P.  M.  Ps.  xxvii,  14. 
This  Sabbath  Rev.  Sam'  Hopkins,  Pastor  Elect,  administered  the 
Lords  Supper  to  the  first  Congreg-^  Chh.  here— altho'  he  was  7iof 
installed,  nor  had  accepted  their  Call  :  na}^  told  me  that  he  should 
leave  them  in  a  few  weeks.  This  is  a  very  new  &  almost  unprece- 
dented Thing  in  New  England.  He  baptized  an  Infant  in  Town 
last  Summer.  It  was  formerly  in  the  last  Century  a  great  Doubt 
in  New  Engl''  whether  a  Minister  might  occasionallj'  administer 
Baptism  &  the  L,ds  Supper  in  any  Chh.  but  his  own.  From  the 
Begin*^  Ministers  changed  &  preached  for  one  another,  but  did  not 
baptize,  &c.,  that  is,  they  acted  when  abroad  as  preachers  not 
ordained.  I  believe  even  the  second  Generation  were  passing  off 
before  an  Instance  of  a  vacant  church  asking  a  neighboring  pastor 
to  come  and  baptise  or  administer  the  Eds  Supper  occasionally — 
and  still  much  longer  before  Ministers  changing  with  one  another 
occasionally  baptised  in  each  others'  Congregations.  Dr.  Increase 
Mather  by  going  to  London  &  finding  the  presbyterian  part  of  the 
Dissenting  Interest  rather  exceed^  the  congreg'  part  as  to  Numbers 
&  Men  of  Eminence,  contracted  a  presb.  Turn  in  several  Things. 
This  upon  his  Return  gave  Disgust,  &  he  found  himself  obliged  to 
print  in  his  Defence  and  assert  the  Brethren's  Right  in  ecclesiasti- 
cal Councils,  &  some  other  popular  Tenets.  He  with  his  Son  made 
several  Efforts  to  presbyterianize  the  New  Engl''  Chhs.,  by  resolv- 
ing all  under  ecclesiastical  Judicatories,  as  in  the  plan  of  1705.  He 
also  was  a  great  Advocate  for  Ministers  occasionally  administering 
the  ordinance  in  other  Chhs.  besides  their  own.  And  since  1700  it 
has  graduall}'  prevailed,  so  that  it  is  now  frequently  done.  But 
when  an  ordained  Minister  has  been  dismissed,  it  has  not  been 
knowm  in  New  Engl''  before  A.  D.  1763  that  such  a  Minister  ever 
administered  the  ordinances  in  a  Chh.  before  he  was  installed  or 
solemnly  invested  with  the  pastoral  Charge  of  a  Church. 

Within  ten  years  past  the  Long  Isl'^  Chhs. ,  or  rather  Rev.  M'  Prime' 
and  other  Ministers  of  Suffolk  presb^'  have  gone  into  the  notion  that 
no  man  ought  to  preach  n'ithout  ordination,  &  accordingly  that  presb'' 
now  ordain  at  first,  not  waiting  till  the  Candidate  has  a  Call  of  a 

'  Ebenezer  Prime  (Y.  C.  1718). 


3S  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Chh.  The  presb.  Ministers  of  the  Western  Si^iods  are  much  in 
the  Notion  of  the  extent  &  universality  and  perpetuity  of  a  Minis- 
ter's official  Authority.  M'  Hopkins  has  been  acquainted  that 
Way  and  drank  in  an  affection  for  some  of  their  peculiarities. 
His  Friend  D'  Whitaker'  came  to  N.  Eng?'  from  the  Jersies  about 
1759  with  a  contemptuous  opinion  of  our  N.  Eng.  eccles.  Polity 
6c  Chh.  Govt.,  attempted  to  get  a  kind  of  Eldership  in  the  Chh.  at 
Chelsea'  under  the  name  of  a  Chh.  Committee  ;  and  when  he 
found  the  Brethren  would  not  surrender  their  Jus  Sufifragii  in 
admittK  to  the  Lds  Table  &  in  all  Matters  of  Discipline ;  he 
endeavored  for  a  threefold  partition  of  Chh.  power,  himself  to  have 
a  Negative  both  on  the  Chh.  Committee  &  the  Chh.  This  he 
could  not  carry  &  settled  as  usual — but  plainl}'  accounting  himself 
under  no  Oblig'\  tho'  solemnl}'  installed,  to  continue  there  longer 
than  he  chose.  He  deforced  himself  from  them  and  went  to  lyOn- 
dou  for  solliciting  Benefactions  for  the  Indian  School  at  Lebanon. 
The  Chh.  would  then  have  dismissed  him — he  relinquished  his 
Salar}-,  promised  to  ask  a  Dismission  on  his  Return,  but  chose  to 
travel  in  character  of  a  regular  settled  Minister  in  America.  On 
his  return  the  most  of  the  Chh.  &  congreg-'  urged  his  continuance, 
&  to  the  last  they  refused  to  vote  his  Dismission.  At  length  having 
a  Call  to  a  more  eminent  Chh.  in  Salem,  he  called  a  Council  whose 
active  members  were  three  Ministers  &  their  Messengers  who 
called  themselves  a  Consociation  of  New  London.  They  arbitraril}'- 
&  authoritatively  disrais.sed  D''  Whitaker  without  »&  contrary  to  the 
Consent  of  his  Chh.^  He  went  to  vSalem  &  to  persist  in  Singularitj- 
in  opposing  New  England  Superstition,  installed  him.self,  by  only 
reading  the  votes  of  the  Chh.  &  Congreg^  &  declaring  his  own 
Acceptance.  This  tho  perhaps  strictly  sufficient  was  not  prudent, 
as  he  could  easily  have  had  a  council  as  usual.  M'  Hopkins  bro't 
about  his  Disniission  from  Barrington  contrary  to  the  Desire  and 
Expect'  of  his  Chh.  and  Congreg-',  who  thought  it  impossible  for 
him  to  be  dismissed  without  their  Consent  which  they  resolved  not 
to  give.  He  gained  a  vote  of  the  Chh.  to  gratify  his  Request  in 
submitting  or  call'  in  a  Council.  This  Council  dismissed  him  last 
year. 

'  Rev.  Nalhaniel  Whitaker  (Harv.  1730).     See  Sprague's  Annals,  i,  299. 
'  A  i)arisli  incUulcd  in  the  present  city  of  Norwich,  Conn. 

'  A  full  copy  of  Ihe  result  of  this  Council,  June  7  &  21,  1769,  is  in  Dr.  Stiles's 
IMS.  I.clicrs,  i,  559-62,  folio. 


FEBRUARY    I9-MARCH    I,    1770  39 

19.  In  the  Evening  I  preached  to  a  Meeting  of  negroes,'  Jn"- 
xvii,  3. 

23.  Mr  Ellery'  came  to  discourse  about  the  Charter  of  another 
College,  on  the  plan  of  equal  Libert}'  to  Congregationalists,  Bap- 
tists, Episcopalians,  Quakers. 

24.  I  am  told  that  Mr.  Malcom  last  week  signified  his  Desires  to 
some  of  the  Brethren  of  the  first  Cong.  Chh.  here  to  partake  with 
them  in  the  Lord's  Supper  last  Lords  day.  His  motion  was 
declined.  He  is  an  officer  in  the  Customs  here  :  lately  removed 
from  Boston  &  settled  here,  &  with  his  Family  attends  that  Meet- 
ing. Tho'  a  Congregationalist,  yet  not  Member  in  Communion 
with  an}^  Congreg-^  Chh  :  j^et  to  qualifj^  for  an  office  had  received 
the  Sacrament  at  an  Episcopal  Chh.,  I  think  in  Boston.  It  is  the 
declared  principle  of  our  Churches  to  receive  to  occasional  Com- 
munion, any  sober  Communicants  from  any  protestant  Chhs.,  as 
Episc",  Bapt.,  &c.,  if  they  should  desire  it.  He  pleaded  this  right. 
But  the  scruple  arose  on  his  Morals,  which  are  exceptionable. 

25.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  A.  &  P.  M.  from  Luke  xix,  9  :  admitted 
the  Wife  of  Capt.  Jos  Belcher'  to  full  communion,  &  baptized  her 
&  eight  of  her  Children  in  the  public  Congregation.  Their  old- 
est son  being  aet.  18  was  not  baptised,  being  old  eno'  to  take  the 
Covenant  upon  himself. 

26.  Yesterdaj'  Mr.  Hopkins  baptised  Capt.  Balch's  child.'  So 
now  he  has  executed  all  parts  of  the  Office  of  an  Elder. 

March. 

I.  Last  Evening  I  spent  in  Company  with  Mr.  Tauro  the  Jew 
priest  or  Chuzan  here.  We  discoursed  on  .sundry  things — on  the 
70  Weeks  of  Daniel.  He  said  that  this  had  puzzled  all  the  Rab- 
bins, nor  did  any  understand  it — that  it  was  agreed  by  all  that 
Daniel's  whole  Book  was  to  continue  sealed  &  unintelligible  till 
the  Time  of  the  End.  That  however  they  gave  forth  conjectural 
tho'  unsatisfactory  Interpretations  :  as  particul-'  of  this  prophecy 
that  the  Messiah  or  anointed  prince  here  was  the  Prince  of  the 
Armies  of  Gog  «&  Magog,  n'ho  should  be  cut  off.     I  asked  him  where 

'  Another  memoranduni  states  that  about  40  were  present. 

-  Uiidoubtedh'  the  Hon.  WiUiam  EUery  (Harvard  1747),  afterwards  a  Sijjner 
of  the  Declaration  of  Independence. 

■'Joseph  Belcher  married  Hannah  Gladding,  Feb.  14,  1750.  See  Diary,  Oct. 
10,  1778. 

••Timothy,  son  of  Timothy  and  Sarah  (Rogers)  Balch. 


40  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

he  found  a  Text  that  favoured  the  Jewish  Purgatory? — he  replied 
there  was  none  in  the  sacred  Books  that  was  decisive,  but  that  it 
was  a  Doctrine  immemorially  held  and  believed  among  them 

2.  Examine  the  Festivals  of  the  Coptic  xtians  in  two  Arabic 
Kalendars  in  Selden,  v,  2.  Rev''  Mr.  Hopkins  preached  my  Sacra- 
mental Lecture  this  afternoon  from  Jn"-  xxi,  16.  Simon,  lovest 
thou  me  ?  when  3  members  were  received.' 

3.  Read  in  B"  prints  ace"  of  Death  of  a  3'oung  Lad,  Christopher 
Snider,  set  11,  at  Boston  22d  ult,  the  first  Victim  or  Martyr  of 
American  Liberty. 

4.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  A.M.  ]\Iat.  xii,  49,  50,  baptized  &  admit- 
ted three  Negroes  Communicants  :  and  administered  Lds.  Supper  to 
54  Commun^^  Hav^  admitted  Ten  since  last  Sacrament.  P.M. 
Isai.  XXX,  21,  &  baptized  2  Children  Negroes. 

5.  I  am  told  that  Mr.  Dawson  3'esterday  plunged  two  at  the 
Point — &  that  he  administered  the  Lds.  Supper  in  the  Evening, 
continuing  Exercise  till  Ten  o'clock  at  night.  Great  Indecency 
&  Confusion  in  the  p'ple.  present.  Sometime  ago  he  forbid  2i\\y 
but  the  regenerate  to  sing  or  jojm  in  an}^  parts  of  public  Worship, 
telling  them  it  was  not  the  Dutj-  but  a  great  sin  for  an  unregen- 
erate  Man  to  pray  or  use  any  Means — &  asked  them,  what  they 
attended  his  preaching  for?  Say^  Gd.  would  convert  them  any 
where  else  as  well  as  there  :  &  that  none  were  called  to  Dut}^  or 
using  Means  but  the  converted.  As  to  the  wicked — they  were  to 
be  only  told  to  believe  &  repent  as  the  first  &  only  Duty,  and  this 
they  could  not  do  till  seized  by  Grace.  That  all  means  and  par- 
ticuP'  prayer  was  wrong.  Perhaps  he  may  have  collected  twenty 
Communicants." 

'  This  admission  of  members  on  a  week-day  was  unusual  ;  probably  it  was  to 
avoid  the  standing  up  for  admission  two  days  later  with  "  three  Negroes." 

The  persons  admitted  were  Ann,  widow  of  John  Tojiham,  Widow  Barl)ut,  and 
the  wife  of  Dr.  Stiles  himself. 

*  Extract  from  a  letter  of  Dr.  Stiles  to  the  Rev.  Chauncey  Whittelsey,  of  New 
Haven,  dated  March  6,  1770  : — 

Mr.  Dawson  (who  preached  or  did  not  preach,  i.  e.,  desisted  in  midst  of  his 
Discourse  in  your  Meetinghouse)  is  forming  a  Baptist  Church  here  in  opposi- 
tion to  Baptists  &  all  sects  in  Town,  Imilding  it  up  on  the  very  peculiarities  of 
the  new  Divinity.  He  was  lately  a  Bankrupt  Merchant  in  London,  came  to 
America  &  spontaneously  commenced  preacher.  But  by  strength  of  these 
princii^les  lie  renders  himself  popular— prevailing  on  a  few  Brethren  of  Laity 
in  Gorhamlown  to  lay  hands  &  ordain  him  last  year.     Here  he  preaches  that 


MARCH    2-15,    1770  41 

9.  This  day  news  from  Boston,  that  an  Aflfray  had  happened 
there  between  the  Inhabitants  &  the  Army,  wherein  the  Soldiery 
fired  &  killed  three  men  &  wounded  others  :  upon  which  the  Bells 
all  rang  &  the  Town  throwai  into  most  alarms  confusion.'  This 
day  ends  the  prediction  of  Mr.  Edwards  of  Pliilad''. 

10.  This  day  heard  the  Troops  w^ere  removed  from  the  Town  of 
B°  to  the  Castle.  This  Ev^  went  to  the  Synagogue  &  heard  the 
Book  of  Esther  read  there,  it  being  the  Feast  of  Purim.  Under- 
stand Mr.  Hopkins  is  likely  to  accept  the  Call,  &c. 

11.  lydsdy.  I  preached  A.M.  Euke  ix,  23.  P.M.  Eph.  iv,  7. 
Admitted  one  pson"  to  owm  the  Covenant.  Read  in  Dr.  Cud  worth's 
Intell.  System,  V.  2,  and  at  length  am  become  satisfied  that  Judas 
^\^  partake  of  the  Lds.  Supper  with  Christ  fully. 

13.  I  understand  by  yesterday's  Meeting  that  the  Votes  were  32 
for  Mr.  Hopkins  &  36  against  him. 

14.  By  Post  have  particulars  of  the  military  Massacre  at  Boston, 
5*''  Inst.,  in  which  Mr.  Gray  &  three  others  were  killed. 

15.  This  Even^  a  relig.  meet^  of  the  Chh.  at  B^  Otis.  I  dis- 
coursed from  Heb.  xiii,  20,  21.  Above  fourty  members  present. 
This  da}^  I  was  visited  by  a  Jew  from  Lissa  in  Poland  &  had  much 
Conversation  with  him. 

it  is  sinful  for  the  unregenerate  to  pray  at  all  ;  to  use  the  Lord's  prayer  in  par- 
ticular, for  if  they  said  Truth,  they  would  say,  not  Our  Father  &c. — Heaven, 
but  Our  Father  which  art  in  Hell,  our  Father  the  Devil : — that  Unregenerate 
are  to  use  no  means  at  all,  there  are  no  means  appointed  for  them  ;  they  are 
worse  for  attempting  to  use  means,  they  are  more  likely  or  at  least  as  likely  to 
be  seized  by  Grace,  not  using  than  using  Means  ;  particularly  as  to  attending 
his  preaching,  he  asked  them  what  they  came  there  for,  he  had  nothing  to 
say  to  them,  only  to  tell  them  they  were  heirs  of  Damnation  and  that  would 
do  them  no  good  nor  hurt,  that  it  was  to  no  purpose  to  attempt  to  attend  any 
Duties  whatever  and  particularly  as  much  in  a  way  of  Grace  whether  absent  or 
at  meeting — and  much  even  Abundance  of  such  preaching  : — nay  further,  none 
but  Saints  were  the  subjects  of  his  preaching  or  Ordination,  &  forbid  at  length 
the  promiscuous  Congregation  to  sing  with  them  or  pray  with  them,  and  only 
a  dozen  or  so  now  sing.  He  preaches  the  total  depravity,  Justification  by  the 
imputed  Righteousness,  efficacious  Grace  in  Conversion,  the  coeternal  Divinity 
of  all  Persons  in  the  Trinity,  the  Infinity  of  the  Evil  of  Sin,  &c.,  &c.  :  If  pos- 
sible he  goes  beyond  the  Address  in  the  new  Sermon  [anonymous,  by  the  Rev. 
William  Hart]  3-0U  sent.  So  that  he  does  the  Thing  thoroughly — he  makes  no 
pauses  or  Reservations.  Now  this  at  this  Time,  is  a  very  wonderful  Looking- 
glass  ! 

'The  so-called  "Boston  Massacre  "  occurred  on  Monday  evening,  March  5. 

^Mary,  wife  of  John  Fry. 


42  DIARY   OF    EZRA    STILES 

i6.  The  Jew  visited  me  again  to-day.  His  name  is  Abraham 
Levi,  cet.  44.  ...  I  shewed  liini  the  Comput'''  made  by  a  german 
Rabbi  placing  the  Appear^'  of  the  Messiah  1783.  He  smiled,  &  said 
they  looked  for  him  every  day. — I  accidentally  sneezed,  &  he  prayed 
instantly.  At  Sunset  he  excused  himself  «S:  rose  up  &  went  to  my 
East  Study  Window  &  prayed  by  himself :  &  then  returned  &  sat 
down  again  to  Discourse.  He  seems  to  be  a  man  of  Sobriet}^  spake 
of  the  Deity  with  uplifted  hands  &  Eyes  &  with  the  most  profound 
Reverence. 

17.  Mast  erected  on  Liberty  Tree  this  Afternoon.' 

18.  Edsdy.  1  preached  A.M.  Eph.  iv,  32.  P.M.  2  Cor.  v,  10; 
baptized  a  child'  &  propounded  four  persons  for  Communion. 

19.  Yesterday  the  Rev.  Sam'  Hopkins  gave  his  Answer  to  the 
Call  of  the  first  Cong.  Chli.  here,  in  the  negative,  alledging  for  a 
Reason  that  the  Congreg-'  was  about  equally  divided  for  &  against 
him.     The  votes  last  ■Monday  33  and  36. 

It  is  the  aim  of  Col"  Wanton'  &  other  Chh.  Politicians  to  confuse 
the  Cause  oi  Libertj^ — Divide  &  impera.  They  yesterday  hoisted 
Colours  at  the  Point  on  the  mast  of  Eibert}^  fired  one  Canon  in  the 
Morning,  &  two  at  the  Fort  in  the  Evening,  at  sunset.  The  Chh, 
Bell  rang  in  the  Even^,  but  no  other.  This  Monday  is  the  day 
agreed  upon  by  the  Tme  Sons  of  Liby  here  &  at  Boston  &  New 
York.  Accordingly  this  morning  Colours  were  displayed  on  the 
TREE  of  LIBERTY.  The  Committee  supped  in  Turn  with  Henry 
Marchant  Esq'.  All  the  Bells  rang.  Colors  also  on  mast  of  Lib-' 
at  Point*  &  sundry  Houses.  It  is  said  that  some  of  the  Negatives 
to  Mr.  Hopkins  were  overcome  with  yesterdaj^'s  Sermon,  &  relent. 
Proposals  for  reconsider"  their  Votes  &  settling  him. 

20.  This  Evening  the  Committee  met  and  desired  Mr.  Hopk.  to 
stay  another  Sabb. — to  have  another  Society  Meet^  next  Fryday, 
when  they  expected  unanimity  in  renewing  his  Call. 

'  Kept  as  the  anniversary  of  the  King's  signing  the  repeal  of  the  Stamp  Act 
on  March  18,  1766.  The  lot  on  which  the  Iviberty  Tree  (suitably  marked) 
stood,  at  the  head  of  Thames  vStreet,  was  set  apart  as  a  public  trust  in   1766. 

'  Sarah,  daughter  of  John  &  Mary  Fry. 

3  Joseph  Wanton,  Jr.  (Harvard  1751),  Deputy  Governor  of  R.  I.  in  1764  &  1767, 
called  Colonel  in  distinction  from  his  father,  Jcsepli  Wanton,  Governor  1770 
1775-  The  father  died  in  Newport  in  July,  1780,  and  the  son  (a  refugee)  in  New 
York  City  the  next  month. 

*This  Liberty  Pole  at  the  Point  was  cut  down  in  September,  1770,  because  of 
a  house  being  built  on  the  site. 


MARCH    16-28,    1770  43 

21.  Rev''  Othniel  Campbel  visited  me.  He  told  me  that  when  he 
lived  at  Plymton'  he  baptized  an  adopted  child  for  a  Brother  of  the 
Chh  :  that  one  of  the  aged  Brethren  objected,  but  upon  shewing  the 
Opin.  of  Mess'"  Cotton  &  Willard  for  it,  he  was  satisfied,  &  at  a  Chh. 
meeting,  all  agreed, 

25.  Ldsdy.     I  preached  all  day  from  Rom.  vii,  9. 

26.  This  Day  A.M.  the  Brethren  of  the  first  Congreg"  Chh.  met 
&  renewed  their  Call  to  Mr.  Hopkins  and  P.M.  the  congregation 
met  &  concurred.  Yesterday  Mr.  Dawson  baptized  two  Women, 
one  of  which,  Mrs.  Spencer,  had  been  baptized  by  Immersion  many 
years  ago — but  now  again  submitted  to  berebaptizedby  Immersion, 
because  she  was  not  converted  when  it  was  done  before.  This 
Eveng.  I  read  140  pages  in  Gerard  Brandts  Hist.  Reforma.  in  Flan- 
ders &c.  abridged,  vol.  i. 

27.  Spent  the  Forenoon  in  examiu"  the  15  Psalms  of  Degrees.  .  . 
This  Evening  in  Company  with  Deacon  Pabody'  of  the  first  Cong. 
Chh,  who  is  a  strong  advocate  for  Mr.  Hopkins.  He  told  me  there 
were  about  thh-ty  Men  at  the  Meeting  on  Mondaj^  only  tlirec  of 
which  voted  against  Mr.  Hopk.,  besides  which  there  were  some  Neu- 
ters— that  some  who  were  before  engaged  for  him  did  not  appear — 
that  some  who  had  come  about  still  did  not  act  tho'  present. 

28.  I  perceive  the  State  of  the  first  Chh.  not  materially  altered. 
On  Monday  19th  two  Men  went  to  Mr.  H.  &  told  him  they  had 
indeed  opposed  him,  but  were  now  desirous  he  slid,  settle.  The  few 
warmly  for  him  were  now  warmer  than  ever.  Mr.  Tanner  particu- 
larly exerted  himself  and  went  about  giving  out,  as  he  told  me,  that 
Mr.  H.  had  bowed  the  hearts  of  all  the  p'ple.  This  was  propagated 
for  the  week  &  it  was  generally  said  all  but  two  Families  were  now 
come  about,  as  they  phrased  it.  By  which,  they  all  expected  of  one 
another  a  greater  &  more  general  Engagedness  than  there  in  fact 
was.  This  discouraged  those  who  remained  realh'  against  him  from 
appearing  at  the  Meet^'.  Capt.  Warner  resigned  his  Committeeship, 
as  was  said,  consent^'  however  not  yet  to  leave  the  Meet*''.  The  Fact 
was,    no  Alteration  was  made  in  more  than   seven  men  ;  three   of 

'  He  graduated  at  Harvard!  1728  ;  was  pastor  of  the  2d  church,  Plj-mpton, 
Mass.,  now  Carver,  from  June,  1732,  to  Aug.,  1746  ;  and  in  Tiverton,  R.I.,  Oct., 
1746,  till  his  death,  Oct.,  177S.  He  received  while  settled  in  Tiverton  an  annual 
appropriation  from  the  Old  South  Church,  Boston,  for  over  20  years.  (Cf. 
Hill's  Hist,  of  the  Old  South,  i,  538.) 

■^See  Diary,  Sept.  3,  1771. 


44 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 


which,  Arnold,  James,  &  Landers,  became  engaged,  the  other  acqui- 
esced. Capt^  Hammond,  More,  Balch,  three  of  the  principal  Mem- 
bers of  the  Chh.,  remained  as  before,  the  last  neuter,  the  2  others 
signers  in  opposition.  Young  Mr.  Friers  of  my  Congreg^  went  and 
claimed  Right  to  vote  by  the  pew  belonging  to  the  Family.  On  the 
whole  as  there  did  not  appear  but  about  thirty,  so  these  were  mainly 
of  the  former  Number  33  subscribers  for  him. 

Hence  the  state  much  the  same  as  before  ;  only  so  brought  about 
that  there  don't  seem  to  be  but  three  against,  and  the  rest  for  him  ; 
whereas  in  Truth  there  is  more  than  one-half  against,  many  of  the 
others  don't  like  him,  &  not  above  30  Families  or  one  quarter  of 
the  Societ}^  that  are  sufficiently  engaged  &  desirous  of  his  Settle- 
ment. Were  three  quarters  as  desirous  as  these,  it  would  be  a  clear 
Call.  Mrs.  Osborn  &  the  Sorority  of  her  Meeting  are  violently 
engaged  and  had  great  Influence.'  They  &  the  2  Deacons  &  Two 
Thirds  of  Chh.  were  warmly  engaged  for  Mr.  Hopkins.'^ 

'  Mrs.  Sarah  Osborn,  whose  Life  by  Dr.  Hopkins  was  published  in  1799,  was 
the  presiding  officer  of  a  religious  society  of  women  which  met  weekly.  She 
was  also  a  schoolmistress,  &  Dr.  Stiles's  elder  children  had  been  taught  by  her. 

"^  The  subjoined  list,  taken  from  Dr.  Stiles's  papers,  represents  the  composi- 
tion of  the  First  Church  congregation,  about  ten  years  before  Dr.  Hopkins's 
settlement  over  it. 

"DIST  OF  MR.  VINAD'S  MEETING." 


Jno.  Alison 
Abm.  All 

Ailing 

Ben.  Almy 
Caleb  Arnold 
Wid.  Arnold 
Constant  Bailey 
Jos.  Bailey 
Wid.  Bailey 
Tim"  Balch 
Jno.  Banister 
Jos.  Brown 
Josiah  Brown 

Buckmaster 

Jos.  Burill 

Burrel 

Wid.  Campbel 

Chandler 

Wid.  Chase 


[Date,  probably  1760.] 

Jer.  Childs 

Billings  Coggeshal 

Deacon  Coggeshal 

Henry  Coggeshal 

Nath'-  Coggeshal,  Jun'' 

Tho.  Coggeshal 

James  Cohoon 

Jno.  Cohoon 

Wid.  Cohoon 

Capt.  Cole 

Mrs.  Collect 

Isaac  Cowdry 

Mrs.  Cranston 

Jno.  Donnerly 

Draper  Family 

Ben.  Dunham 

Dan'  Dunham 

Jos.  Dunham 

Erving 


Ewen 

David  P'airbanks 
Jno.  Fairbanks 
Peter  Franklin 
Wid"  Franklin 
Jno.  Ghent 
Elisha  Gibbs 
Elisha  Gibbs,  Jun'' 
Jno.  Gibbs 
Lanson  Gibbs 
William  Giles 
Lewis  Ginnedeaux 
Joseph  Gladding 
Nath'  Gladding 

Gladding,  Jun"" 

Dr.  Gray 
CaleVj  Hacker 
Arnold  Hammond 
Eln"  Hammond 


MARCH    30-ArRIL    5,    1770 


45 


30.   I  understand  Mr.  Hopkins  has  determined  to  accept  his  Call. 

April. 

1.  Ldsday.  I  preached  A.M.  Ps.  xxxii,  2.  P.M.  Ezek.  xxxvi, 
25,  &  baptized  two  Adults  and  one  Infant,  and  admitted  four  per- 
sons' into  full  Communion. 

2.  Yesterday  Mr.  Hopkins  accepted  his  Call. 

3.  This  Day  Mr.  Hopkins  informed  me  that  Wednesday  nth 
Ins*  was  appointed  for  his  Instalment  ;  Sz.  that  his  Church  requested 
me  to  preach  the  Sermon  at  his  Instalm'.  I  agreed  to  give  an 
answer  tomorrow. 

4.  I  informed  Mr.  H.  that  I  would  endeavor  to  preach  his 
Instalment  Sermon.  This  day  died  Mr.  Jacob  Herse}'  of  my  Clih., 
get  86>^,  born  Sep.  1683.' 

5.  Public  Fast.  I  preached  A.  M.  Ps.  li,  4.  P.M.  Job  v,  17. 
Contribution  for  the  poor,  ^130.  Yesterday  by  the  prints  I  found 
that  a  College  was  established  in  New  Hampshire  on  Connecticut 
River  by  the  Name  of  Dartmouth  College.  This  is  D""  Wheelock's 
Indian  School  at  Lebanon  now  converted  into  a  College  by  a  char- 


Mrs.  Hazard 

Hensliaw 

John  Heth 
Tho^  Holmes 
Wid.  Hookey 
Jos.  Howland 
\Vm.  James 
Capt.  King 
Wid.  Ladd 
Wid.  Lamb 
Jno.  Landers 
Jno.  Langley 
David  Lindsay 
Uriah  Lyon 
Mrs.  McDaniel 
Mrs.  Malcom 
Thos.  Melvin 
Thos.  Melvin,  Jun^ 
David  More 
Sam'  Nichols 


Osboru 

M^s.  Otis 
Deacon  Peabody 

Perkins 

Sam.  Pitman 
Ezra  Pope 
Wid.  Potter 
Mr.  Price 

Raynolds 

Raynolds 

Sam'  Rhodes 
Eben.  Richardson 

Ross 

Jos.  Ryder 

Wid.  Sanford  &  Son 

Wing  Shepard 

Dan'  Smith 

Jos.  Stacy 

Stanhope 

Wni.  Stevens 


Jacob  Stockman 
Capt.  Stoddard 
Mrs.  Stoneman 
James  Tanner 
Mrs.  Tew 
Theoph.  Topham 
Wid.  Townsend 
Mrs.  Vial 
James  Waiscot 
Jno.  Waitscoat 
Wid.  Waistcoat 
Jno.  Walker 
Wid.  Warren 
Wid.  Weaver 
Rich'i  Whitehous 
Jn°  Wilson 
Rich'^  Wilson,  Sexton 
Mrs.  Wilson 
Mrs.  Wood 
Sam'  Yates 


'  Elizabeth  Jones,  Peace  Clark,  Hannah  Preston,  &  INIary  Jones. 

^  In  an  earlier  memorandum  Dr.  Stiles  says  :  Mr.  Hersey  b.  at  Chelsea,  then 
part  of  Boston,  Aug'  26,  1684.  Bapt.  Old  N"  Boston,  own'  Cov'  there  ;  moved 
to  N;  York  1721— to  Newp'  1730. 


46  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

ter  from  the  Crown.'  Mr.  Whitfield  is  convert-  his  Georgia  Orphan 
House  into  a  College.  And  by  an  Advertism-  in  S"  Carolina 
Gazette  I  find  application  is  made  to  that  Assembly  for  erecting  a 
College  at  Charlestown.  There  is  now  depending  before  the  Gen. 
A.ssembly  of  Rhode  Isld  a  petition  for  a  Charter  for  a  College  here 
in  Newport,  since  the  first  Rh.  Isl'd  College  is  fixed  at  Providence. 
College  Enthusiasm  I 

6.   I  begun  to  make  Installment  Sermon.      Funeral  Mr.  Hersey. 

8.  Lord.sday.  I  exchanged  with  Mr.  Hopkins  A.M.  &  preached 
Ps.  119,  125,  and  P.M.  at  home  Rev.  xiv,  13,  and  baptized  Eliz' 
Infant  of  W"  Downer  &  afterward  attended  Funeral  of  Wife  of 
Geo.  Gardner,  set.  43. 

11.  Rev''  Samuel  Hopkins,  lately  dismissed  from  the  Chh.  in 
Great  Barrington,  was  this  day  publick^'  installed  Pastor  of  the  first 
Cong.  Chh.  here,  by  an  Ecc.  Council  of  the  Chhs.  of  Bristol,  Little 
Compton,  Tiverton,  my  Chh.  and  the  first  Chh.  in  Preston.  Rev. 
Mr.  Campbell'  began  the  solemnity  with  prayer.  I  preached  the 
Sermon  from  Jn"  xvii,  3,  This  is  Life  eterri.  to  know,  cfc.  and  read 
the  Result  of  the  Council,  the  votes  of  the  Chh.  &  of  the  Cong.  & 
led  the  Chh.  then  to  renew  their  Call  by  uplifted  Flands.  To  w*^ 
Mr.  Hopkins  expressing  his  Acceptance,  Rev.  .Mr.  Ellis'  gave  him 
the  pastoral  charge  of  this  Flock  :  the  Rev'  Mr.  Hart'  gave  the 
Right  Hand,  and  closed  with  prayer.  Mr.  Hopkins  read  the  Psalm 
&  gave  the  Blessing.  In  the  Afternoon  at  TV'  a  Concert  of  vocal 
Musick  in  Mr.  Hopkins'  Meetinghouse,  introduced  by  a  Sermon  by 
Mr.  Hart  on  I  think  Rev.  v,  9.  Then  Mr.  Gilbert  with  his  Schol- 
ars (his  pupils  in  Singing  the  winter  pa.st)  entertained  the  Audience 
with  Psalmody  &  Anthems. 

12.  Read  Dr.  Chauncy's  .second  Reply  to  Dr.  Chandler.  Dined 
with  the  Mini.sters,  &c.     Even'''  Lect.  Lsai.  lii,  13,  by  Mr.  Hart. 

13.  In  company  with  .Mr.  Austin'' — read  his  piece  on  the  jjhilo- 
sophical  Construction  of  Chimnie.s — &  discoursed  largely  on  several 
Branches  of  Divinity  &  Metaphysics. 

■'Charter  dated  Dec,  13,  1769.  A  provisional  site  chosen  for  the  College  in 
FeVituary,   J  770. 

*S<--e  above,  March  2/,  1770. 

'Rev.  Jonathan  Ellis  (Harvard  1737),  pa.stor  in  Little  Compton. 

*Rev.  1/,-vi  Hart  (Yale  fjfvj),  of  Preston,  New  London  County,  Conn., — the 
nearest  of  Dr.  Hopkin»'»  theological  intimates. 

*Punders<^jn  Austin  (Y.  C.  1762). 


APRIL    6-27,    1770  47 

14.  Resumed  my  dayly  reading  a  Chapter  in  the  Hebrew  Bible  & 
a  portion  of  Arabic' 

15.  Lordsday.  Mr.  Hopkins  is  gone  to  his  Family  at  Great  Bar- 
ringtou  to  remove  it  hither  :  he  left  Mr.  Austin  to  preach  this  Sab- 
bath. We  changed  this  forenoon:  he  preached  Jn°  xiii,  31,  32, 
and  I  from  Jn''  vi,  37.  And  P.M.  I  preached  from  Gal.  vi,  9,  and 
admitted  two  members,  Dr.  Jn''  Bartlett"  and  his  Wife  on  Letters 
testimonial  from  the  Cong.  Chh.  in  Westerly  to  this  Church. 

iS.   Proxy'  Rh.  Isld. 

20.  Last  Evening  monthly  Meeting  of  the  Chh  at  B"  Hammonds  ; 
assembled  45  Brethren  &  Sisters  : — I  discoursed  to  them  upon  Rom. 
viii.  16,  the  inward  Witness. 

22.  Ldsday.  I  preached  A.M.  i  Cor.  i,  iS.  P.M.  Ps.  Ixxxvi, 
15.  Propounded  W"  Sarah  Newton  &  two  other  psons  for  full 
Comm.  Appointed  Thursday  III''  P.^L,  for  catechising  the  Chil- 
dren &  the  Negroes.  Crouded  Audience,  most  of  Mr.  Hopkins  pple. 
present  in  Afternoon.  Excessive  hot.  Fahrenheits  Therm'^  in 
North  Shade  Eighty  three  &  half,  highest  Altitude  of  the  daj-  : 
Wind  S.  W.  light  airs,  hazy,  sultry.  .  .  .  [This  day  Mr.  Dawson  & 
his  pple.  quarrelled.] 

25.  Rev'^  J"'  Hubbard  of  Meriden  came  here,  my  Wife's  Brother. 
I  perceive  my  N.  Haven  Friends  approve  my  taking  part  in  Mr. 
Hopkins'  Instalment. 

26.  Visiting  with  B'  Hubbard.  Aftern.  catechis'  children  in 
Meetingh.,  20  Boys,  30  Girls,  4  Neg.  Tot.  54.  Evening  went 
with  B'  to  introduce  him  to  Mrs.  Frost.* 

27.  Capt.  Pollipus  Hammond'  of  my  Chh  sent  for  me  to  pray  with 
him,  in  perfect  health.  At  XI''  Dr  Jn*-'  Bartlett  performed  upon  him 
the  Operation  of  couching  or  depressing  a  Cataract  in  his  E3'e.     I 

'  This  daily  reading,  as  appears  by  tlie  abbreviations  in  the  margin  of  the 
Diary,  had  been  intermitted  since  the  5th  inst. 

-Surgeon  in  tlie  Revohition.  honorary-  M.  D.  from  Yale  Coll.,  1779;  wife 
Lucretia.  They  had  removeii  to  Newport  the  week  before.  After  leaving 
Newport  he  settleil  (in  the  spring  of  17S3)  in  Nantucket,  Mass. 

*The  annual  town -meetings  for  casting  "proxies"  for  general  Colony  offi - 
oers.  The  "election,"  two  weeks  later,  included  the  formal  report  and  registry 
of  these  proxies,  besides  the  votes  of  tlie  members  of  the  Assembly.  See  the 
law  regulating  proxy  votes,  p.isse<.l  August,  1760,  in   R.  I.  Colonial  Reconis,  vi, 

256-57- 
■'Whom  he  subsequently  married.     See  Diary,  Sept.  20,  1770. 
*  See  Dian.-.  Feb.  5,  1773. 


48  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

saw  the  Operation.     Emploj'ed  much  in  extracting  from  Rev*^  Mr. 
Tho.  Ruggles'  Historj-  of  the  Chhs.  in  Guilford  from  1639  to  1769.' 

28.  Rode  out  to  Mr.  Redwood's  Country  Seat"  with  B'  Hubbard. 

29.  Ldsday.  Rev''  Mr.  Jno-  Hubbard  of  Meriden  preached  all 
da3'  for  me,  &  I  supplied  Mr.  Hopkins'  pulpit. 

May. 

1.  In  Even-  I  married  Nath'  Sowle  &  Abigail  Vose. 

2.  General  Election  in  this  Colony  :  Hon.  Joseph  Wanton'  cho- 
sen Gov''  for  the  year  ensuing,  an  Episcopalian  —  :  and  Hon. 
Darius  Sessions'  chosen  Dep.  Gov.,  a  Congregationalist.  This  day 
Mr.  Hubbard  went  away. 

3.  'Sir.  Bellomj'  Bosworth"  tells  me  he  lived  a  month  this  last 
Winter  as  Schoolmaster  in  the  House  of  Elder  Young,  a  Baptist 
minister  in  Smithfield  aet  48  circa  :  that  he  appears  to  be  a  solid 
substantial  Man,    j-et  don't  believe   that  Christians  are  obliged  to 

'  Printed  in  full  in  the  Historical  Magazine,   Apr.,  1869  (vol.  5,  2d  series,  pp. 
225-33).     An  interesting  letter  from  the  author  (Y.  C.  1723),  dated  June  21,  1770, 
is  bound  with  the  extracts  here  referred  to,  among  Dr.  Stiles's  papers  ;  the  fol- 
lowing is  an  extract  : — 
Rev"  S^  : 

Your  favour,  with  the  Historj^  I  Receiv"*,  for  which  I  Return  3'ou  my  Thanks. 
.  .  .  You  have  Set  me  a  very  Large  Task—  I'll  begin  by  answering  Some  of  your 
many  Queries.  And  with  Regard  to  the  Church  in  Guilford,  T/iey  never  Had, 
and  upon  Principle  never  would  admit  a  Ruling  Elder:  Altho  in  all  other 
Things  M'  Whitfield,  &  M""  Davenport  and  Their  Churches  exactly  agreed,  and 
practised,  yet  in  this  they  were  Quite  Different.  /  have  made  Diligent 
Ejiquiry  into  the  Subject  many  years  ago,  with  old  people  who  were  personally 
acquainted  with  the  first  members  of  the  Church.  They  all  invariably  agree, 
that  as  I\P  Whitfield  was  never  ordained  in  any  Sense  at  Guilford  but  officiated 
as  Their  pastor  in  virtue  of  his  ordination  in  England,  so  he  nor  the  Church 
would  Allow  of  a  Ruling  Elder,  and  the  ancient  Tradition  in  the  Church  here 
was  that  New-Haven,  &  after  other  Churches  in  the  Colony  conformd  Their 
Judgement  and  practise  to  M'  Whitfield"  and  his  Churches  Judgement,  who 
were  strictly  Congregational. 

I  said  The  Church  of  Guilford  &  New-Haven  in  all  other  things  were  one  in 
opinion  &  practice,  members  were  Admitted  by  Relations  and  by  Holding  up 
the  hands  of  the  Brethren.     The  Conformity  was  Uniform. 

*Hon.  Abraham  Redwood's  country  seat  was  in  Portsmouth,  about  five  miles 
from  Newport.  For  a  notice  of  the  owner  see  Mason's  Annals  of  the  Redivood 
Library,  67-69,  and  Newport  Historical  Magazine,  i,  9-12. 

"See  above,  March  19,    1770. 

■•Yale  Coll.  1737. 

'Died  in  Bristol,  R.  I.,  Dec.  12,  1786,  aged  70  years. 


APRIL    28-MAY    3,    1770  49 

Family  Worship  ;  &  seldom  practises  it  ;  &  that  only  on  Lordsday 
morning,  &  this  not  every  Ldsday  ;  never  pforms  it  on  Sabbath 
Evening,  nor  any  other  day  of  the  Week  ;  that  he  has  seen  Elder 
Young  administer  the  Eds.  Supper  in  a  private  house  to  a  Branch 
of  his  Chh.  in  Scituate.  He  says  in  Scituate  thej^  have  3  or  4  bap- 
tist Meet^houses  which  they  preach  in,  in  Circulation  in  Summer, 
but  leave  in  Winter  &  hold  Edsda}^  Meet^'^  in  private  houses  in 
different  vicinities,  so  as  to  come  to  the  same  place  once  a  month — 
that  this  is  the  common  practice  thro'  the  Counties  of  Provid.  & 
Kent  or  the  back  Towns.  The  largest  Meeting  he  saw  did  not  more 
than  fill  3  Rooms  of  house.  Elder  Young  is  Illiterate — don't  like 
the  College — says  when  the  old  Ministers  die  off  he  foresees  a  new 
Succession  of  Scholar  Ministers  :  -that  it  has  got  so  far  already  as 
scarcely  to  do  for,  a  common  Illiterate  Minister  to  preach  in  the 
baptist  meet^  at  providence.  The  Baptist  College  was  last  Week 
or  Week  before  voted  to  be  removed  to  Providence,  &  the  Browns 
&  Jenkes  intend  to  turn  off  Elder  Windsor'  &  put  in  President 
Manning  for  their  Minister.  Upon  the  Corpor^  insist?  on  an 
Answer  from  Manning  respecting  his  Removal — he  applied  to  his 
Chh.  &  Congreg"^  at  Warren  for  Dismission  from  his  pastoral  ReP 
to  them.  This  they  utterly  refused.  He  however  the  same  day 
answered  the  Corporation  that  he  would  go,  &  has  violently  rent 
himself  away  from  his  Chh.  This  Instance  among  the  Baptists. 
Another  among  Congreg-',  viz.,  Mr.  Sprout' rent  from  his  Chh.  at 
Guilford  without  their  consent,  to  get  a  better  settlement  at  Phildel^ 
— D'  Whitaker  from  his  Chh.  at  Chelsea  for  a  better  Living  at 
Salem — Mr.  Hopkins,  &c.,  &c.' 

'  Rev.  Samuel  Windsor,  Jr.,  pastor  of  the  ist  Baptist  Church,  Providence. 
Difficulties  soon  after  this  date  arose,  and  Mr.  Windsor  withdrew  and  formed  a 
new  church  at  Johnston,  in  the  suburbs  of  Providence. 

-Rev.  James  Sproat  (Y.  C.  1741). 

*  Compare  with  this  paragraph  the  following  from  Dr.  Stiles's  Itinerary  of 
about  this  date  :  — 

Dr.   Wheelock's   Dismission. 

He  is  presbyterian  in  principle  &  seldom  attended  Associations  for  some 
years  past. 

.  .  .  N.  B.  He  was  presbyterian  in  principle  when  a  candidate,  1735.  .  .  . 
From  them  he  adopted  large  Commun.  accounting  that  all  of  adult  years,  good 
doctrinal  Knowl.  &  blameless  Lives  should  come  to  Lds.  Supper. 

He  prevailed  on  his  Chh.  to  give  the  decision  of  the  Question  as  to  his  Dis- 
mission  into   the   hands,    not   of   the   Consociation ;   nor   of  an   ecclesiastical 
4 


50  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLEvS 

4.  I  preached  m}'  sacramental  lyccture  in  the  Meet^'h  as  usual — 
from  Jno.  vi,  48,  I  am  that  Bread  of  Life  .^ 

5.  Rev.  Mr.  West'  of  Stockbridge  came  to  preach  for  M''  Hop- 
kins. 

6.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  A.M.  i  Cor.  i,  9.  admitted  four  Com- 
municants, &  administered  Lord's  Supper  to  sixty-two  Members. 

9.  Rode  out  with  :\Ir.  West  to  Mr.  Redwd's  &  M""  Bowler's'  Gar- 
dens :  &  conversed  much  upon  Metaphysics.  He  has  a  peculiar 
notion  about  Sin —  that  there  is  no  Imputation  of  sin  from  Adam, 
but  Gd.  created  every  Man  a  Sinner  :  had  Adam  stood  in  Innocency, 

Council  of  Pastors  &  Chhs.  promiscuously  selected  ;  nor  to  the  Associated 
Pastors  of  Windham  County  as  an  Assoc.  ;  nor  to  the  West.  Committee  ;  but  to 
seven  pastors  chosen  by  him  and  the  Chh.,  to  whom  they  by  Vote  mutually 
referred  &  submitted  the  authoritative  determination. 

Accord*-'  to  Letters  Missive  to  the  pastors  only  (not  to  their  chhs.)  six  met 
Apr.  10,  1770,  at  Lebanon  Crank  &  heard  the  Matter  laid  before  them.  Which 
was  not  whether  Dr.  Wheelock  slid,  be  dismissed — this  was  agreed — but 
whether  he  slid,  be  dismissed  noiv.  For  the  Dr.  was  desirous  to  have  his  rela- 
tion to  this  chh.  continued  till  he  should  be  fully  settled  in  the  presidency  of 
Dartmouth  intended  Indian  College  at  Coos.  This  the  people  of  his  Charge 
disliked,  &  chose  he  should  now  be  dismissed.  Because  he  might  obstruct  the 
settlem'  of  a  Candidate,  as  Mr.  Judson  had  been  discouraged. 

It  was  the  Opinion  of  the  Counsel  that  it  was  best  he  slid,  be  dismissed  now. 
But  he  prayed  them  in  their  result  to  continue  him  till  the  next  Ldsday,  that  he 
might  preach  his  Farewel  Sermon  as  pastor.  Accordingly  in  the  Result  they 
declare  his  pastoral  Relation  to  cease  &  be  dissolved  as  soon  as  the  next  Ldsdy 
Service  was  ended.  Which  accordingly  took  place,  without  any  Vote  of  the 
Chh.  receiving  or  ratifying  the  Result. 

This  is  a  second  Instance  at  least  of  a  new  Method.  When  a  pastor  wants  to 
be  dismissed,  he  gets  his  chh.  to  put  the  power  of  dismission  out  of  their  hands 
&  vesting  it  in  a  council  of  pastors.  Whereas  the  Chh.  &  pastor  ought  to  call 
in  a  Council  not  a.  judicature,  to  advise  the  Chh.,  and  the  Chh.  should  by  Vote 
ratify  or  reject  the  Advice.  Mr.  Hopkins  operated  in  the  same  manner  with 
his  Chh.  at  Great  Barrington.  And  Mr.  Fish  is  now  negotiating  a  similar  Dis- 
mission.    All  this  is  most  foreign  from  Consoc.  power  &  Authority. 

'  From  another  memorandum  of  Dr.  Stiles  the  following  is  gleaned  : — 

After  Lect.  stayed  the  B"  &  laid  before  them  the  Desires  of  Nassau  Hastie 
formerly  about  35  y.  ago  a  Commun.  in  the  Chh.  of  Scotl<^,  &  W"  Mary  Cham- 
bers, a  Commun.  30  y.  ago  in  Presb.  Chh.  B"  under  M''  Moreh''.  They  have 
lived  here  30  y.  &  otherwise  of  blameless  &  godly  Lives,  but  never  asked 
Commun.  till  now,  &  this  without  Certif.  Agreed  to  admit  them  by  leade 
them  to  assent  to  the  Cov'  publickly. 

-Stephen  West  (Y.  C.  1755)  ;  see  Diarj^,  Feb.  13,  1772. 

^For  Abraham  Redwood  see  above,  April  28,  1770.  T'or  Metcalf  Bowler,  see 
Diar}^  June  10,  1773,  &  Mason's  Annats  of  Trinity  C/iurcli,  Newport,  i,  107-8. 


MAY    4-16,    1770  51 

Gd.  would  then  have  created  all  his  posterity  holy,  but  now  he 
creates  them  Sinners.  I  objected  this  made  Gd.  the  Author  of  Sin  : 
he  replied  it  amounted  to  the  same  Thing  if  should  suppose  inter- 
mediate Events  between  Gd.  &  the  Creature  becom^  a  sinner.  As 
in  the  Berkeleian  immaterial  Scheme,  instead  of  resting  in  a  sub- 
stratum of  Matter,  we  recurred  to  the  Fiat  and  perpetual  Agency 
of  Gd.,  so  as  to  spiritual  Things,  every  Thing  was  an  Act  of  Gd — 
all  in  Creatures  &  Intelligences  was  Gd. — his  plan  required  natural 
&  moral  Evil  as  well  as  holiness,  in  order  to  display  his  Perfections 
&  Character  in  all  Variety  of  Exercise.  Yet  no  Blame  to  be 
ascribed  to  him,  but  all  blame  to  the  Creature.  But  this  last  with 
his  former  Positions  he  did  not  reconcile.     He  is  an  ingenious  Man. 

10.  Attended  an  Evening  Lecture  on  the  Hill  where  Mr.  West 
preached  from  Psalms  v,  4,  5,  an  ingenious  Sermon. 

11.  Much  convers''  with  Mr.  West  upon  the  Hopkintonian  Sys- 
tem :  &  upon  Dr.  Dana's  answer  to  President  Edwards  on  Liberty. 
Ezra  finished  Cornelius  Nepos,  which  he  began  Jan''^'  last. 

12.  Mr.  All  tells  me  he  came  from  the  North  of  Irel'd  abot  48  y. 
ago  ;  that  Rev.  Mr.  McGregore  bro't  over  a  Body  of  settlers  to  B" 
about  4  y.  before  him,  so  about  1718.  They  finally  settled  Nut- 
field.     His  son,  now  Rev.  Mr  McGregory  of  ,  had  no  College 

Education — but  a  Man  of  Learn^  &  a  Preacher  a  Minister  of  Emi- 
nence.' 

14.  This  day  my  Father  Rev''  Isaac  Stiles,"  second  Pastor  of  the 
Chh.  in  North  Haven,  has  been  dead  ten  years. 

15.  Rode  to  Providence  to  As.sociation,  where  met  with  Rev'' 
Mess.  Towns^'  Burt,"  Ellis,'  Rowland.' 

16.  Mr.  Burt  preached  the  Lecture  from  Hosea  vi,  6.  For  I 
desired  Mercy,  &c.     We  dined  in  Comp^'  with  Rev^'  Mr.  Weld'  and 

^The  father,  James  McGregore,  died  in  1729;  the  name  of  Nutfield,  New 
Hampshire,  was  afterwards  changed  to  Londonderry.  The  son,  David 
McGregore,  was  pastor  of  a  new  parish  in  Ivondonderry  from  1737  till  his  death 
in  1777.     See  Sprague's  Annals,  iv,  27-30. 

^Y.  C.  1722. 

3  Solomon  Townsend  (Harv.  1735),  born  in  Boston  Oct.  24,  1716,  pastor  in 
Barrington,  R.  I.,  from  Sept.,  1742,  till  his  death  in  1776.  See  Bicknell's  Hist, 
of  Baj'vington,  224-29. 

••John  Burt  ;  see  Diary,  Oct.  8,  1775. 

^Jonathan  Ellis,  pastor  in  Little  Compton. 

« David  S.  Rowland  (Yale  1743),  pastor  in  Providence. 

'Habijah  Weld  (Harvard  1723),  pastor  of  the  ist  Church  in  Attleboro', 
1727-82. 


52  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Thatcher'  of  Attleboro'  &  Hide'  of  Rehoboth,  &  Mr.  Prentice,"  a 
young  Candidate.  In  the  Evening  I  preached  an  Evening  Lecture 
in  Mr.  Rowland's  meet^'house  i  Peter,  i,  8,  present  eleven  Ministers 
&  a  large  devout  Assembty. 

17.  Returned  to  Newport.     Visited  Mr.  Hopkins. 

18.  Writing  or  rather  finishing  a  Eetter  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Vinal." 
Reading  M'  Hopkins'  Answer  to  Mr.  Hart.  Mr.  Hopk'  &  his 
Wife  &  two  of  his  Children  came  here  16"'. 

19.  Finished  Job  in  hebrew  Bible. 

20.  Ldsdy.  A.  M.  I  preached  2  Cor.  v,  14,  15.  P.  M.  Psm. 
cxix,  40 — and  baptized  Benj"  Infant  of  W"  Wilson  on  the  Fathers 
acc°,  he  having  owned  the  Cov'  &  the  Mother  being  a  Baptist  or 
Anti-psedo-baptist.  I  have  baptized  all  his  Children  before.  This 
Aftern.  my  Wife  got  to  Meeting  ;  not  liav^  been  since  25*''  Feb^'  ult., 
being  confined  b}-  Sickness.  Sung  Watts  Psal.  116,  p'  2''.^  After 
meeting  attended  the  Funeral  of  Miss  Molly  Vernon  :"  at  vi  o'clock. 
Mr.  Dawson  preached  in  the  Courthouse.  A  Negro  Burying,  the 
Chh.  bell  toll'd  (all  our  Bells  sometimes  toll  for  Negroes),  a  proces- 
sion of  Two  Hundred  Men,  &  one  hund.  &  thirty  Wom.  Negroes. 

21.  Ezra  began  Sallust.  East  Wedn-  I  first  knew  that  Univ^ 
Edinb.  conferred  Doctorate  in  Div-  on  Rev.  Samuel  Haven  of 
Portsm". 

22.  Dr.  Coffin  of  Newbury  visited  me.' 

23.  This  day  Mr.  Samuel  King"  took  ni}-  Picture  in  Miniature. 

'  Peter  Thacher,  Jr.  (Harvard  1737),  pastor  of  2d  Church  in  Attleboro',  1748-85. 
''Ephraim  Hyde  (Yale  1759),  pastor  in  what  is  now  Seekonk,  1766-83. 
^Probably  Thomas  Prentiss  (Harvard  1766),  afterwards  settled  in  Medfield. 

*  See  above,  Jan.  5,  1769.  The  draft  of  this  letter  in  Dr.  Stiles's  papers  shows 
that  Mr.  Vinal  had  been  charged  with  intoxication  before  his  dismission  from 
Newport,  and  had  confessed  to  the  fact,  though  not  to  the  habit ;  he  had  never- 
theless been  recommended  by  the  dismissing  council  to  the  churches,  but  had 
found  difficulty  in  obtaining  recognition  in  Boston. 

'■'  The  first  stanza  is  : — 

What  shall  I  render  to  my  God 
For  all  his  kindness  shown  ? 
My  feet  shall  visit  Thine  abode. 
My  songs  address  Thy  throne. 

*  Youngest  child  of  Judge  Samuel,  and  sister  of  the  Hon.  William  Vernon  ; 
born  Dec.  23,  1721.     See  A^.  £.  Hist,  and  Geneal.  Register,  xxxiii,  316. 

■"  Charles  Coffin  (Harv.  Coll.  1759),  born  1741. 

*  Born  in  Newport,  Jan.  24,  1749  ;  afterwards  a  well-known  artist;  see  below, 
Aug.  22,  1770. 


MAY    17-31,    1770  53 

24.  In  Evening  held  a  Meeting  of  the  Brethren  &  Sisters  of  my 
Chh.  at  Sister  Peckham's,  when  I  discoursed  on  Cant.  iv.  ult.  &  v. 
I  :  present  above  fourt}^  Members.  Next  to  be  at  Sister  Childs  21 
June,  if  my  proposed  Journey  pmit. 

26.  By  the  York  Prints  I  find  the  Reverend  John  Ogilvie,  Episc" 
Minister  at  New  York,  created  Doctor  in  Divinity,  I  judge  from 
Oxford  :'  as  such  he  was  admitted  ad  eimdem  at  the  Commencement 
last  Week  at  N.Y.  Coll. 

27.  I^dsdy.  Preached  A.M.  Prov.  viii,  17.  P.M.  Philip,  ii,  15, 
16,  &  proposed  catechising  the  Children  &  Negroes  next  Thursday. 

28.  Sat  for  my  picture.  Began  to  transcribe  my  vSermon  at  Mr. 
Hopkins'  Instalmt.  for  the  press. 

29.  Yesterday  Alex''  Grant'  Esq.  &  his  Lady  of  my  Congreg"" 
set  out  for  Boston  to  embark  there  for  London  :  In  the  Last  Ldsday 
contrib.  he  gave  me  a  half  Jo  or  8  Doll.  &  she  a  Guinea.  Since 
his  Return  from  Jamaica  last  Jany.  his  Family  have  made  me  pres- 
ents to  amount  of  Eight  or  nine  Guineas.  She  has  been  a  Member 
of  ni}"  Chh.  from  the  3'ear  1756.     Sat  for  xwy  Picture. 

30.  This  day  a  voluntary  Bee  or  Spinning  Match  at  my  house. 
Begun  by  Break  o'day,  &  in  fornoon  early  were  sixty-four  Spinning 
Wheels  going.  Afternoon  seventy  wheels  going  at  the  same  Time 
for  part  of  the  time.  Ninety-two  daughters  of  Liberty  spun  and 
reeled,  respiting  and  assisting  one  another.  Manj^  brought  their 
flax,  especiall}'  of  my  Society — the  Spinners  were  of  all  Denomina- 
tions, Chh.,  Quakers,  Bapt.  &  Cong.  &c.  The}-  spun  One  hundred 
&  seventy  Skeins  (  fourteen-knotted  )  and  seven  Knots.  They  found 
two-thirds  of  the  flax.  The  170  Skeins  weighed  thirtj-two  Averd. 
Of  the  70  stationed  to  the  70  Wheels,  41  or  more  were  of  my 
Meet^,  and  of  the  92  about  53  were  mine.  The  ^-arn  very  good. 
A  whole  Calf,  4  Gammons,  3"'-*  Tea,  32""  Sugar,  i  Loaf  do  9"'^ 
Wine  3  Gall.,  &  Sundries,  sent  in  to  Amo'  ^172  =  ^6.  10.  o.  L-M. 

31.  This  da}'  from  a  cursory  Reckoning  found  One  hundred  and 
thirty  Spinners  in  my  Congregation.  At  III''  P.M.  I  catechised 
13  Boys,  17  Girls,  5  Neg.  Tot.  35.  A  stormy  Afternoon.  Yester- 
day the  Merch^'  in  this  T"  met  at  the  Courthouse  &  agreed  to  store 
their  goods  lateh'  imported — to  remove  the  late  Resolutions  of  Bos- 
ton &  Phila''-'  to  break  off  all  commerce  with  us,  &  to  engage  the 

^  This  is  corrected  in  the  manuscript  at  a  later  date  to  Aberdeen,  where  the 
degree  was  conferred  in  1769.     Ogilvie  was  graduated  at  Yale  in  1748. 
'See  above,  Jan.  9,  1770. 


54  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

other  Colonies  to  desist  Trad-  with  us  :  because  we  had  violated  the 
salutary  Non-Import"  Agreemt.  An  Instance,  that  five  or  six 
Jews  &  three  or  4  Tories  may  draw  down  Vengeance  upon  a 
Country.' 

June. 

2.  Sat  for  my  Picture.  Silkworms  hatched.  Transcribing  mj^ 
sermon  for  the  press.     C.  G.  in  Carcere. 

3.  Ldsday.  I  preached  A.M.  2  Kings  v,  17,  18.  P.M.  Acts  xiii, 
38-41. 

4.  Saw  a  B"  print  ; — the  Election  of  Councillors  held  in  the 
College  Hall  at  Cambridge,  contrary  to  the  remonstrance  of  the 
President  &  Fellows,  &  contrary  to  the  protest  of  the  Representa- 
tives. Rev.  Mr.  Cook  preached  there.  The  same  day  the  da}^  was 
religiously  celebrated  at  Boston,  Dr.  Chauncy  preaching  to  a 
crouded  assembly,  then  all  the  Ministers  invited  to  dine  at  Famdl 
Hall  by  the  Merchants  &  other  Sons  of  Liberty.  A  great  number 
of  pastors  were  present :  among  the  rest  the  aged  &  venerable 
Israel  Loring  of  Sudbury,  M\.  88  &  above,  being  the  oldest  Min- 
ister in  America  :  Also  Rev.  President  Locke  ;  &  Rev.  Mr.  Apple- 
ton  of  Cambridge.  The  Virginia  print  informs  that  May  7,  1770 
the  Reverend  James  Horrocks,^  the  Bp  of  London's  Commissary  for 
Virginia,  was  sworn  in  one  of  his  Majesty's  Council  of  this  Colony, 
and  a  Judge  of  the  General  Court.  About  A.D.  1700  or  1690  a 
commissary  was  appointed  there,  made  Member  of  the  Council  & 
Lived  to  a  great  age  &  died  about  1743.  I  know  not  who  preceded. 
But  it  seems  the  Ministr}-  are  fond  of  introducing  into  America  a 
junction  of  the  civil  &  episcopal  powers.  The  episcopalians  would 
complain  bitterly  if  any  other  protestant  Minister  (retaining  his 
priestly  office)  should  be  sworn  of  the  council  &  a  Judge  in  a  civil 
Court.  There  have  been  one  or  more  Instances  of  a  Baptist  Minis- 
ter (while  continuing  such)  being  Members  of  the  Assembh'  as 
Representatives  in  the  Colony  of  Rhode  Island,   particularl}'  Elder 

^  Newport  traders  had  agreed,  in  concert  with  other  American  merchants,  to 
refrain  from  importing  British  goods  at  this  time  ;  conseqviently,  when  viola- 
tions of  this  agreement  were  reported,  public  meetings  were  held  in  Boston 
(May  18)  and  in  Philadelphia  (May  23),  at  which  it  was  resolved  to  break  oflf  all 
dealings  with  Newport  until  its  inhabitants  (who  had  not  expressed  their 
resentment  at  this  duplicity)  should  have  given  full  satisfaction. 

-  He  went  to  England  in  1771  to  ask  for  an  American  Bishop.  He  fell  into  ill 
health  there  and  was  sent  to  Portugal,  and  died  at  Oporto  in  1772. 


JUNE    2-2  2,    1770  55 

Gardner,  whom  I  have  seen  &  heard  in  the  Assembh^  :  Also,  1765, 
the  Rev.  Ebenezer  Devotion,^  Pastor  of  the  Congreg'^  Chh.  at  Scot- 
land, als.  Windham,  in  Connecticut,  was  elected  Deputy  by  the 
town  of  Windham,  &  sat  as  such  in  the  General  Assembly,  Oct. 
1765,  at  New  Haven,  when  I  saw  and  conversed  with  him  :  this 
was  to  oppose  the  memorable  Stamp  act.  Some  of  the  Epis*^"  Clerg\' 
in  Virginia  &  Mar>dand  are  said  to  be  in  office  for  the  Peace.  In 
the  Prov.  of  N.  York  I  have  known  Rev.  Mr.  Throope^  of  L.  Isld. 
to  be  in  civil  office.  Rev.  Cott.  Math.  Smitlf  of  Sharon  in  Connec- 
ticutt  is  noiv  Pastor  of  the  Chh  &  clerk  of  the  Court  of  Probates 
in  that  Town.     I  know  of  no  other  Instances. 

12.  This  day  I  sat  out  with  my  Wife  on  a  Journey  into  Connecti- 
cutt.  We  went  via  Bristol,  Providence,  Plainfield,  Windham,  and 
Hartford,  to  N.  Haven.  Kept  first  Sabbath  at  Coventry,  where  I 
preached  P.M.  for  Rev.  Mr.  Huntington.  Reached  New  Haven 
20*^''  and  rode  to  Meriden  &  kept  Sabb.  &  preached  all  day  for  Mr. 
Hubbard.     Left  my  Wife  at  N.  H.  23''  &  returned  to  Newport  30'". 

[The  notes  of  this  journey  in  Dr.  Stiles's  Itinerary  are  as  follows: — 

12.  Tuesday.  Set  out  with  my  Wife^dined  at  Turner's  2/9  proc.-*  Bristol 
ferry  2/.     Lodged  at  Mr,  Burt's. 

13.  Provid.  Ferry  i/.     Tavern  i/.     Lodged  at  Mr.  Checkle^^'s,   Provid. 

14.  To  Barber  8'^.  Dined  in  Johnston  at  Fish's  2/.  Rode  18  miles  to-day  & 
lodged  at  Cook's  in  Scit.  2/10. 

15.  Dined  at  Eaton's  2/8.  Mends  collar  i/.  Lodged  Mr.  Whiting's,  Scotl'd. 
— Horse  i/.     Mends  &c.  1/7. 

16.  Dined  Windh.  2/3  ;  reached  Coventry.     14  m.  this  day. 

17.  Ldsday.     A.M.      Heard   Rev.    Mr.    Huntg.    preach.    Gen.   .      P.M. 

Preached  myself.  Col.  3,  1-3. 

18.  To  Robertson's  4/.  Dinner  2/.  At  Olcot's  ir^.  at  &c  9^.  rode  16  m.  & 
lodged  at  Mr.  Russel  Woodb.  at  E.  Hartf'^. 

19.  Crossed  ferry  to  Hartf-^  i/.  Barber's  5'^.  Visited  Rev.  Mr.  Dorr  &  Rev^ 
Mr.  Whitman  &  Secy  Wyllys— rode  to  Weathersfd,  called  on  Rev.  Mr.  Lock- 
wood— dined  at  Col.  Chester's  in  Cornp*  with  Rev.  W"»  Russel  of  Windsor  & 
Lady— i/.     Lodged  at  Madam  Hall's  in  Meriden. 

20.  Dined  at  D''  Dana's  in  Wallingf''  &  rode  to  New  Haven. 

22.  Rode  to  Brother  Isaac  Stiles'  at  North  Haven  :  &  visited  Deacon  Cooper, 
my  Father's  good  Friend,  &  some  others. 

•  Yale  Coll.  1732. 

nvilliam  Throop  (Y.  C.  1743),  of  Southold, County  Surrogate,  1754-56. 

^Y.  C.  1751. 

*  Proclamation  money,  i.  e.,  money  at  the  values  fixed  in  O.  Anne's  Procla- 
mation of  1704,  which  reckoned  the  Spanish  dollar  and  "  piece-of -eight  "  (the 
commonest  silver  coins  in  N.  England)  at  6  shillings. 


56  DIARY    OF   EZRA   STILES 

23.  Visited  my  Mother  at  Carmel,  &  Brethren,  &c.  &  rode  to  Merid. 

24.  Ldsday.  Preach  for  B""  Hubbard  all  day.  A.M.  Col.  iii,  1-3.  P.M. 
I  Chron.  xxviii,  9.  Sing  N.  E.  Psalms. — Rainy  day.  no  persons  below,  89 
above  circa. 

25.  Rode  to  N.  H.      Visited  College. 

26.  Free  Masons'  procession  to  Mr.  Whitty'"  Meet*-',  where  he  preached  a 
Sermon  fr.  Ps.  cxx. — Dined  with  the  Masons  in  Comp"  with  Rev.  Mess''' 
Whitt-v,  Cha.  Jeff.  Smith,  &  Mr.  Hubbard,  Episc°  Mission^.' 

27.  Gave  my  Wife  a  Johannes,  &c.  &  sat  out  for  Newp*.  Lodged  at  Mr. 
Todd's  E.  (ruilford.  Mr.  Ruggles  tells  me,  Milf''  p'ple.  came  from  Hartford — 
not  with  N.  H.  &  Guilf'*  p'ple.  from  Engl^.  Dr.  Rosseter  from  Wethersfield 
abot.  ph.  1655.  Earn.  Tradit.  he  took  three  Degrees  in  the  Uniyy  in  Engl<i, 
never  was  an  Elder.     Nor  ever  an  Elder  in  Guilf  Chh. 

At  XT'"  this  Night  I  saw  a  Comet  .   .   . 

28.  Dined  at  Mr.  Devotion's  .  .  .  Ferry  Sayb.  6'^  Shoing  horse  behind  at 
Lym  2/8  .  .  Lodged  at  Anderson's  in  Lyme.  Mr.  Hart  of  Sayb.  tells  me  he 
was  told  by  Mr.  Woodb.  himself  that  his  Chh.  had  sent  a  Committee  to  him 
with  their  Vote  desiring  him  Jiot  to  exchange  again  with  Mr.  Kenne  or  improve 
in  his  pulpit  any  Gent,  of  Mr.  Kenne's  religious  principles.'^  And  that  the 
names  of  Mess.  Hopk.,  Hart  of  Prest.,  &  Austin,  a  Candidate  at  Norwich  were 
mentioned  in  the  Chh. 

Mr.  Kenne's  p'ple.  immediately  held  Chh.  Meet"*  respecting  Cov*  for  Bap' 
— rMr.  Kenne  has  finally  submitted  to  bapt.  on  owns  Cov'. 

29.  At  Lymes  2/6.  Dined  at  N.  Lond.  with  Col.  Huntington  of  Norwich, 
when  he  gave  me  this  Account :  Norw.  Deed  1659,  Remov''  May  1660.  Col. 
Hunting,  .^t.  72  circa  ;  his  father  first  child  b.  Norw.  Trad''.  Mr.  Fitch  ord. 
by  3  Laics.  Mr.  Hook.  Hartf 'd.  &  one  other  Min.  present — Hooker  gave  R.  H. 
Fell".  He  was  off^  but  refused  to  ord.  Col.  flunt-  says  he  rec"^  this  fr.  his 
Father.   ... 

Ferry  6''.  Oats,  &c.  9'^  Wife  of  Dan'  Coit,  Esq.,  was  of  Groton,  &  tells  me 
Elder  Wightman,  Bapt.,  used  to  go  a  gunning  Ldsday.  after  Meet*-',  tho  a  first 
day  man. 

Dr.  Woodb.  tells  me  about  twenty  Fam.  presb.  in  East  part  Groton  lately  go 
to  meet"  at  the  Baptists  Elder  Wightman's — being  disappointed  as  to  a  parish. 
Lodged  at  Capt.  Russel's,  Ston.  2/3. 

30.  Blains  ~]4,^.  Benedict's  1/9.  Case  7''.  Ferry  1/3.  A  little  before  Sunset 
arrived  safe  to  Newport  &  found  my  Famih'  in  health.] 

'  Among  Dr.  vStiles's  MSS.  of  an  earlier  date  is  one  (Dec.  24,  1759)  in  which 
is  this  passage  illustrative  of  his  feeling  towards  the  Episcopal  clergy  : — 

"  We  see  this  Spirit  of  Episcopal  Intrigue  already  working  with  great  Cun- 
ning. It  has  set  up  &  recommended  the  Fraternity  of  free  Masons  &  is  press- 
ing them  apace  into  a  vSubserviency  &  Sul)ordinatiou  to  the  great  End  of 
encrcasing  the  Church.  .  .  .  The  Free  Masons  have  already  within  about  a 
dozen  years  increased  from  three  to  12  or  14  Lodges." 

^  Rev.  Ephraim  Woodbridge  (Y.  C.  1765)  was  settled  over  the  ist  Church, 
New  London,  Oct.  ir,  1769';  his  classmate,  Aaron  Kinue,  a  strong  New  Light 
in  theology,  was  ordained  in  the  adjoining  parish  of  Groton  the  next  week. 


JUNE    23-JULY    10,    1770  57 

July. 

1.  Ldsda5^  Preached  A.M.  2  Cor.  vii,  i,  &  P.M.  Mat.  vi,  19, 
20,  21.  This  Evening  the  Comet'  at  IX''  on  the  East  of  Pole  star, 
within  six  or  seven  degrees  of  it,  &  in  range  of  Beta  Ursa  Maj.  & 
pole  star.  On  Saturday  Evening  at  IX''  it  was  just  East  &:  within 
five  degrees  of  Alpha  Eyrse  :  so  has  passed  46  degrees  in  24  hours. 

2.  Examined  proof  of  first  printed  sheet  of  my  Serm.  At  X'' 
at  Night  saw  the  Comet  below  the  pole  star  one  third  of  the  way  up 
from  the  Horizon  to  the  pole  star  or  ph.  12°  deg.  high  :  so  passed 
thirty  degrees  last  24  hours.  I  judgd  it  was  west  of  the  Merid.  an 
hour  or  more — perh.  it  might  get  on  the  Merid.  or  direct  under  the 
pole  between  XI''  &  Midnight.     No  Tail. 

5.  Mr.  Hopkins  has  set  up  a  weekly  Lecture  on  Thursday 
Even^  VI  o'clock.  I  attended  this  Even^'  ;  he  preached  on  Mat.  v. 
Blessed  are  the  meek,  &c. 

6.  I  preached  my  sacramental  Lecture  at  III  o'clock  P.M. 
I.  Cor.  vi,  20.     Present  Mr.  Hopkins. 

8.  Ldsday.  I  preached  Rom.  iv.  25,  A.M.  Admitted  one 
Communicant^  &  administered  the  Lds.  Supper  to  62  Communicants. 
P.M.  Ps.  113,  45,  &  baptized  two  children.  •  Notified  Monthly  clih. 
Meet^  at  sister  Childs  next  Wednesday  Evening  (as  Mr.  Hopkins' 
Lecture  is  Thursday  Evening)  and  catechis^  children  &  Negroes 
Thursday  1 11^  P.M. 

10.  Rev"  John  Hubbard  &  Mr.  Whitehead  Hubb'"  came.  Last 
month  an  Organ  of  200  Pipes  was  set  up  in  the  Meetinghouse  of 
the  first  Congregational  Chh.  in  Providence  :  and  for  the  first  time 
it  was  played  upon  in  divine  Service  last   Ldsday,  as  Mr.  Rowland 

'  A  remarkable  comet,  first  observed  at  Paris  on  June  14,  which  has  made  a 
nearer  approach  to  the  earth  than  any  other  on  record. 

^  See  above.  May  4 ;  from  another  memorandum  by  Dr.  Stiles  is  the  fol- 
lowing : — 

Mr.  Nassau  Hastie  formerly  of  Edenb.  was  a  Member  of  the  Chh.  of  Scot- 
land. He  came  to  America  &  settled  at  Chariest",  vS'^  Carol.,  then  about  1741 
came  to  Newp*  &  constantly  attended  our  Meets  ever  since,  a  sober  &  religious 
man.  He  never  asked  commun.  with  us,  &  few  had  been  informed  of  his 
being  a  professor.  I  psuaded  him  to  ask  commun.  with  us,  &  also  be  voted 
in  a  member— to  W  last  the  Chh.  judged  necess>'  he  sh-^  renew  the  Cov' — con- 
sids  he  had  so  long  neglected  the  ordinances.     Which  he  did. 

3  Stephen  Whitehead  Hubbard  (Y.  C.  1766),  a  nephew  of  the  Rev.  John  Hub- 
bard and  of  Mrs.  Stiles,  and  eldest  son  of  Dr.  Eeverett  H.,  of  New  Haven. 
He  had  been  prepared  for  College  by  Dr.  Stiles. 


58  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

the  pastor  tells  me.  This  is  the  first  organ  in  a  dissenting  presb, 
Chh.  in  America  except  Jersey  College — or  Great  Britain. 

Mr.  Rowland  tells  me  that  since  it  was  set  up,  a  Providence  Gen- 
tleman being  at  Elizabeth  Town  in  the  Jersies  he  was  in  comp=^ 
with  Dr.  Tho.  Bradbur}-  Chandler  the  episcopalian  and  mentioning 
that  an  organ  was  erected  in  Providence  the  Doctor  said,  he  did  not 
know  but  that  they  were  entituled  to  a  praemium — that  a  Gent,  in 
Eng'''  had  by  will  left  ^500.  ster.  to  the  first  dissenting  Congreg"" 
that  should  set  up  an  organ.  Also  an  English  Gent,  lately  travel^ 
thro.  Providence  told  Mr.  West  the  same  Thing.  I  w^as  at  Provid. 
June  13  when  the  Organ  was  erected  &  setting  up.  Mr.  Checkly' 
who  w^as  concerned  in  psuading  the  p'ple.  into  it  gave  me  an  account 
of  the  motives  he  used  wdth  them,  but  said  nothing  of  this  Dona- 
tion. The}^  knew  nothing  about  it  when  they  erected  the  organ,  & 
Mr.  West  had  exercised  himself  upon  it  a  month  in  learn^  to  play  ; 
before  they  knew,  &c.  However,  they  had  the  Information  before 
Juh'  8.  Inst.,  when  they  first  used  it  in  public  Worship.  Mr. 
Rowland  tells  me  it  gives  great  offence  to  the  Episcopalians  in 
Provid.  who  say,  we  have  nothing  to  do  with  it.  Perhaps  about 
ten  years  ago  there  was  an  Organ  erected  in  Nassau  Hall  for  the  use 
of  the  Scholars  at  public  pra^-ers — on  Edsdays  the  college  attend 
pvib.  Worship  in  the  Meet^'  h.  of  the  Town  of  Princetown.  I  then 
thought  it  an  Innovation  of  ill  consequence,  &  that  the  Trustees 
were  too  easily  practised  upon.  They  were  a  little  sick  of  it.  The 
organ  has  been  disused  for  sundry  years,  &  ne\'er  was  much  used. 
In  the  year  1754  I  saw  in  the  Dutch  calvinist  Chh.  at  New^  York  a 
small  Organ,  which  was  the  first  there  &  had  been  there  I  doubt 
not  many  years. ^ 

II.  Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins  &  Eady,  Rev''  Mess"""  Rowland,  Hubbard, 
&  Cousin  Whitehead,  &  Mr.  Benedict,'  candidate,  dined  wdth  me. 
In  Evening  I  attended  nn-  monthh'  meeting  of  the  church  at  Sister 
Childs,  present  above  40  members.  I  discoursed  on  Gal.  vi,  16,  as 
many  as  walk  by  this  rule,  peace,  &c. 

'  William  Checkley  (Harvard  1756),  an  officer  of  the  Customs  in  Providence, 
who  died  in  1780,  and  whose  widow  married  Dr.  Stiles  in  1782.  He  was  the 
son  of  the  Rev.  Samuel  Checkley  (Harvard  17 15),  first  minister  of  the  New 
South  church  in  Boston. 

^vSee,  also.  Diary,  Nov.  6  and  Dec.  12,  1771  ;  and  May  16,  1785. 

^Joel  Benedict  (Princeton  1765).  He  was  settled  in  what  is  now  Lisbon, 
Conn.,   in   February,    1771. 


JULY    II-I9,    1770  59 

12.  Catechised  the  Children  P.M.  12  Boys,  38  Girls,  4  Neg. 
Tot.  54.  Attended  Mr.  H.  Even^  Lect.  Mr.  Benedict  preached 
on  Mar\-"s  chus"  the  better  part. 

13.  Visiting. 

14.  My  Inst.  Sermon  printed  &  published. 

15.  Ldsday.  Rev.  Mr.  Hubbard  preached  all  day  A.M.  Prov. 
P.M.  Ezek  xxxiii,  ri.  At  V;'/2h  I  preached  at  Prison,  Titus  ii, 
11-14. 

16.  I  set  out  with  Mr.  Whithd.  Hubbard'  for  Commencement  at 
Harvard  College,  where  we  attended  Wedn-'  iS"*  Ins',  Rev.  Presi- 
dent Locke  presiding  for  the  first  Time  ;  he  confer 'd  the  Degree  of 
A.B.  upon  34  &  that  of  A.M.  upon  43.  Total  77.  The  President 
was  dressed  in  a  Black  Gown  &  square  Cap,  as  were  most  of  the 
Graduates.  The  Bachelors  all  dressed  in  black  cloth  coats  of  amer- 
ican  Manufacture,  covered  with  a  thin  black  Gown  &  Sqr.  Cap. 
Among  other  exercises  was  a  Dialogue  in  Chaldee  held  between 
three  Bachelors — taken  out  of  Daniel  :  at  the  close  of  this  the  Presi- 
dent subjoyned  a  Short  speech  in  Chaldee  :  but  he  did  not  make 
any  latin  Oration. 

19.  I  preached  the  Thunsdy  Lecture  at  Boston,  Luke  xii,  32,  and 
spent  Aft.  &  next  da}^  in  copying  MSS.  in  Library  of  old  S"  Chh. 
and  in  Library-  of  Rev.  M''  Mather,  which  has  come  down  to  him 
from  Rev'^  Richard  Mather  of  Dorchester.  Here  I  saw  the  original 
MS.  of  the  Cambridge  Platform  in  the  \\^riting  of  Mr.  Rd.  Mather, 
the  principal  compiler.^ 

^  The  Itinerar}'  of  this  journey  is  as  follows  : — 

16.  Ferry  6)4^:  dined  Mr.  Burt's.  He  joyned  us  &  we  rode  to  Daggets,  6"^, 
&  lodged  at  Stearns,  Attleboro — 2/8. 

17.  Mans.  6'^     Robb.  2/ — Dedham  4''.     lodged  Brooklyn  2/3. 

18.  Commenc'  Harv.  Coll.     Dined  at  Professor  Sewall's  2/. 

19.  I  preached  Thursdy.  Lect.  Boston.  Dined  with  Dr.  Eliot,  Mr.  Bridge, 
Mr.  Burt,  &c.  at  Judge  Hubbard's. 

20.  Dined  at  Rev.  Sam'l.  Mather's  (son  of  Dr.  Cott.):  all  foren.  in  So.  Chh. 
Steeple  transcribe  &c.  MSS.  Aft.  in  the  Lib^  of  venerable  Rich'^.,  Increase, 
Cott.,  &  now  Sam'  Mathers  ;  exam-'  heb.  Commentaries  &  MSS.  &c.  At  sun- 
set left  Mr.  Dani  Hubb'i'^  &  rode  to  Roxb^,  visited  Mr.  Adams  &  extracted 
fr.  Roxb>-  Chh.  Records.     Expences  3/8  &  8'i. 

21.  Breakf.  Dedh.  i/— Walpole  oats  t>j4     Mans.  2/     Steans  2/. 

22.  Ldsdy.     I  preached  in  Mr  Rowland's  Meet-. 

23.  Rode  to  W"  Green's  at  Occupastuxet. 

24.  Rode  to  E.  Greenw.  &  preached  in  the  Courthouse. 

25.  Arrived  at  Newport. 

-  Now  in  the  Library  of  the  American  Antiquarian  Society,  Worcester,  Mass. 


6o  DIARY    OF    EZRA   vSTlLES 

22.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  at  Providence  in  Mr.  Rowland's  Pulpit,' 
A.M.  2  Cor.  vii,  i.  P.M.  Jn"  vii,  37  ;  the  organ  played  on  in 
Worship. 

24.  I  preached  a  Lecture  in  the  Court  House  in  East  Greenwich, 
from  Rom.  iii,  22-24,  without  any  written  Notes — the  first  Time  I 
ever  preached  entirely  ex  Tempore.  There  are  about  half  a  dozen 
Congregational  Families  :  present  120  persons  or  more,  of  Different 
Denom.  behaving  very  seriously. 

25.  Pari'  prorogued — Tea  Act  not  repealed. 

30.  Professor  Winthrop's  two  sons'  here — went  with  them  in  the 
Even*^  to  the  Synagogue  ;  where  was  read  the  whole  Book  of 
Lamentations  &  a  mournfvxl  vService,  it  being  the  Eve  before  the 
Annivers^'  of  the  Destruction  of  the  Temple. 

August. 

2.  At  V  P.M.  catechised  14  Boys,  32  Girls,  5  Negroes,  Total 
51.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins'  Even^  Lecture.  Mat.  v,  6.  Mr.  White- 
field  arrived  here. 

3.  Received  a  Letter  written  entirely  in  Hebrew,  from  William 
Olive,  aet  60.  now  living  in  S"  Kingston,  Narragansett.  He  was 
born  in  London,  educated  at  Halle  in  Germany,  in  Hebrew,  but  no 

'  The  following  paragraph  is  from  Dr.  Stiles's  Itinerary  of  this  date  : 
The  course  of  divine  Service  in  the  Congreg"*  Chh.  at  Providence  under  Rev. 
Mr.  Rowland  is  this. — The  Congregation  rise  &  the  Minister  asks  a  Blessing  on 
the  Word  &  the  divine  presence  in  the  Solemnities  of  public  Worship — then  the 
people  sit,  &  the  Minister  reads  a  Chapter  in  the  Bible — then  the  bills  asking 
prayers  &c  are  read  by  the  Minister — then  the  Assembly  rise  &  the  Minister 
prays  for  a  quarter  &  half  an  hour— then  sing  Watts  Version  of  Psalms  the 
people  striking  in  with  the  Organ,  &  many  sing  standing,  perhaps  half  the 
Congregation— then  Minister  takes  a  Text  of  Scripture,  expounds  it  &  preaches 
— the  people  sitting — Sermon  being  ended,  the  people  rise  &  the  Minister  prays 
a  short  prayer — then  singing  &  the  Organ — then  Minister  pronounces  the 
Blessing  &  dismisses  the  Congregation.  But  the  Organ  does  not  then  play. 
This  the  Forenoon  Service.  The  Afternoon  the  same,  only  in  addition,  between 
the  last  prayer  &  singing  is  the  Contribution— &  the  last  singing  always  con- 
cludes with  the  Xtian  Doxology,  &  when  it  comes  to  the  Doxology  the  whole 
Congregation  rise  &  stand  with  great  Solemnit}'.  And  after  the  Blessing  is 
given,  the  Minister  publishes  the  Banns  of  Marriage.  The  organ  is  a  Chamber 
Organ,  as  large  as  a  Desk  &  Book  Case,  containing  about  220  Pipes.   .   .   . 

^  Professor  John  Winthrop  (Harv.  1732),  the  distinguished  physicist,  of  Har- 
vard College,  born  1714,  had  four  sons  now  living  : — John,  born  1747  (Harvard 
1765);  Adam,  born  1748  (Harv.  1767);  James,  born  1752  (Harv.  1767);  William, 
born  1753  (Harv.  1770). 


JULY    22-AUGUST    7,    1770  6 I 

other  of  the  learned  Languages.  Some  of  it  was  english  words  only 
in  Hebrew  Letters.  He  understands  sundry  European  Languages, 
particularly  the  se^'eral  Dialects  of  the  German  Empire.  I  suppose 
him  of  Jewish  Extract. 

4.  Yesterday  the  Rev.  George  Whitfield,  aetat.  56,  arrived  here 
from  New  York.  At  V  o'clock  this  Afternoon  he  preached  at  Mr. 
Hopkins'  Meeting-house  on  Ps.  li,  11,  Take  not  thy  holy  Spirit 
from  me.  In  1745  my  Congregation  passed  a  Vote  against  his 
preaching  in  our  Meetinghouse.  But  my  people  being  verv  desir- 
ous of  hearing  him,  the  committee  met  &  agreed  that  notwithstand- 
ing that  vote  it  is  expedient,  to  ask  him  to  preach  for  me  tomorrow: 
accordingly  I  have  asked  him.  There  is  a  young  Jewess  in  Town, 
born  here,  one  Miss  Pollock,'  set.  phaps  15,  that  wath  other  young 
Misses  attended  a  Writing  School  for  two  years  past  where  the 
Master  often  gave  religious  advice  and  exhort'^  to  the  children  ;  bv 
which  she  became  so  affected  that  she  often  said  she  w-ished  she  & 
her  Family  were  Christians.  This  at  length  alarmed  her  Friends  & 
they  kept  her  at  home.  She  heard  Mr.  Whitefield  toda}-,  and 
greatly  admired  his  preaching  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 

5.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  Rev.  Mr.  Whitfield  preached  for  me  from  Job, 
Acquaint  now  thyself  with  God  &  be  at  peace.  P.M.  I  preached 
Jn°    iii,    16,    17.      Mr   Whitfield    at    Dinner   told    me    that    Baron 

Smyth  was  a  reall}-  religious  man,  as  well  as  Ld.   Dartmouth  : 

that  he  had  preached  before  L'"  Bolingbrook,  the  Deistical  Writer, 
who  heard  him  with  the  Gravity  of  an  ArchBishop,  &  thanked 
him  : — that  he  had  seen  a  Letter  of  Ld.  Bolingbrooke's,  written 
a  little  before  his  own  death,  &  after  the  Death  of  his  Wife,  in 
which  his  Ldship  wrote  to  his  Friend,  that  he  found  "his  philos- 
ophy failed  him."  Yet  he  says  Ld  Bolingb.  died  a  Deist.  At  VI'' 
P.M.  he  preached  on  i  Cor.  iii,  11,  other  foimd" ,  &c.  in  the  Fields^ 
adjoyning  Mr  Hopkins  Meet^  to  a  thousand  or  fifteen  hundred 
People. 

6.  Hon.  James  Otis,  Jun.,'  Esq'',  the  Patriot,  in  Town. 

7.  Evening  Lecture  V'  P.M.  at  Mr  Thurston's  Baptist  Meeting. 
Mr.  Whitfield  preached,  Zech.  ix,  12.      Turn  ye  to  the  stro?ighold,  ye 

'  See  also  Diary,  Feb.  16,  1771. 

^  Oil  Mill  street,  opposite  Division. 

^  Born  1725,  Harv.  Coll.  1743.  The  assault  which  finally  overthrew  his 
reason  occurred  in  the  summer  of  1769.  He  was  a  first  cousin  of  Major  Jona- 
than Otis,  of  Newport,  mentioned  two  days  later. 


62  DIARY    OF    EZRA   vSTlLEvS 

prisoners  of  Hope.     About  one  Thous''  persons  below  &  three  hun- 
dred in  the  Galleries  ;   &  4  or  500  around  abroad. 

8.  At  VI  o'clock  this  Morns  Mr  Whitfield  preached  on  Gen.  i,  2, 
and  the  Earth  teas  zvithoiit  form,  &c  to  about  Eight  hundred  below 
&  three  hundred  in  Galleries  of  Mr.  Hopkins'  Meetinghouse,  a  few 
abroad.  Dined  with  him  at  Mr.  John  Wanton's,'  a  Quaker,  in 
Comp'^  with  the  Rev  Mess"  Hopkins,  Thurston,  Rusmeyer,  and 
sundry'  Gentlemen.  Yesterday  Dined  with  him  at  Major  Otis's  with 
Mr  Hopkins  &  Mr  Thurston.  No  Minister  except  a  Baptist  ever 
before  preached  in  Mr.  Thurston's  Baptist  Meeting.  About  Six 
3'ears  ago  Mr.  Campbell  a  Congreg'  Minister  prayed  there  after  a 
bapt.  Min.  had  been  preaching.  At  HI''  P.M.  Mr.  Whitefield 
departed  hence  for  Providence.^ 

9.  Mr.  Hopkins'  first  catechis*,  about  loS  children. 

12.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  A.M.  i  Jn"  ii,  29,  P.M.  Ps  139,  17.  Pub- 
lished Mr  Sam'  King.  Read  Dr.  Waterland's  Sermons  on  Chri.sts 
Divinity. 

16.  Finished  transcribing  the  lyCtter  to  Duraeus  in  1660  signed  by 
35  New  England  Ministers.^     Attended  Mr.  Hopk.  Lecture.    .    . 

17.  I  Chron.  xix.  How  much  History'  comprized  in  one  short 
Chapter  ?  This  Day  I  received  news  of  the  Death  of  that  eminent 
3'oung  Minister,  the  Rev''  Charles  Jeffery  Smith,  atEong  Island,  the 
lo""  Instant,  aet  .  He  was  possessed  of  an  Estate  of  about  Six  or 
seven  Thousand  sterling  on  Eong  Island  in  Eands  &  Monies.  His 
Eands  he  was  selling  off  in  order  to  remove  to  Virginia,  having 
made  a  large  purchase  there  about  40  miles  from  Williamsburg. 
He  had  devoted  himself  &  his  Estate  to  the  service  of  Christ,  &  for 
A'ears  past  had  expended  much  of  his  Incomes  in  sending  Mission- 
aries among  the  Frontier  settlements  of  Virgin.  &  the  Carolinas, 
presbyterians  destitute  of  a  preached  Gospel.     With  a  view  of  fur- 

^  Merchant,  son  of  Gov.  Gideon  Wanton,  and  distingnished  for  his  hospitality. 

'  In  connection  with  these  notices  of  Whitfield's  audiences,  the  following 
measurements  by  Dr.  Stiles  of  the  various  meeting-houses,  etc.,  in  Newport, 
may  be  of  interest  : — 

1st  Congregational  Church  (Dr.  Hopkins's),  60  x  40  feet ;  2d  Congregational 
Church  (Dr.  Stiles's),  60x42;  ist  Baptist  Church  (Mr.  Upham's),  4o><  x 
-ipYz  ;  2d  Baptist  Church  (Mr.  Thurston's),  59x49;  3d  (Sabbatarian)  Baptist 
Church  (Mr.  Maxson's),  36  x  27  ;  Church  of  England,  originally  70  x  45 34^,  an 
addition  of  about  30  feet  made  to  the  length  in  1763  ;  Friends  or  Quakers, 
80  X  45  ;  Jewish  Synagogue,  40  x  39}^. 

^  This  was  printed  in  1664. 


AUGUST    8-20,    1770  63 

thering  this  Design  he  purposed  to  remove  &  settle  there,  &  devote 
all  the  Incomes  of  his  Estate  to  pious  uses.  But  it  pleased  God  to 
cut  him  off  in  the  Flower  of  lyife.  He  had  been  ordained  by  a  Pby. 
sundry-  years,  but  declined  accepting  the  Care  of  any  particular  Chh. ; 
chusing  to  serve  his  I^ord  in  a  peculiar  kind  of  usefulness  ;  espe- 
cially as  he  was  occasionally  subject  to  a  paralytic  Impediment  in 
his  Tongue,  which  sometimes  suddenly  seized  &  silenced  him  in 
midst  of  public  speaking.  He  was  a  religious  Projector  ;  &  tho'  a 
pious,  serious,  good  &  learned  Man,  yet  there  seemed  to  be  a  spice 
of  something  not  altogether  right,  I  dont  mean  sinful,  for  he  was  a 
man  of  pure  &  unpolluted  morals.  He  had  Income  eno.  for  one 
Man  :  but  had  conceived  that  by  buying  a  plant"-  in  Virginia  he 
could  double  if  not  treble  this  Income — all  which  he  meant  to 
devote  to  pious  uses.  In  June  last  I  saw  him  with  his  Wife  at  New 
Haven,  when  he  opened  to  me  his  Design  &  the  reasons  of  his 
Expectations.  His  scheme  was  full  of  good  Intention,  but  I  thought 
the  prospect  of  increas^  his  Income  chimerical,  &  wondered  to  see 
so  good  a  mind  so  carried  away. 

I  then  observed  to  him  to  this  effect — that  he  had  eno.  &  in  such 
circumstances  as  to  give  him  no  care — &  that  this  new  Enterprize 
would  involve  him  in  new  cares  &  sollicitudes  of  a  Worldly  kind 
which  would  interfere  with  Spiritual  &  divine  Life.  But  he  warmly 
tho't  otherwise.  The  day  he  died  he  walked  out  a  gunning — telling 
his  Wife  he  should  be  soon  back  again,  desired  her  to  have  Dinner 
read}'  by  One  o'clock,  for  that  he  should  ride  out  with  her  in  the 
Afternoon.  He  was  found  dead  lying  upon  a  point  of  I^and  &  his 
gun  hnng  by  him.' 

19.  I  preached  A.M.  i  Jn"  iii,  10.  P.M.  2  Cor.  v,  20,  &  admitted 
Miss  Susanna  Dyre  into  the  Chh.,  first  baptizing  her.'     . 

20.  Perused  a  M.S.  Diary  of  Rev.  Tho"*  Shepard,  of  Cambridge.^ 
This  M.S.  begins  Nov.  25,    1640  &  ends   March  30,  1644.     At  the 

^  Graduated  Y.  C.  1757.  A  negro  is  said  to  have  confessed  many  3'ears  later 
to  having  shot  him. 

-  A  volume  by  Shepard,  printed  in  1747,  entitled  "  Three  valuable  Pieces," 
includes  "A  private  Diary,  Containing  Meditations  and  Experiences  never 
before  Published  "  ;  Dr.  Stiles  wrote  in  a  copy  of  this  volume,  "This  is  printed 
from  a  transcript  of  a  part  only  of  the  Diary.  I  have  in  my  hands  the  original 
MS.  of  the  author  .  .  How  it  came  to  Newport  I  know  not.  It  was  preserved 
in  the  Coggeshall  Family  till  1771."  The  editor  is  indebted  for  this  extract  to 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Alexander  McKenzie,  of  Cambridge,  Mass.  See,  also,  Proceed- 
ings of  the  Mass.  Historical  Society,  ist  Series,  v.  2,  pp.  492-93. 


64  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Beginning  I  find  this  entry,  "  My  son  Thomas  was  born  in  Old  Eng"' 
in  London  Anno.  1635,  Aprill  5  :  &  about  a  twelvemonth  after 
brought  over  the  sea  &  baptized  in  New  Eng'  '*  by  Mr.  Hooker.  My 
son  Samuell  was  borne  Octob.  18,  1641.  My  son  John  was  borne 
March  9,  1643  ( according  to  the  account  of  Old  Eng'''  who  begin  the 
yeare  March  25 )  but  the  first  month  by  New  England  account,  &  so 
1644,  But  he  died  the  same  Yeare  July  14." — "  My  second  son  John 
was  borne  Aprill  2,  1646."  "  My  son  Jeremiah  was  borne  August 
II,  1648."  This  Mr.  Shepard  was  Pastor  of  the  Chh.  of  Cambridge 
&  died  there  Aug  25,  1649.  set.  44.  His  son  Thomas  was  after- 
wards Pastor  of  Charlestown.  This  Diary  mainly  consists  of 
religious  Experiences  &  the  conflicts  with  sin  &c.  Interspersed  are 
some  allusions  to  Events.  Thus,  at  Feb.  14,  1640/1 — "  there  was  a 
Church  Meeting  to  be  resolved  about  our  going  aivay."  Hence  it 
was  a  question  even  in  1641  whether  the}'  should  remove  again. 
The  first  Chh.  that  settl-'  in  Cambridge  removed  off  with  their  pas- 
tors Mr.  Hooker  &c  to  Hartford  in  1636.  Mr.  Shepard  «&  his  Chh 
that  came  over  that  year  took  up  their  place  &  settled  at  Cambridge, 
bu3dng  the  houses  of  Mr.  Hooker's  Chh  :  but  in  four  years  they 
talked  of  Removal — so  great  were  the  Discouragm*^  Oct  29,  1641, 
"  I  was  troubled  about  the  poverty  of  the  Churches."  "  Nov.  10, 
I  kept  a  private  Fast,  for  Eight  to  see  the  glory  of  Gd^  Truth  & 
fayth  an  infused  fayth  ;  &  a  Sp.  of  prayer,  &  for  conquest  of  pride: 
— &  for  assistance,  guidance  (whether  I  should  set  up  Eecture  ag:) 
&  success  &  blessing  in  ni)^  poore  Ministry  :  "   &c. 

"  Nov.  13,  I  was  considering  the  Estate  of  the  Cuntr}-  by  reas. 
of  its  poverty.  I  had  2  arguments  suggested  to  make  me  hope  the 
Lord  would  releeve  us  :  i  :  bee  :  if  the  L''  had  given  himself  for 
this  people  to  redeem  them  fro.  the  greatest  sin  of  the  world,  then 
fro.  out  of  those  sins  w^  o''  Debts  occasioned  now. 

2  :  bee  :  We  are  a  poore  afflicted  peple,  cast  out  of  our  own  Cuntry 
from  o''  freends  &  comforts  there,  and  all  o'  Sorrowes  &  sufferings 
here  are  in  part  by  reason  of  THERE  CRUELTY  &  PERSECU- 
TION, &  therefore  the  L'*  Will  deliver  us."  Jany  2,  164^,  "  In 
singing  Psal.  132,  12  :  13  :  14  :  15,  in  the  publike,  I  was  sweetly 
refreshed  by  seeing,"  &c.  Hence  the  .singing  was  part  of  pub. 
Worship.  ' '  Janr}'  1 1 ,  when  the  Church  was  receiving  in  of  Mem- 
bers," &c.  Hence  the  Chh,  not  the  pastor  admitted  Members. 

21.  Reading  Mr.  Shepards  M.S.  Diary:  "1642  May:  13:  on  a 
day  of   fasting  with   the  Church,  when  my  Brother  Frost  was  in 


AUGUST    21-23,    1770  65 

prayer,  &c."  Hence  private  Brethren  sometimes  prayed  in  public 
Congregation,  while  the  pastor  was  present.  They  do  occasionally 
still  among  the  Baptists  especially  on  days  of  fasting.  I  remember 
when  I  was  a  boy,  I  have  heard  my  father  after  Sermon  in  after- 
noon desire  a  Deacon  or  private  Brother  to  make  the  closing  prayer 
in  the  Congregation  :  but  it  was  when  he  was  unwell. 

July  1642.  He  went  to  Hartford  &  July  10  partook  of  the  sacra- 
ment : — "  Sl  when  I  came  home  I  observed  the  very  same  day  Satan 
was  busy  in  the  church,  to  /(ff  up  private  Mens  Gifts ^ 

Returned  July  17.  "  July  19.  I  was  troubled  with  many  cloudy 
darke  black  Thoughts  &  cares  about  subsistence  :  &  being  so 
m''  troubled  I  asked  my  own  heart,  whether  I  were  God  or  noe  thus 
to  take  his  worke  out  of  his  hand." 

22.  Received  from  L,ondon  Gallcei  de  Sibyllis  2  vol.  4*"  Read  the 
first  book.  .  .  .  This  day  I  sat  to  Mr.  King  for  my  Picture  which 
he  urged  me  to  take  on  larger  canvass.  Monthly  Meeting  of  the 
Chh.  in  the  Even?  at  Sister  Stevens  (Jno. )  when  I  discoursed  on 
Philip  i,  II,  That  ye  may  be  filled  with  all  the  Fruits  of  Right.  &c. 
,   .   .   Read  part  of  the  second  Book  of  the  Sibjdls. 

23.  Capt.  W"'  Augustus  Peck  this  da}^  visited  me.  He  brought 
my  Books  from  London  :  he  tells  me  there  is  a  secret  Intelligence 
office  in  lyondon  in  street  where  the  Jews  live.  It  has  subsisted 
about  four  years  &  has  thirty  clerks  :  it  is  supported  by  the  Minis- 
try :  &  has  settled  a  correspondence  in  all  parts  of  America — has 
four  Correspond**  in  Boston,  &  two  in  Newport,  one  of  which  is 
Mr.  Geo  Rome'  Mercht.  to  each  of  whom  the  Ministry  exhibit 
Stipends.  As  it  appears  in  London,  it  is  intirel)'  a  Jew  Affair — a 
Jew  Compting  House,  &  is  unknown  in  London,  Capt.  Peck  sailed 
to  London  in  a  Vessel  of  the  Jews  &  by  this  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  Jews  there,  dined  with  sundry,  and  not  being  strong  for  Ameri- 
can rights,  they  used  to  open  before  him  ;  in  comp''  he  heard  one 
Mr  Clark  I  think  speak  of  their  secret  Intelligence  office — &  upon 
Peck's  questioning,  &c.  he  colored  up  and  diverted  the  Discourse. 
Capt.  Peck  says,  that  this  office  boasted  of  having  Intelligence 
of   every   Occurrence  of   any  consequence    in  America.     Attended 

'  Mr.  Rome  came  from  England  in  1761,  and  was  principally  occupied  as  an 
agent  for  British  creditors  of  Newport  houses.  He  fell  into  disfavor  by  espous- 
ing strongly  the  cause  of  the  crown  during  the  Stamp-Adl  excitement,  and  fled 
from  the  colony  late  in  1774.  See  Updike's  History  of  the  Narragansett 
Church,  332-43. 

5 


66  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

Mr.  Hopkins'  Eveii^  Lecture  &  heard  Mr.  Hart  of  Preston  preach 
3  Jn"  4,  I  have  no  greater  Joy  than  to  see  my  children  walkg  &c. 
24.  Sat  again  for  my  picture.  Mr.  Hart  told  me  that  Dr 
Wheelock  had  pitched  on  Hanover  in  Connecticutt  River  in  Province 
of  New  Hampsh.  for  the  place  of  Dartmouth  College — had  three 
miles  sqr.  land  given  in  that  Town — &  removed  last  week  from 
Lebanon  in  Connecticutt  &  was  gone  up  to  Hanover  to  settle 
there.* 

26.  Lds  dy.  A.M.  Philip,  iii,  18-20.  Published  three  couple, 
of  which  Rev.  Jn"  Hubbard  of  Meriden  &  Mrs.  Mary  Frost  one  : 
I  dined  at  Mr.  Vernon's  &  just  before  dinner  married  his  Daughter 
Amie'  to  Mr  King,  only  the  family  present.  P.M.  Zech.  ii,  10. 
...  At  V'  this  afternoon  I  went  &  preached  in  Goal  to  the  prison- 
ers &  a  large  Body  of  pple,  2  Cor.  v,  14,  15. 

27.  Transcribing  Gov.  Winthrop's  MvSS.'  This  Even^  I  went  to 
the  Synagogue,  &  heard  Mr.  Satius'  perform  prayers.  He  is  a  young 
man  of  about  22  get.  &  a  Chusan  of  the  Synagogue  at  N.York. 
Visited  by  Dr.  Hodges  of  Phila. 

'  The  site  was  finally  selected  on  July  5,  and  Dr.  Wheelock  with  the  first 
relay  of  assistants  reached  Hanover  to  begin  the  settlement  early  in  August. 

-  Daughter  of  Samuel  and  Amy  Vernon,  born  Nov.  19,  1747  ;  married  vSamuel 
King,  the  portrait-painter  (see  above,  May  23,  1770). 

3  The  following  letter,  from  John  Still  Winthrop  (Yale  Coll.  1737),  is  pre- 
served among  the  Stiles  Papers  : — 

New  London,  Dec  7"^.  1767. 
Rev<>  Sir, 

I  ReC^  your  favour  b}^  M''  Jn°  Coit  and  agreeable  to  your  Request,  I  now  send 

you  the  two  vols,  of  y**  MS.  Journal  of  the  First  Governor  Winthrop  from  his 

Imbarcation  on  Board  y«  Arrabella   at   North  Yarmouth  in  England  to  his 

Arrival  at  Charles  Town  in  New  England  and  Continued  Down  to  about  the 

time  of  his  Death.     I  wish  they  may  be  of  Servis  to  you  in  your  undertaking 

which  would  give  me  great  Pleasure  to  hear.     I  beg  Sir  your  Particular  Care  of 

them  and  when  you  have  Done  with   them.    Please  to   Return   them  b}-  some 

safe  hand.     With  my  Compliments  to  yo'  fire  side  and  all  friends  at  Newport  I 

am  Rev''  Sir 

Your  most  Humb'  vServ' 

J.   S.  Winthrop. 

Dr.  Stiles  copied  about  one-third  of  the  whole  MS.,  and  this  copy  is  among 
his  papers.  The  standard  edition  of  the  text  was  published  with  notes  by 
James  vSavage  in  1853. 

■i  Gershom  Seixas  (phonetically  spelt  Satius),  son  of  Isaac  M.  and  Rachel 
(Levy)  Seixas,  of  Newport;  born  in  New  York  City  Jan.  14,  1745,  installed 
Kazan  of  the  Synagogue  there  in  1768,  died  July  z,  1816.  See  Publications  of 
the  American  Jewish  Historical  Society,  No.  4,  pp.  201,  204-09. 


AUGUST    24-SEPTEMBER    I,    1770  67 

29.  Read  Griffith's  Quaker  Tract — &  also  a  Tract  b}-  S.  H. 
supposed  to  be  Mr.  Hove}-  a  Baptist  minister  which  adopts  Mr. 
Sandiman's  Sj'stem.  Visited  this  afternoon  by  Dr.  Easton,'  a 
Student  in  Physic  in  Philad-\  Wrote  a  letter  this  Even^  to  Dr 
Alison  of  Philad^  upon  the  Complaint  made  by  the  Baptists  of  their 
persecution  in  New  England  by  Congregationalists. 

30.  Sat  for  my  Picture. 

Attended  Mr  Hopk.  Evening  Lect.  Mat  v,  8.  Peacemakers. 
In  Evening  read  Mr.  Shepards  Diary,  in  which  I  find  July  19.  164- 
' '  I  was  troubled  with  many  cloud}^  darke  black  thoughts  &  cares 
about  subsistence."     This  shews  he  was  in  worldly  straits.     July 

21,  Fast  public.  Aug.  28,  Sacram't.  Sept.  12,  Fast  at  Chariest". 
Sept.  21,  Fast.  Nov.  13,  Sacram't.  Dec.  7,  Eecture.  Janry.  28, 
Chariest"  Lecture.  Feb.  12,  Sacr't.  Feb.  21,  private  Fast.  March 
2,  1643,  Fast  General.     March   15,    "  publicke  Fast  for  England." 

22,  Roxb-"  Fast.  "In  going  to  Roxb-' fast  I  had  many  trouble- 
some Thoughts  about  those  that  opposed  the  Elders  in  the  way  of 
admission  of  Members."  This  shews  a  controversy  in  that  chh.  on 
this  subject.  Aprill  21,  Chariest"  Eecture.  23,  Sacram't.  June  i, 
Fast.  July  2,  Sacr'.  Aug.  2,  Lecture.  Oct.  12,  heard  Mr.  Cotton 
at  Boston.  Oct.  24,  a  Sacram't.  Dec.  10,  Sacram't.  Feb.  14, 
Fast.  Feb.  25,  Sacr't.  March  6,  Fast.  March  28,  1644.  "With 
Goodwife  Hildred  with  the  Elders  at  pra3'er."  Hence  Elders  in 
the  Chh.  March  30.  "  I  saw  the  great  Cause  of  base  &  vile  Lives 
was  base  &  low  Ends."     This  day  finishes  the  Diary. 

He  led  a  ver}'  tho'tful  holy  &  devout  Life,  full  of  Self-examina- 
tion &  experimental  Religion. 

31.  P.M.     Sacr't.  Lecture.     I  preached  Eph.  iii,  17-19. 

Sept. 

I .  Yesterday  I  read  a  Pamphlet  consisting  of  a  Sermon  by  the 
Shaver  upon  the  Expulsion  of  six  Young  Gent,  from  the  University 
of  Oxford  for  praying,  read^  &  expound^  the  scriptures  &  singing 
hymns  in  a  Conventicle.  Dedicated  to  the  Vice  Chancellor  &  Heads 
of  Houses  ;  with  a  Defence  of  Priestcraft.  Being  the  Eleventh 
Edit,  in  Eight  Months,  1769.'    This  day  I  finished  another  pamphlet 

'Jonathan  Easton  (M.  B.  Coll.  Philad.  1771). 
^  The  author  of  this  brochure  was  John  Macgowan. 

The  edition  here  described  was  printed  in  1769,  and  a  twelfth  edition,  per- 
haps due  to  Dr.  Stiles,  appeared  at  Newport  in  1770. 


68  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

of  70  pages  by  S.  H.  Minister  of  the  Gospel  :  supposed  Mr  Hide 
Sep.  mill,  about  Brooklyn  near  Boston,  originally  from  among  the 
Separates  at  Canterb-  &  Plainfd  in  Connecticutt.'  He  holds  Sinners 
unregenerate  not  to  be  exhorted  to  duties  in  order  Salvation — Sandi- 
man's  Notion  of  Faith — Universal  Vote  in  Chh  Acts,  no  dissenting 
voice — Laying  on  of  hands  at  Baptism — no  Deacons  in  present  state 
of  Chhs — Community  of  Goods — no  gather^  b}-  Chh  Cov' — nor 
as.sent  to  Articles  of  Faith  or  Cov'  at  admissions — every  chh.  chuse 
&  ordain  two  or  more  Elders,  &c.  I  was  told  the  Author  was  a 
Baptist  Elder.  But  he  reprehends  Baptists,  Presb.,  Cong.,  Epi-sc*^.  & 
Romanists.  He  finds  fault  with  Boston,  Marshal,  Hervey,  Bellamy, 
&c.  Seems  to  think  the  Separate  Chhs  did  .set  out  well,  but  have 
apostatized  for  want  of  Discipline.  He  has  written  some  things 
very  sensibly.  This  with  the  Writings  of  Backus  &  Holly,  might 
be  shewn  as  a  specimen  of  the  Abilities  of  the  Illiterate  Men  of  New 
England  even  in  Writing  as  well  as  the  Things  of  Religion.  These 
productions  would  be  considerable  even  for  University  Men.  This 
Foren.  I  went  to  the  Synagogue  &  heard  M''  Satius  read  the  Law  & 
Service.  How  melancholy  to  behold  an  Assembly  of-  Worshippers 
of  Jehovah,  Open  &  professed  Enemies  to  a  crucified  Jesus  !   .    .   . 

2.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  Zech.  xiii,  7,  &  administered  the 
Lds.  Supper  to  63  Communicants.  P.M.  2  Pet.  ii,  20,  21,  &  bap- 
tized a  negro  Infant  on  ace''  of  her  Mother,  a  member  of  ni}^  Church. 
Read^  Life  of  Rev.  Caleb  Smith  of  Newark  Mountains  in  the  Jer- 
sies,  born  on  Long  Island  Dec.  29,  1723,  Licensed  by  the  Pb}'.  of 
N.  York  Apr.  1747  ;  ordained  Nov.  30,  1748  ;  and  died  Oct°  22, 
1762,  aet.  39.     A  Minister  of  Eminence  for  Learn^  &  piety." 

3.  I  set  out  on  a  Journey  to  Connecticutt  to  fetch  home  my 
Wife'  &  arrived  at  New  Haven  7*''  Inst.  Next  day  visited  my 
Mother  at  Mt.  Carmel  in  N.  Haven. 

'  This  was  Samuel,   son  of  Jonathan  Hyde,  of  Newton,  Mass.;  born  Septem- 
ber, 1719,  died  in  Methuen,  Mass.,  October,  1775. 
'  Graduated  at  Yale  in  1743. 

^  The  record  of  this  journey,  in  the  Itinerary,  is  as  follows  : — 
Sept.  3.  Crossed  the  Ferries  1/4  &  i/.     Arrived  at  Dr.  Torrey's  2/. 

4.  Dined  ChampHn's  1/6.     Oats,  &c.  5'^.     Lodged  at  Russel's,  Stonington, 
2/6. 

5.  N.  Lond.  ferry,  &c.  8''.     Barlan's6''.    Rope  ferry  2''.    Sayb.  7;^'*.    Lodged, 
at  Mr.  Hart's. 

6.  P.  M.  Rode  to  E.  Guilf-^  &  lodged  at  Mr.  Todd's. 

7.  Arrived  at  New  Haven  &  found  my  Wife  better.     Deo  grates. 


SEPTEMBER    2-20,    1 770  69 

9.   Wsdy.     I   preached   P.M.    at   Mount   Carmel   for  Rev.   Mr. 
Sherman.     Assembly  280  or  300  psons. 

12.  At  the  Commencm'  Yal.  Coll. 

13.  Rev.  Noah  Welles  of  Stanford  preached  the  Concio  ad  Clerum 
in  the  College  Chapel  to  about  120  Ministers.  This  day  was  held 
at  New  Haven  a  Convention  of  Deputies  from  all  the  Towns  in 
Connecticut  but  eight  to  deliberate  &  consult  on  the  Non-Import'' 
Agreement.  They  resolved  i.  to  adhere  to  it.  2.  To  withdraw 
Commerce  from  New  York.  3.  To  receive  Rhode  Island  into 
favor.'     This  afternoon  my  wife  and  I  set  out  for  Newport. 

[10.  Gov'  Hutch,  betrayed  &  delivered  &  surrend.  Castle  W"  to 
Col.  Dairy mple  of  accursed  Memory."] 

19.  We  arrived  safe  to  Newport,  &  found  our  Family  comforta- 
ble. Deo  Grates  sunto.  In  Evening  Rev.  Jn''  Hubbard  of  Meriden 
&  Messr"  Barret  &  Ives  &  Wh.  Hubbard,  his  companions,  arrived 
here. 

20.  I  married  Mr.  Hubbard  &  Mrs.  Frost  Widow.' 

8.  Rode  to  Mt.  Carmel. 

9.  Ldsday.     Preached  there  for  Mr.  Sherman. 

10.  Visited  Rev.  Sam'  Hall  of  Cheshire  &  dined  with  him.  P.  M.  rode  to 
Wallingf''  &  visited  Dr.  Dana,  &  came  to  Br.  Isaac's  at  No.  Haven.  2  Doll. 
Mother. 

11.  W"  [=  Widow]  Grannis,  ^Et.  86,  born  at  Salem,  name  Chubb.  Visited  & 
examined  Mr.  [Warhani]  Mather's  Library  in  hands  Mr.  Jno.  Davenp'. 

13.  Pd.  to  mending  Chair  5/.  Bridle,  &c.  6/.  Dr.  Van  Maestricht,  &c.  1/6. 
Rode  to  Branford  4/2. 

14.  Dined  at  Dr.  Ruggles',  Guilf''  &  rode  &  lodged  at  Mr.  Todd's  1/6. 

15.  Dined  at  Lay's  9/.  &  rode  to  Mr.  Hart's  Saybrook. 

16.  Ldsday.  I  preached  all  day  for  Mr.  Hart.  Assembly,  200  below  &  120 
in  Galleries,  a  full  Congregation.     Sang  N.  Eng.  psalms  A.M.  &  Watts  P.M. 

17.  Sayb.  Ferry  1/2.  Oats  5''.  Boy  1/4.  Rope  Ferry,  &c.  3/2.  N.  Lond. 
Ferry  2/6.     At  Groton  near  Dr.  Woodb.  4/. 

18.  Oats,  &c.  8'^.     Dinner  Bliv.  2/4.     Lodged  Hawkins  3/4. 

19.  Ferry  3/.  D"  3/.  Arrived  home  at  Noon.  .  .  .  Tot'  expences,  &c.  9 
Doll.,  of  which  gave  2  Doll,  to  my  Mother. 

'  The  resolutions  passed  by  this  convention,  of  which  Gurdon  Saltonstall  was 
chairman  and  Silas  Deane  clerk,  were  published  in  the  newspapers,  e.  g.  in  the 
Connecticut  Journal  of  Sept.  21. 

"^  Col.  Dalrymple  had  been  in  command  of  the  British  troops  in  Boston  for 
the  past  two  years,  and  had  incurred  popular  resentment  in  connection  with 
the  so-called  Boston  Massacre. 

2  Mary  Russell,  born  March  2,  1736,  married  in  April,  1761,  George  Frost,  who 
died  the  same  year.  Mr.  Hubbard  was  a  graduate  of  Yale  ( 1744)  and  brother  of 
Mrs.  Stiles.    The  marriage  took  place  at  the  house  of  Capt.  Pollipus  Hammond. 


70  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

23.  Ivdsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  Philip,  iii,  13,  14.  P.M.  Mr.  Hubb" 
preached  Eph.  iii,  17. 

24.  Mr.  Hubbard  &  his  Wife  set  out  for  Connecticutt. 

26.  The  Boston  prints  this  day  bring  Ace"  that  Univ^  Oxford 
have  by  Diploma  created  Rev.  Mather  B}des,  Jun.,  an  Episcopalian, 
S.T.D.  I  also  find  by  last  York  post  that  there  is  arrived  at  New 
York  one  Dr.  Eivingston,  ordained  by  the  Classis  of  Amsterdam 
for  a  Dutch  Chh.  in  New  York.' 

This  Evening  a  monthl}^  Meeting  of  my  Chh  :  I  discoursed  on 
Rev.  iii,  21,  about  30  present.  Next  at  B'  Car5''s  24  Oct".  This 
da}^  I  rec''  a  letter  from  Dr.  Franklin  in  Eondon,  with  Reland's 
Introduction  to  the  Rabbinnical  Eiterature. 

29.  Went  to  the  Synagogue — this  being  the  great  Day  of  Atone- 
ment. 

30.  E'dsda}'.  A.M.  I  preached  2  Thess.  i,  6-10.  P.M.  Rom.  v, 
10.  Propounded  Jn"  Toph.  for  owning  Cov'  for  Baptism  of  his 
child.     Read  Dr.  Eaw's  Tracts. 

Oct. 

2.  Heard  of  Mr.  Whitfield's  Death. 

3.  Post  come  in.  By  the  prints  Rev.  George  Whitfield  the  cele- 
brated Itinerant  died  at  Newbury-  Port,  30"'  ult.,  being  E'dsdy. 
Morning,  suddenl}-  b}-  the  oppression  of  the  Asthma,  set.  56. — He 
first  came  to  New  England  Sept.  or  Oct.  1740.  Told  Mr.  Hopkins 
that  there  were  one  hundred  Thousand  Methodists.  Mr.  Whitfield 
preached  above  Seventeen  Thousand  Discourses. 

4.  Rode  to  Tiverton  P.M. 

5.  Preached  Rev.  Mr.  Campbells  sacr'  Eect.  Coloss.  iii,  1-3. 

6.  Returned  to  Newport. 

7.  Edsdy.  Preached  all  day  Prov.  ii,  3-6,  and  at  V"  P.M. 
preached  at  the  Goal  from  Col.  iii,  2.  Read  the  Chapter  de  scrip- 
toribus  evangclids  in  Bowles'  Pastor  Evaugeliciis. 

8.  Mr.  Professor  Winthrop  has  computed  the  Elements  of  the 
Trajectory  of  the  Comet  which  appeared  for  Eight  days  after  26''' 
June  last. 


Time  Perihel. 

Aug. 

8"  23"  0' 

A.D.  1770 

Place  Perih. 

X. 

27°     5' 

Perih.  Dist. 

62141. 

Node  descend*^ 

!S^ 

18.  15 

Inch  Orb. 

I.  42 

1  Rev, 

.  John 

H.  Uvi 

ngstou  (Y.  C.  1762). 

SEPTEMBER    23-OCTOBER    13,    1770  71 

Motion  of  the  Comet  distinct.  It  must  have  arrived  at  its 
descending  Node  July  5.  It  had  no  Tail.  In  a  few  days  it  was  in 
such  a  position  that  its  Tail  must  have  appeared  if  it  had  any,  yet 
none  could  be  seen.  Most  Comets  have  Tails,  "some  have  been 
seen  without  them  ;  &  even  without  such  a  turbid  Atmosphere  as 
generall}^  surrounds  Comets  ;  &  some  are  said  to  have  been  seen  as 
clear  &  bright  as  Jupiter.'' 

This  Comet  remarkable  for  its  swiftness.  Till  this  the  swiftest 
was  that  A.D.  1472,  observed  by  Regiomontanus,  which  described 
about  fourty  deg.  a  day.  "  Our  Comet  run  more  than  40''  on  first 
of  July  ;  But  certainlj^  it  was  not  the  same  Comet  as  that."  N.B. 
I  was  told  this  observ''  at  Cambridge  was  made  about  XI''  or  XII'' 
at  night,  &  at  IX"  the  next  night,  /.  e.  it  wanted  2  or  3  hours  to 
complete  the  day.  I  observed  it  from  IX''  to  IX'',  at  which  hours 
respectively  it  was  not  far  from  due  East  of  Alpha  Lyrae  &  Pole  star, 
passing  b}'  them  within  5  or  six  degrees.  This  was  a  space  of 
fourty  six  Degrees.  Mr.  Winthrop  adds  it  was  in  Perigee  about  noon 
July  I,  wdien  it  was  within  one  fiftieth  part  of  the  Suns  Dist.  &  was 
not  seven  &  half  Times  further  from  us  than  the  Moon.  Whence 
it  was  a  small  Comet. 

The  Elements  do  not  agree  with  those  of  any  of  the  fifty-six 
Comets  hitherto  calculated,  &  therefore  its  period  cannot  be  assigned. 
This  then  makes  the  number  of  knoivn  Comets  to  be  fifty  seven. 

Probably  the  whole  number  of  them  may  be  much  larger  still. 
The  capillitium  of  this  comet  about  as  large  as  that  last  year. 
9.   Rode  over  to  Saconit.' 

10.  Preached  an  Evening  Lecture  at  private  House,  Rev.  Mr. 
Ellis,  from  Philip,  i,  w,  filled  fruits  Right. 

11.  Returned  from  Little  Compton  &  catechised  children.  Find 
by  the  prints  that  Mr.  Whitefield  was  buryed  in  a  new  Brick  Tomb 
under  the  presbyterian  Meetinghouse  at  Newbury  Port,  of  which 
Rev.  Mr.  Parsons  is  Minister. 

13.  At  the  Commencement  at  Nassau  Hall,  26.  Sept  ult.,  the  hon- 
orary Degree  of  A.M.  was  conferred  on  Rev''  Jn"  Joachim  Zubly,  of 
Georgia,  &  others.  "  The  following  Gentlemen  received  the  Degree 
of  Doctor  in  Divinit^^  viz.  the  Rev.  Mr.  Robert  Finlay,  &  the  Rev. 
Mr.  J710  Gillies  of  the  City  of  Glasgow  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  George  Muir, 
of  Paisly  in  Scotland  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Archibald  Ladley,  of  New  York  ; 

'  Saconit  or  Seconnet,  the  Indian  name  of  Little  Compton,  the  nearest  town 
on  the  mainland,  due  east  from  Newport. 


72  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Eben.  Pemberton  of  Boston.  The  first  Doctorate 
in  Div"  given  in  an  /American  College,  was  that  conferred  by  Harv. 
Coll.  Camb.,  Nov.  7,  1692,  npon  the  Rev.  Increase  Mather,  A.M. 
And  this  is  the  only  one  hitherto  conferred  in  New  England.'  The 
first  Doctorate  in  Medicine  was  conferred  on  Daniel  Turner,  of 
London,  by  Yale  College,  1720.  These  two  are  the  only  Doctorates 
in  either  of  the  learned  Professions  hitherto  conferred  in  New  Eng- 
land. Dr.  Witherspoon  at  Jersey  Coll.  conferred  the  first  Doctorate 
in  Lares,  Sep.,  1769,  upon  John.  Dickinson,  Esq'',  of  Philad^,  the 
celebrated  Patriot  &  Author  of  the  "Farmer's  Letters;"  &  on 
Jos.  Galloway  Esq\  of  Philad^.  In  1768  or  1769  the  Colleges  of 
Philad''  &  N.  York  each  begun  to  give  the  Degrees  of  Bachelor  & 
Doctor  of  Physic. 

Thus  all  the  Learned  Degrees  are  now  conferred  in  the  American 
Colleges  as  amply  as  in  the  European  Colleges.  The  first  in  Har\'. 
Coll.  Catalogue  1642  is  Benj.  Woodbridge,  D.D.  but  he  received 
this  Degree  after  his  Return  to  England  from  one  of  the  Universities 
there.  In  1696  there  is  Roland  Cotton,  M.D.  I  know  not  certainly 
where  he  had  his  Degree. 

This  Afternoon  arrived  here  Rev.  John  Witherspoon,  D.D.,  Presi- 
dent of  Nassau  Hall,  with  Rev.  Mr.  Bacon."  The  Doctor  lodges 
with  me. 

14.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  Rev.  Mr  Bacon  preached  for  me,  i  Jn"  iii,  9. 
P.M.  Dr.  Witherspoon  preached  for  me,  Eph.  v,  16.  Had  much 
conversa.  with  President  Witherspoon,  who  is  a  very  learned 
Divine. 

15.  Dr.  Witherspoon  was  born  in  Scotland,  1723  ;  went  to  the 
University  of  Edinburg,  1736;  ordained  1745  &  settled  succes.sor 
in  the  Chh.  from  which  Dr.  Leechman  was  removed  when  Elected 
Professor  of  Divin^'  in  Glasgow.  Came  to  America  &  invested  with 
the  presidency  of  Jersej^  College,  Nassau,  1768.  He  is  now  aet  47. 
This  Aft.  he  set  out  for  Providence.  He  took  the  Degree  of  Doctor 
in  Div^'  in  I  think  St.  Andrews,  1764.     ^10.  Ster. 

16.  Extracting  from  Gov.  Winthrops  MS. 

17.  Dr.  Witherspoon  told  me  there  was  a  wide  Breach  among  the 
Seceders  in  Scotland,   (which  may  be  150  or  200  Chhs.)  respecting 

^  The  next  doctorate  conferred  in  New  England  was  the  degree  of  D.D.  given 
by  Harvard  to  Nathaniel  Appleton  in  1771. 

^  John  Bacon  (Princeton  Coll.  1765).  He  had  latel}'  been  invited  to  preach  for 
three  months  in  the  Old  South  Church,  Boston,  where  he  was  settled  in  1771. 


OCTOBER    14-22,    1770  73 

a  clause  in  the  Burgher's  oath  about  the  estab.  Religion  :  they 
divided  under  Names  of  Burghers  &  Anti  Burghers :  the  latter  had 
even  excommunicated  the  former.  One  of  the  Erskines  was  a 
Burgher,  his  Son,  a  Minister  also,  an  Antiburgher.  A  Gentleman 
once  met  the  son  &  said  to  him,  Sir,  I  have  lived  to  see  two  strange 
Things — I  sazu your  Father  give  you  up  to  Gd.  in  Baptism,  &  I  have 
seen  you  excommunicato  &.  givi^ig  your  Father  over  to  the  Devil. 

Rev.  Edward  Upham,'  Pastor  of  the  first  Baptist  Church  in  this 
Town,  tells  me,  he  yesterda^^  concluded  to  resign  the  Ministry  here 
&  return  to  Springfield. 

19.   Transcribing  Gov.  Winthrops  MS. 

21.  Ivdsdy.     I  preached  A.M.  &  P.M.  Ps.  36,  10. 

22.  This  day  I  finished  reading  the  Old  Testament  in  the  Original 
Hebrew,  which  I  began  to  read  in  Course  near  three  years  ago,  or 
Janr}'  30,  1768.  I  have  all  along  compared  the  English  &  hebrew 
together,  and  am  able  from  my  own  knowledge  to  say,  that  the 
English  Translation  now  in  use  is  an  excellent  &  very  just  Trans- 
lation &  needs  very  few  corrections.  And  was  it  again  to  be  trans- 
lated I  cannot  expect  it  would  be  better  done.  I  have  cursorily 
examined  the  late  Quaker  Translation,^  which  is  b}^  no  means  equal 
to  that  in  use  ;  which  was  really  made  by  Tin d all :  For  tho'  his 
TransP  w'as  burnt,  yet  I  have  seen  one  of  TindalV s  copies  preserved 
in  the  Faston  Family  on  Rhode  Isld  ;  &  have  compared  the  Great 
Bishops  Bible,  &  find  that  that  &  K.  James  in  use,  are  truly  but 
Revisions  of  Tyndall.  I  do  not  wish  to  see  another  English  TransP, 
till  the  English  Dialect  of  the  two  last  Ages  shall  have  become 
obsolete  &  untilligible  to  posterity.  But  this  will  not  be  till  English 
America  is  fully  settled  from  the  Atlantic  to  Mississippi,  When  the 
English  of  the  present  Idiom  may  be  spoken  by  One  hundred 
Million,  all  of  whom  may  be  able  to  read  the  Scriptures  in  Tyndall' s 
Translation. 

Probably  the  English  will  become  the  vernacular  Tongue  of  more 
people  than  anyone  Tongue  ever  was  on  Earth,  except  the  Chinese, 
who  are  above  one  Quarter  of  the  human  Race,  being  .seventy  Mil- 
lion fencible  Men,  implying  above  Two  Hundred  &  Fifty  Million 
souls. 

1  Born  in  Maiden,  Mass.,  March,  1709,  B.A.  Harvard  1734,  ordained  at  (West) 
Springfield,  Oct.  15,  1740,  removed  to  Newport  1749.  See  also  this  Diary, 
April  14  and  19,  1771,  and  Sprague's  Annals  of  the  Amer.  Pulpit,  vi,  43-4- 

^  By  Anthony  Purver  ;  London,  1764,  2  vols,  folio. 


74  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

This  day  fifteen  years  ago  I  was  ordained,  by  my  Father,  Mr. 
Torrey,  &  Mr.  Burt.'  Thro'  the  Patience  of  Gd.  I  am  still  con- 
tinued an  unworthy  Pastor  under  the  great  Head  of  the  Church. 

I  am  the  third  Minister  in  the  second  Congregational  Chh  in 
Newport  Rhd.  Isld,  which  was  gathered  above  42  years  ago  or 
Apr.  II,  1728,  when  Rev.  Jn°  Adams'^  was  ord.  Pastor,  to  whom 
Rev.  James  Searing"  succeeded,  to  wdiom  I  succeeded. 

23.  Yesterday  came  here  Mr.  Stephen  Sewall  Professor  of  Hebrew 
&  the  other  Oriental  Languages  at  Harvard  College,  Cambridge,  & 
Mr.  Andrew  Eliot  Jun.'  one  of  the  Tutors. 

24.  Went  to  Synagogue  &c.  Mr.  Sewall  is  well  acquainted  with 
Hebrew  &  its  Dialects  as  Samaritan,  Ethiopic,  Syriac,  Arabic, 
Chaldee — but  not  with  the  Armenian,  Persic,  &  Coptic.  We  exam- 
ined the  Inscriptions  on  the  Mountains  at  Mt.  Sinai  as  given  Bp. 
Pococke.    .   .    . 

This  Even"  at  our  Monthly  meeting  of  my  Chh.,  at  Brother 
Carys  about  35  present.     I  discoursed  on  Heb.  iv,  15,  16. 

25.  Visited  the  Synagogue  &  Mr.  Tauro  the  Chuzan.  Attended 
Mr.  Hopk.  Ev^  Eect.     Mr.  Eliot  preached  i  Pet.  ii,  21. 

28.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  A.M.  Deut.  iv,  39,  40,  an  old  Sermon. 
P.M.  Mr.  Tutor  Eliot  preached  Philip,  iv,  6. 

29.  Mess'*  Sewall  &  Eliot  went  away.  Read  Rev.  Jn°  Wilson's 
MS.  towards  forming  the  Camb.  platform.^ 

Nov. 

I.  This  day  I  began  the  hebrew  Psalter  with  the  view  of  enter- 
ing into  the  very  Ideas  &  Spirit  of  the  Author,  considering  him  as 

1  Rev.  Isaac  vStiles  (Yale  1722),  of  North  Haven,  Conn.;  Rev.  Joseph  Torrey 
(Harvard  1728),  of  South  Kingston,  R.  I.;  Rev.  John  Burt  (Harvard  1736),  of 
Bristol,  R.  I. 

'  Only  son  of  the  Hon.  John  ;  born  in  Nova  Scotia  ;  graduated  at  Harvard 
1721  ;  dismissed  from  this  charge  on  February  25,  1729-30  ;  died  in  Cambridge 
on  January  23,  1739-40,  in  his  36th  year.  A  volume  of  his  Poems  (mostly 
religious)  was  published  in  Boston  in  1745. 

^  Yale  Coll.  1725.  His  widow,  Mary  (EHery),  was  a  member  of  Dr.  Stiles's 
congregation. 

*  Son  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Andrew  Eliot,  of  Boston  ;  settled  as  pastor  in  Fair- 
field, Conn.,  1774,  died  1805. 

^  The  later  history  of  this  MS.  is  untraced  :  it  was  probably  lent  to  Dr.  Stiles 
by  the  Rev.  Solomon  Townsend,  of  Barrington,  who  is  known  to  have  had  in 
his  possession  at  this  date  other  MSS.  of  like  origin.  Cf.  Proceedings  of  the 
Massachusetts  Historical  Society,  2d  Series,  iv,  161. 


OCTOBER  23-NovEMBER  7,  1770  75 

conversant  in  sublime  &  unerring  Ilhnnin-',  not  only  as  some  of  the 
prophets  were  as  to  occurrences  in  the  outward  state  of  Israel,  but 
as  one  exalted  into  high  real  Commun.  with  the  fountain  of  Light,  in 
those  manifestations  of  the  div.  Character  &  Holiness  which  Angels 
&  Seraphs  continually  contemplate  &  adore.  All  the  Rabbins 
ascribe  the  second  Psalm  to  the  Messiah.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins' 
Even^  &  Sacr*  Lect.     Ps.  Ixxv,  3. — I  bear  up  Pillars,  &c. 

2.  Preached  m^'  sacranit.  Lecture. 

3.  Find  by  the  prints  Ace",  of  a  naval  Fight  off  the  Morea  &  at 
Entrance  of  the  Archipelago  between  the  Russians  &  Turkish 
Fleets,  about  twenty  ships  on  a  side  (or  19  Russ.  23  Turk.)  on  15"' 
Jul}'  ult.  The  Russians  took  three  ships  &  sunk  two  &  dispersed 
the  rest.  On  the  same  day  the  Russian  Army  gained  a  Victory  over 
the  Turkish  Army  North  of  the  Danube  &  not  far  from  Bender. 
Persia  have  entered  into  Alliance  with  the  Russians.  Egj'pt  has 
revolted.     The  prophesies  Jer.  xlvi  to  li.  seem  to  be  fulfilling. 

4.  Edsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  i  Jn"  iv,  9-1 1.  Admitted  Mrs. 
Ellery  W°,  Relict  of  Gov.  Ellery  :'  admin.  Eds.  supper  to  65  Com- 
municants.    P.M.  I  Cor.  ii,  2. 

7.  Case  of  S.  G.  of  Westborough  in  C\  Worcester,  Mass.  as  I 
rec''  it  from  Mr.  Parkman,  Pastor,  Dr.  Crosby  the  physician  that 
attended  her  :'  she  being  about  twelve  years  of  age  : — 

1759.  End  Nov.  or  beg.  Dec.  S.  G.  set.  12,  wet  her  feet  in  gath^ 
cranberries  &  Dr.  Crosby  treated  her  as  hav'  the  Jaundice  till 
spring. 

1760  March.  Dr.  Greenleaf  gave  her  5  gr.  Calomel  &  Jalap, 
which  worked  once  only  :  &  a  day  or  2  after  another  potion  w'^  did 
not  work,  &  that  day  week  after  .she  began  to  spit,  &  in  few  days 
Saliva  plentiful  ;  cartharticks  used  for  eight  days  not  preventing  it. 

MVilliam  Ellery  (Harvard  College  1722),  Ueputy-Governor  of  Rhode  Island, 
1748-50,  died  in  Newport,  March  15,  1764;  his  widow.  Elizabeth,  daughter  of 
Col.JobAlmy,  of  Portsmouth,  R.  I.,  died  in  July,  1783  (see  this  Diary,  July 
29,  1783).  Dr.  Stiles  contributed  to  the  Neivport  Mercury  of  March  19,  1764, 
an  obituary  notice  of  the  Deputy  Governor. 

They  were  great-grandparents  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  William  Ellery  Channing,  of 
Boston.     See  Newport  Hist.  jMagazine,  iv,  183. 

In  another  memorandum  Dr.  Stiles  mentions  that  this  morning's  service  was 
about  three  hours  long. 

«  Ebenezer  Parkman,  minister  of  Westboro',  was  a  Harvard  graduate  of  1721  ; 
and  Samuel  Crosby  was  the  most  noted  physician  of  that  region,  living  in  the 
nearest  part  of  the  adjoining  town  of  Shrewsbury. 


^6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

May  8,  she  ceased  making  Water.  Dr.  Ball  called  in  &  the  Saliv" 
increased.  (April,  began  to  have  hysteric  Fits,  i8  or  20  a  day.) 
Upon  urine  ceas^,  her  mouth  closed  till  Even'-'  or  till  bed  time  "  & 
after  all  was  still  &  quiet,  she  would  open  her  mouth  &  could  eat : 
the  rest  of  the  time  she  found  ways  to  get  spoon  victuals  thro'  her 
Teeth.  She  soon  lost  feeling  in  her  feet,  &  could  not  stand  alone." 
Thus  she  continued  and  had  fits  every  night  till  "April  22,  1761, 
when  Dr.  Wheat  of  Boston  sent  her  powders  &  Pills,"  w*^  she  took 
a  week  before  her  spitting  abated.  "  She  had  spit  about  a  Gallon 
a  day  for  the  greatest  part  of  the  Time  ;  about  3  qu'"*  a-  daj^  for  a 
while  before  Dr.  Wheat  was  applied  to."  May  15,  more  powders 
&  spit^  abated.  May  20  or  thereabouts  her  spitting  ceased.  May  22 
''made  about  a  Tea  spoon  full  of  Water,  which  daily  increased  to 
about  a  Jill  once  in  24  hours. ' ' 

May  "  23''  day  she  opened  her  Mo2ith  &  took  her  powders  &  spoke 
tho'  after  a  broken  Fashion.  Her  feet  gathered  strength  about  the 
same  time  &  she  went  by  the  help  of  a  chair.  27"'  day  went  alone 
&  by  the  help  of  somebody  to  lead  her  Went  out  abroad.  She  has 
now  a  tolerable  appetite,  but  her  fits  follow  her  in  the  Even^  with- 
out much  alteration  from  what  they  have  been  hereto  fore."'^ 

"  N.  B.  Since  the  aforementioned  i''^  of  June,  1761,  her  fits 
have  left  her  &  she  has  gradual!}'  recovered  a  tolerable  State  of 
Health  :  is  able  to  attend  publick  Worship  &  to  pform  the  common 
ord^  Business  of  a  family. 

We  whose  Names  are  hereunto  anext  have  all  along  been  well 
acquainted  with  the  aforementioned  case  &  can  attest  to  the  Truth 
of  the  foregoing  Relation. 

W.  May  1770  Eb^  Parkman,  Pastor. 

Francis  Whipple,  Justice  of  Peace. 
(the  nearest  neighbour  to  the  above  S.  G.) 

^  this  wrote  1761. 

Sam'  Crosby  Physician." 

10.  Reading  I^ives  of  Rabbi  Moses  Ben  Maimon,  R.  Solomon 
Jarchi,  R.  Aben  Ezrge,  &  R.  David  Kimchi.  Finished  the  Eng. 
Bible  in  course  at  Morning  Family  prayer.  I  find  by  the  Prints 
the  Univ^'  of  Oxford  at  one  Time  conferred  the  Doctorate  in  Div^ 
on  Mr.  Peters'  of  Philad^\  Mr.  Breynton'  of  Hallifax,  &  Mr.  Byles 
of  Boston,  all  Episcopal  Ministers  &  the  two  first  Europ.  the  last  a 

^  Richard  Peters.     See  Diary,  Dec.  21,  1772. 

^  John  Breyuton,  in  charge  of  St.  Paul's,  Halifax,  Nova  Scotia,  since  1752. 


NOVEMBER    I0-20,    I770  77 

Proselj'te  from  the  'Congregationalists,  &  formerly  Cong.  Minister 
at  N.  London.'  The  University  also  gave  Master  of  Arts  to  Mr. 
Inglis  an  Episc"  Min.  in  New  York. 

11.  lydsday.  I  preached  Ps.  119,  135  without  Notes  or  premedi- 
tation.    P.M.  Prov.  X,  9.^ 

12.  Read  the  Life  of  R.  Abarbinel  in  Reland.  Read  also  Dr. 
Pemberton's  Sermon  at  the  Boston  Thursday  Lecture,  Oct.  11, 
upon  the  Death  of  Mr.  Whitefield,  Text  i  Pet.  i,  4.  The  last  Ser- 
mon Mr.  Whitfield  preached  was  at  Exeter  in  New  Hamp.  the 
day  before  his  Death — he  was  a7i  hour  &  fifty  five  mimites  in  Ser- 
7)1071 :  &  afterwards  rode  to  Newburyport,  where  he  died  next 
Morning  of  an  Asthma. 

14.  I  find  that  the  Gen.  Assembly  of  Connecticutt  in  their  Session 
at  New  Haven  last  Month  voted  to  found  a  Professorship  of  Nat.  & 
Experimental  Philosophy  in  Yale  College  [»&  the  Corpor*^  Elected  Rev. 
Mr.  Strong  Professor  of  Phil.]'  Read  a  long  MS.  Account  of  the 
Removal  of  Mr.  Davenport  from  New  Haven  in  1668  to  the  first 
Chh  in  Boston  upon  the  Death  of  Mr.  Wilson  ;  &  the  Councills  & 
gathering  the  third  Chh.  in  Boston." 

18.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  2  Cor.  ix,  10.  P.M.  Dent,  viii, 
15,  16  &  sung  Ps.  cxiv.  in  Dr.  Watts'  Version.  Read  in  Young's 
Night  Tho'ts.  And  also  a  Pamphlet  on  the  Conversion  of  Rabbi 
Jachiel  Hirshel,  sent  me  b}-  Mr.  Zubly.  R.  Jehiel  was  born  .  .  in 
Swabia  A.D.  1706,  fell  under  Convictions  1743  :  was  converted,  & 
made  profession  Monda}"  May  23,  1746,  &  Thursday  after  was  bap- 
tized by  the  protestant  Minister,  Mr.  Werdmiller,  at  Zurich  in 
Switzerland.  Rev.  Mr.  Zubh^  of  Georgia  was  born  at  St  Gall  in 
Switzerland.  ° 

20.   Late  News  that  my  Friend  Mr.  Paddock"  died  at  Surinam. 

'See,  also.  Diary,  Aug.  6,  1771. 

^  In  another  memorandum  of  pastoral  acts,  under  this  date  Dr.  Stiles  adds  : — 
Notified  a  Funeral  in  Absence  of  the  Sexton. 

^  This  statement  is  not  quite  accurate.  The  Corporation  voted  (October  16)  to 
elect  Mr.  Strong,  in  consideration  of  the  fact  of  the  Assembly's  making  a  grant 
to  discharge  the  existing  debt  owed  by  the  College. 

■*This  MS.,  of  87  pages,  not  quite  complete,  is  among  Dr.  Stiles's  papers  ;  it 
gives  a  sketch  of  these  events,  from  1667  to  1674,  and  has  been  printed  in  Hill's 
History  of  the  Old  South  Chtirch,  Boston,  i,  12-89. 

^  See,  also.  Diary,  May  16,  1772. 

«  Probably  Elisha  Paddack,  who  was  living  in  Swansey,  Mass.,  in  1767,  and 
made  copies  for  Dr.  Stiles  at  that  time  of  the  inscription  on  Dighton  Rock. 


78  DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 

21.  Monthly  Meet«  Chh  I  preached   i  Pet.  i,  3,  4,  5  ;    present  52. 

22.  xAittended  Mr.  H.  Evening  Lect.  Ps  119,  70.  By  a  Letter 
from  Dr.  Alison  I  find  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon'  &  Wife  are  arrived 
from  London  to  Philad^.     He  arrived  about  3  weeks  ago. 

23.  Mr.  Wardel  of  Bristol  lately  told  me,  that  the  Throop  Fam. 
&  many  others  assisted  in  build^'  the  Chh  there  for  M=  Sparran,* 
after  he  returned  with  orders,  under  notion  that  the  Liturgy  was 
not  to  be  used,  but  that  the  divine  service  was  to  be  pformed  as 
usual  among  Congregationalists.  But  when  the}'  came  to  find  that 
the  Liturgy  must  be  used  &c,  they  drew  off  &  ceased.  For  Mr. 
M'^Sparran  at  his  first  return  pformed  Ldsday  service  at  Col 
M'intosh's  house,  with  extempore  prayer  &c. 

26.  This  Afternoon  in  Conversation  with  Mr.  C.  of  P 

he  told  me  it  was  certain  that  Ld.  Hillsborough  in  Discourse  with 
Rev''  Morgan  Edwards,  the  Baptist  Min.  in  Philad'',  when  in  London 
Aug'  1769,  had  encouraged  &  promoted  the  complaints  of  the  per- 
secution of  the  Baptists  by  the  Presbyterians  in  N.  Eng'^  &  directed 
him  to  collect  &  procure  all  Baptists  Complaints,  &  send  them  home 
to  Eng''  &  they  should  be  favorably  heard,  with  Assurance  of 
Redress.  And  this  was  a  vScheme  of  the  Ministry  to  set  the  Bap- 
tists against  the  Congregationists,  &  prevent  the  former  from  joyn- 
ing  the  Latter  in  opposing  an  American  Episcopate,  under  the 
notion  that  they  should  meet  with  more  Liberty  &  less  oppression 
under  episcopal  than  presb.  Government. 

27.  Sister  Baker  died,  aet.  cir.  55.' 

28.  Finished  read"  "the  present  state  of  G.  Britain  &  her  Col- 
onies in  N"  America  with  regard  to  Agriculture,  PopuP,  Trade  & 
Manufactures,"  printed  in  London  1767.  363  pages  8^''  I  have 
studied  fifteen  hours  this  day  :  very  unusual.     Snow^ 

Dec. 

2.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  A.M.  Acts  xvii,  30.  P.M.  Ps.  116,  15, 
funeral  Sermon  on  Death  of  Mrs.  Baker,  a  pious  poor  Widow  & 
Sister  of  the  Church. 

5.  Read^  Rev.  Tho  Pollen  on  Lds  Supper.  He  was  Episc"  Mis- 
sionary in  Newport  from  1754  to  1760.' 

1  See  Diary,  June  i,  1771. 
■^  vSee  also  Diary,  March  31,  1773. 
3  Widow  Hannah  Baker,  born  Oct.  20,  1716. 

•*Sonof  Edward,  of  Hodson,  Hertfordshire;  E.A.  Corpus  Christi  College, 
Oxford,  1 72 1.     See  Mason's  Annals  of  Trinity  Church,  i,  111-14,  118-20. 


NOVEMBER    2I-DECEMBER    12,    1770  79 

This  Da}'  Ezra  finished  Salust.  Composed  a  Sermon  for  public 
Thanksgiving. 

6.  Public  Thanksgiving  observed  in  the  two  Congregational 
Chhs.  in  Town'  as  usual,  on  the  day  appointed  by  Proclam''  in  the 
Massachusetts,  whom  we  always  imitate  Voluntarih-  as  to  the  pub- 
lic Fast  in  Spring  &  Thanks^  in  fall.  This  year  N.  Hanip.  held 
Thanks^  on  same  day — Connecticutt  a  fortnight  ago.  I  preached 
Isai.  Ixiii,  7.  And  attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Even^  Eecture  Dan' 
V,  23. 

12.  Mr.  Thurston  brought  me  the  Charter  authenticated  by  the 
Gov.  Sec''''  &  Seal  of  this  Colony  containing  an  Act  of  the  last  Gen. 
Assembl}-  for  Incorporating  the  Congregational  Chh.  at  Providence 
under  the  pastoral  care  of  the  Rev.  David  Shearman  Rowland. 

An  Ace"  of  the  Interment  of  the  Rev.  George  Whitfield  in  a  new 
Tomb  before  the  pulpit  in  the  Presbyterian  Meet^'house  in  Newbury- 
port  Oct.  1770. 

"  The  manner  was  this,  viz.  at  I  o'clock  all  the  Bells  in  Town 
tolled  half  an  hour,  &  all  the  Ships  &  other  vessels  (which  were 
mam')  in  the  harbor,  put  on  their  respective  Signals  of  mourning 
which  the}'  continued  till  night.  At  II  o'  the  clock  the  Bells  tolled 
a  second  Time  half  an  hour.  At  III  o  Clock  the  Bells  called  to  the 
procession  :  it  being  a  very  raw  &  rainy  da}',  the  procession  was 
only  one  Mile,  which  was  not  half  the  length  intended — neither 
could  the  fiftieth  part  of  the  pple  follow  by  reason  of  the  cold  & 
wet.  I  am  told  one  hiindred  and  four  Coicples  followed  the  Corps. 
The  Bearers  the  Rev.  Dr.  Haven  of  Portsmouth,  the  Rev.  Messrs 
Rogers  of  Exeter,  Jewett  &  Chandler  of  Rowley,  Parsons  of  Byfield, 
&  Bass  of  Newburyport.  Mourners  nu'self  &  Family.  I  walked 
first  with  Mr.  Smith  that  waited  on  Mr.  Whitefield,  next  James 
Clarkson  Esq''  of  Portsm"  with  m}'  Daughter  Phebe,  Capt.  Bordman 
with  Eucia,  Capt.  Sawyer  with  Eydia,  Tho^  Parsons  &  his  "Wife, 
Moses  Eittle  &  his  Wife,  then  the  Ministers  &  after  them  the  Elders 
of  ovir  Chh  ; — when  we  returned  from  the  procession,  the  Corps  was 
carried  into  the  Meet^house  &.  set  down  on  the  Bier  in  the  broad 

'  Another  memorandum  of  Dr.  Stiles  states  that  the  service  lasted  from 
10.30  A.M.  to  1. 15  P.M.  He  also  says  :  The  Cong.  Chhs.  at  Saconet,  Tiverton, 
Bristol,  Warren,  observed  the  day.  That  at  Provid.  under  M"'  Rowl*"  did  not, 
he  being  out  of  Town— but  the  Chh.  mixt  of  Bap.  &  paedobaptists  under  Mr. 
Snow  observed  it.  I  know  not  whether  the  small  Cong.  Chhs  at  S°  Kingst"  & 
Westerly  observed  it. 


8o  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Alley.  Then  Mr.  Rogers,  in  the  pre.sence  of  as  many  people  as 
could  stand  upon  12000  (twelve  thousand)  foot  of  Flooring,  made  a 
very  adapted  &  affecting  prayer.  Then  was  sung  the  third  Hymn 
of  the  second  Book  of  Dr.  Watts' s  spiritual  Songs;  &  then  the 
Corps  was  entombed.  But  before  the  Tomb  was  sealed,  Mr.  Jewett 
gave  an  excellent  Exhort'',  which  I  suppose  is  printed  with  the 
funeral  sermon,  tho'  they  are  not  j^et  come  to  hand. 

"  This  is  a  short  View  of  the  case.  You'll  judge  whether  more 
than  three  Thous''  p.sons  could  not  stand  crowded  on  1 2000  feet  of 
Flooring.  Some  say  at  least  Eight  Thous'*  stood  within  the  Walls. 
I  think  there  was  more  than  six  Thous''  within  the  Walls.  How 
many  that  could  not  get  in,  but  filled  the  neighboring  houses  & 
street  I'm  not  able  to  say  :  but  it  is  suppo.sed  that  many  more  in 
number  were  abroad  &  in  surrounding  houses  than  within  the 
Walls. "  "  Jonathan  Parsons  ' ' 

"  P.S.  The  people  from  Boston  were  sent  for  to  my  hou.se,  that 
(if  they  pleased)  they  might  walk  with  the  Mourners,  as  they  pre- 
tended to  be  Mourners  :  but  they  did  not  come  ;  at  least  they  were 
not  seen  by  me  nor  the  Waiters.  Mr.  Hubbard  came  into  my  house 
afterwards  &  I  gave  him  a  pair  of  Black  Gloves."  "J.  P." 

— "The  Expence  that  the  pple  had  been  at  to  provide  a  new 
Tomb  to  lay  his  Body  in,  besides  other  Expences,  in  the  whole  to 
Amount  of  about  fifty  pounds  sterling." 

The  above  is  extracted  from  a  Letter  Dated  Nov'  8,  1770,  From 
the  Rev  Mr  Par.sons,  in  who.se  house  Mr  Whitfield  died. 

In  1 761  I  was  at  Newbury  &  measured  Mr  Pansons  Meeting 
hou.se  now  standing,  &  found  it  Eighty-three  feet  long  &  fifty- 
eight  feet  wide.'  This  gives  the  Area  of  the  lower  floor  4814  sq'' 
feet.  If  there  are  double  Galleries  (which  I  forget)  I  .sh'd.  think 
they  would  not  exced  2000  foot  apiece  =  4000.  The  whole  Floor- 
ing can't  possibly  excede  8  or  9000  feet  instead  of  12000.  Mr. 
Whitf''  preached  in  Mr.  Thurston's  B.  Meet^.,  Newport,  which  is 
about  46  X  70  feet.  From  the  pulpit  I  counted  one  quarter,  & 
so  estimated  the  whole,  &  became  assured  that  the  whole  Area 
below  did  not  contain  above  One  T/ions'^  &  the  Gallery  about  three 
hundred — &  it  was  crouded  as  much  as  possible,  500  at  least  stand- 

'  The  original  memorandum  is  in  Dr.  Stiles's  Itinerary  for  May,  1761  ;  it 
includes  also  the  measures  of  the  ist  Clnirch  (Rev.  Mr.  Tucker),  54x44;  the 
3d  Church  (Rev.  Mr.  Lowell),  70x54:  and  the  Episcopal  Church  (Rev.  Mr. 
Bass),  54x43- 


DECEMBER    13-31,    1770  81 

ing  abroad.  I  judge  Mr  Parsons  Meet^li.  cannot  contain  in  the 
most  crouded  manner  above  Two  Thous"'  or  2500  Souls.  And  I 
think  this  is  the  largest  Meetghouse  in  New  England.  I  measured 
Dr.  Sewalls  in  Boston  80  and  about  55  feet.' 

13.  Last  Week  Mr.  Dawson  returned  here  from  N  York.  Mr. 
Hopkins  had  no  Lecture  to  night,  it  being  snow  &  fowl  Weather. 

16.  Ldsd3\  I  preached  A.M.  Zech.  i,  3.  P.M.  Mat.  vi,  10. 
This  day  all  mj-  Family  went  to  Meeting  (as  frequently  before), 
being  Eleven  Persons,  viz  myself  &  Wife,  7  children,  i  maid  &  i 
Negro  Man  Servant. 

1 8.  Visiting  my  people,  &  discoursing  with  them  on  their  spirit- 
ual concerns. 

25.  There  are  but  three  Bells'  in  Town  ;  all  which  used  to  ring 
on  Christmas  Eve.  Mine  did  not  ring  last  night.  Mr  Hopkins 
rang  a  little.  Only  the  Chh.  Bell  rung  steadily,  &  this  left  oif  at 
nine  o'clock  in  the  Evening,  &  did  not  ring  again  till  IX  this  morn- 
ing. This  Afternoon  I  went  to  the  Moravian  Meeting,  which  cele- 
brates Christmas,  &  heard  Mr  Russme5^er  preach  from  Rom  ix,  5. 
He  was  educated  at  the  Universit}^  of  Gripswald  in  Germany,  but 
speaks  English  fluently. 

26.  Chh  Meeting  at  Dr.  Bartlets.  I  discoursed  on  Heb  x,  two  last 
verses.      Present  about  fourty  or  upwards. 

27.  Making  entries  in  Chh.  Records.     Attended  Mr.  Hopk.  lect. 

28.  This  Morn*^  at  \%^  awaked  with  Cry  of  Fire  ;  three  Dwell- 
ing Houses  were  burnt  down  on  the  south  side  of  the  Parade,  & 
within  six  or  seven  Rods  of  my  House  :  and  then  thro'  a  kind  prov- 
idence the  Fire  was  subdued,  partly  by  water  Engines,  partly  hy 
pulling  down  &c.     Alarm  of  devouring  Flames  of  last  great  da}-  ! 

30.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  A.M.  Mat  xi,  28-30.  P.M.  2  Pet  iii, 
10,  II,  on  occasion  of  the  late  Fire. 

31.  There  were  thirty  five  persons  dislodged  by  the  Fire  :  most  of 
the  Furniture  saved,  but  more  of  it  stolen  than  burnt.  One  of  the 
Buildings  was  a  good  one  &  rented  for  150  Dollars  per  ann.  Ex- 
clusive of  this  the  Total  Doss  of  houses  &  Goods  might  be  ^150  or 
at  most  ^200  sterling.  The  Charitj^  of  the  people  has  more  than 
supplied  the  Loss  of  all  except  the  Buildings.  Mrs.  Dennis,  Wife  of 
John  Dennis,  had  the  presence  of  Mind  to  leave  a  paralytic  husband 
&  4  children,  go  out  of  her  house  to  the  next  adjoyning,  which  she 

^  The  Old  South  meeting-house,  built  in  1730,  and  still  standing. 
^  See  this  Diary,  Jan.  7,  1772. 
6 


82 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


saw  afire,  to  save  a  lame  helpless  Woman  in  a  Chamber  reached  by 

the  flames,  &  whom  she  knew  must   perish   in  the  flames  in  a  few 

minutes.     She  took  her  upon  one  hip  &  her  Babe  on  the  other  & 

carried   them  both   down   stairs,   the  stairs  then  in  flames.     And 

delivering  her  abroad,  she  returned  &  took  care  of  her  own  Family 

&  Goods.     Mr.  Dennis's  house  was  all  in  flames  in  a  few  Minutes 

&  burnt  to  Ashes. 

Finis  Anni  1770. 

1771 
Janry 

I.  It  has  been  my  manner  for  some  years  daily  to  read  a  chapter 
more  or  less  in  the  Hebrew  Bible.  With  this  I  have  lately  jo5'ned 
the  reading  or  Examination  of  the  Rabbinical  Commentators,  par- 
ticularly at  present  of  Rabbi  David  Kimchi.  Filling  up  my  Chh 
Records  for  last  3'ear.' 

'  The  following  list  of  families  in  his  Church  at  this  date  is  preserved  among 
Dr.  Stiles's  papers.  The  appended  figures,  showing  the  number  of  visits,  indi- 
cate at  what  houses  he  was  intimate  : — 


William  Vernon,  10 
Widow  Ryder,  4 
Frederic  Hamilton,  5 
Benj"  Doubleday,  11 
Pollipus  Hammond,  11 
William  Ellery,  Esq.,  7 
Mrs.  Searing,  13 
John  Bartlett,  10 
Jacob  Richardson,  3 
Nathan  Bebee,  5 
W™  Symmes,  2 
W"  Wilson,  3 
James  Pitman,  7 
Benj"  King,  21 
W"  Hannah  Bennet,  7 
Benj*  Cluirch,  5 
Thos.  Brenton,  3 
James  Clark,  7 
Jacob  Stockman,  7 
Thos.  Brown,  Mariner,  6 
Widow  Susanna  Treby,  4 
David  Chesebro',  20 
Robert  Stevens,  32 
W"  Carr  &  Clark,  14 
Caleb  Gardner,  31 


John  Channing,  44 
Joseph  Belcher,  16 
Peleg  Cary,  10 
John  Cary,  5 
Samuel  Treby,  8 
John  Pitman,  Esq.,  14 
W"  Abigail  Pitman,  14 
Edward  Simons,  4 
W"  Tripp,  4 
W"  Mary  Davenport,  12 
Edward  Murpli}',  4 
Benj"  Pitman,  5 
Lemuel  Crandal,  7 
Peter  Parker  [removed] 
W"  Aug.  Peck,  9 
Isaac  Dayton,  16 
Joseph  Hamand,  10 
Eleazar  Trevett,  15 
Eben"'  Vose,  7 
Nath'l.  Sowle,  4 
W"  Sylvester,  3 
Eben''  Richardson,  jun., 
Thos.  Richardson,  6 
Eleazar  Trevett,  jun.,  5 
W<-  Wilson  (Benj.),  3 


JANUARY    1-6,    1 77 1 


83 


5.  Wrote  Letters  to  M''  Sayre  &  M"  Grant  in  London  and  covered 
2  of  my  Inst.  Serm.  &  3  of  Mr  Johnsons  Election  Sermons— for  D^ 
Conder  of  Lond.  &  D''  Robertson  of  Edinburgh     . 

6.  Ldday  A.M.  I  preached  2  Cor.  v,  21.  Readmitted  Brother 
Sayer  &  adm.  Lds  Supper  to  60  Communicants.     P.M.  Ps.  84,  11, 


Benj"*  Slierburn,  12 

John  Stevens,  6 

Job  Bissel,  4 

Charles  Davens,  5 

Eben"'  Davenport,  jun.,  5 

Philip  Ackland,  5 

John  Mai  com,  6 

John  Newton,  6 

Simon  Newton,  11 

George  Mowatt,  6 

Abraham  Dennis  (except  Wife),  13 

Thomas  Childs,  6 

Rowland,  5 

Job  Rowland,  6 
William  Merriss,  9 
W"  Peckham,  10 
W  Marg*  Topham,  7 
Eben''  Finch,  3 
John  Simson,  i 
Richard  Simson,  4 
Mrs.  Roland,  i 
Philip  Moss,  7 
Jno.  Topham,  7 
W°  Ann  Topham   5 
Deacon  Sayer,  14 
W»  Beebe,   6 
Benj*  Sayer,  7 
Joshua  Sayer,  jun.,  4 


Samuel  Crandal,  6 

Jos.  Crandal's  Family,  4 

James  Brown,  3 

Benj"  Baker,  4 

Nathan  Luther,  10 

Eben''  Davenport,  sen.,  8 

Joseph  vSmith,  8 

Rob'  Gibbs,  2 

James  Carter,  i 

Widow  Ingraham,  i 

Widow  Kennecott,  4 

W°  Bennet's  Fam.,  4 

Kendal  Nicols,  3 

W»  Katherine  Nicols,  i 

W"  Nicols  (Herb.), 

W«  Barbut  &  Son, 

W^^  Howard, 

Mr.  Watt,  2  [removed  Sept.  1771] 

Wilk.  Treby,  i 

Mr.  Sam'l.  King,  i 

Major  Otis—July  18,  10 

Mr.  Wood,  4 

Ben.  Dayton,  3 

Hez.  do.,  4 

Mr.  Ferguson,  3 

Sam'l.  Crandal,  2 

Chas.  Davins,  i 

Capt.  Hamilton,  5 


Hai,f  Families 


Wife  of  W"  Downer,  2 

W"  Rumrill,  8 

Sam'l  Vernon,  4 

Cap'  Hatch,  2 

Mrs.  Frj'ers,  4 

Henry  Marchant,  Esq.,  7 

"  "        since  July  8,  1771, 

when  he  embarks 
for  London,  16 
Eben''  Richardson,  Esq.,  i 
W»  Mary  Newton  &  D.,  6 


W"  Murphy,  4 

Wife  of  W"  Potter,  3 

Philip  Peckham,  5 

W"  Bridget  Treby  &  Gr.  Ch.,  2 

Wife  of  George  Nicols,  2 

W"  Guyse  Haggar,  2 

Benj"  Ingraham,  2 

Wife  of  Eben''  Williams,  i 

Wife  of  Lewis  Bilio,  6 

Wife  of  Thos.  Brown,  3 

Joseph  Brown,  4 


84 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


&  read  two  Briefs  for  the  sufferers  by  the  late  Fire.  And  married 
a  Couple'  in  the  Evening.  [M""  Hopk.  admitted  2  Members  :  the  first.] 
7.  Present  at  the  opening  the  Body  of  Peter  Peckham  deceased 
by  D''  Jn""  Bartlett,  who  fovind  the  Kidneys  both  filled  with  a  Pus  & 
much  Grit,  Chalk,  or  Matter  like  Mortar  of  Lime  ;  &  some  Calculi 
of  angular  &  irregular  forms.  The  Ureters  contracted.  The  Blad- 
der reduced  &  skin  or  Coats  indurated  &  thick,  under  utmost  Dis- 
tention not  containing  two  spoonfulls.  A  little  chalk}-  or  Gritty, 
but  no  Calculi.  His  Heart,  Lungs,  Liver  &  other  Viscera  all  in 
good  state  :  The  youth  died  get.  17^^. 

10.   I  preached  M'  Hopkins's  Lecture  Philip,  ii,  15. 

12.  Rev.  Nehemiah  Strong  introduced  and  established  Professor 
of  Math.  &  Nat.  Philosophy  at  Yale  College  21"'  Dec.  ult.     Read  a 


Wife  of  Jon"  Stoddard,  8 
Wife  of  Capt.  Hyers, 
Children  of  W"  vSherman,  i 
Wife  of  Saiiford,  3 


3  Children  Mrs.  Bell  (Heatly), 
W"  Jones,  4 
Wife  of  Davis,  4 
Mr.  Weeden,  3 


S1NG1.E  Persons 


&c. 


Jn°  Coit,  2 

Israel  Chapman  [removed] 

Daniel  Russel,   i 

Aged  W"  Treby,  4 

W"  Chambers,  3 

W°  Bridget  Treby,  4 

Tim"  Allen,  3 

Susanna  Dyre,  3 

Mercy  Hamand,  2 

Ann  Ingraham,  2 

Ann  Channing,  11 

Sarah  Graves,  2 

W°  of  Gov.  Ellery,  24 

Benj"  Ellery,  2 

Rebecca  Petteface,  4 

Hannah  Tabor,  2 

Desire  Robinson,  i 

Peace  Clark  [lived  with  me] 

Esther  Phillips,  2 

Hannah  Preston,  2 

W"  Spinney,  3 

Alice  Towns'^,  5 

W*  of  Jn"  Simson,  jun.,  i 

'  Elijah  Tompkins,  of  Little  Compton,  R.  I.,  and  Elizabeth  Pratt. 


Mr.  Whitwell,  7 

Sarah  Oldham,  i 

W"  Cole,  1 

Miriam  Cole,     V  8 

Hannah  Cole,   J 

Mr.  Miller,  i 

Elizabeth  House,  2 

W"  Hunt, 

Eben''  Campbell,  3, 

W''  Shore,  i 

W"  Wills,  3 

Nathan  Ingraham, 

W.  of  Benoni  Tripp, 

1 77 1,  July  15  Capt.  Miller,  5 

Sam'l  Hehshaw,  3 

Sally  Donaldson,  3 

Mrs.  English,  4 

Mrs.  More,  9 

Wife  Brown  (Exp.)  4 

W"  Stevens,   2 

926  Visits 
There  are  manv  omissions. 


JANUARY    7-23,    1 771  85 

Volume  of  Yoricks  Sermons.  I  am  told  that  a  Number  of  Baptists, 
Sabbatarians  &  Thurstons,  have  had  lately  two  Meetings  at  private 
houses  where  they  performed  the  Pedilavium.  Their  last  Meeting 
was  at  M''  Bliss's  at  Green  Inn  about  a  week  ago.  The  next  to  be 
in  April  next.  It  has  been  extraordinary-  mild  &  fine  Weather  for 
several  da^'s  :  this  day  Fahr.  Therm.  52  in  N"  shade. 

13.  Ldsday.  I  preached  all  day  Mat  xi,  28-30,  &  notified  Contrib. 
next  Sabb.  Foren.  for  Sufferers  by  late  Fire. 

16.  Monthly  Meetg  Chh  at  B""  Otis.  I  discoursed  an  hour  &  half 
on  Jn"  xvii,  17.     Present  about  40. 

18.  At  IX*^  at  Night  a  terrible  Fire  on  Taylors  Wharf  not  sub- 
dued till  after  Midnight.  It  distroyed  one  Dwellgh.,  3  vStores,  one 
Sugar  House,  &  sundrj'  shops. 

20.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  Isai.  xxvi,  9,  on  Occasion  of  the 
late  Fire.  After  Sermon  had  Contribution  for  the  sufferers  in  the 
precede  fire  of  28"*  ult.  P.M.  Mat.  xi,  28-30,  last  Sermon.  Pro- 
pounded Tho*"  Watt  for  owning  the  Covenant  ;  &  desired  young 
Men  of  the  Congreg-^  to  meet  at  my  house  tomorrow  Even^  for  a 
religious  Exercise. 

21.  In  Even^  Meeting  of  3-oung  Men  of  ni}-  Congregation  at  my 
house  :  when  I  gave  them  a  View  of  the  terrestrial  Globe  with  a 
Eecture  on  the  Scripture  Geography  ;  after  which  I  prayed  with 
them  &  discoursed  on  Psal.  cxix,  9. 

22.  Mr.  Hopk.  baptized  five  Children  last  Sabbath,  I  think  the 
first  since  his  Instalm'  in  April  last. 

23.  Copying  Gov  Winthrops  MS.  By  the  Prints  I  find  that  at  Cam- 
bridge 14"'  Inst.  Lieut  Gov.  Hutchinson  with  M''  Hulton  and  M" 
Burch  stood  sponsors  for  John  Apthorp'  Esq  his  Son  Jn"  Trecothick 
baptized  b}-  Rev.  M'  Seargeant,  Episcopal  Clergyman.  Gov.  Hutch- 
inson affects  to  be  accounted  a  Congregationalist  &  is  a  Member  or 
Communicant  in  D''  Pembertons  Cong.  Chh  in  Boston.  This  is  a 
specimen  of  a  Coalition  with  the  Chh,  so  as  bring  the  Chh  of  Engld 
into  Supremacy  in  N.  Engld,  which  I  have  long  judged  agreeable  to 

^  John  Apthorp  was  a  son  of  Charles  Apthorp,  of  Boston,  and  brother  of  the 
Rev.  East  Apthorp  ;  one  of  his  sisters  was  the  wife  of  Barlow  Trecothick,  who 
was  elected  Lord  Mayor  of  London  in  1770.  The  Rev.  Winwood  Serjeant  was 
the  snccessor  of  the  Rev.  East  Apthorp  in  charge  of  the  Episcopal  Mission  in 
Cambridge. 

Cf.  Sprague's  Annals  of  the  Amer.  Pulpit,  v,  81,  176  ;  and  Bridgman's  King's 
Chapel  Burial  Ground,  278. 


86  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILES 

Gov.  Hutchinson.     In  extracting  I  copied  this  day  the  most  of  13 
pages  of  Gov.  Winthrops  MS  : 

24.  Copied  from  p.  32  to  76  MSS.  .  .  I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hop- 
kins Lecture. 

25.  Extracted  74  pages  MS.  to  p.  152. 

26.  Extracted  about  100  pages  MS.  or  to  p.  252. 

27.  Edsdaj^  A.M.  I  preached  Eevit.  xix,  12.  P.M.  Job  ii,  10 
and  baptized  Job  son  of  Job  Bissel.      In  the  Eveng  extracted  MS. 

28.  Extracted  to  p.  348  MS. 

29.  Finished  Extract  MS. 

30.  Copied  some  loose  papers,  &  some  Gleanings  upon  Review  of 
the  MS.  Thus  I  have  at  length  finished  extract^  from  both  Volumes 
of  Gov.  Winthrops  MS.  Hist,  of  N.E.  from  March  29  1630  to  Dec. 
26,  1644,  contained  in  2  Vol.  Vol.  I,  184  pages:  Vol.  II,  366 
pages  ;  Tot.  550  pages  in  4*"  My  Excerpta  are  comprehended  in 
about  166  pages  in  4^°  or  nearly  One  Third  of  the  Original.' 

31.  I  returned  both  Vol.  MSS.  to  M'  Winthrop  of  New  London 
and  resumed  Heb.  Rabb. 

Febry. 

2.  Went  to  the  Sjaiagogue. 

3.  Ldsday  A.M.  Rev.  M'  Bacon,  Pastor  Elect  of  the  Old  S° 
Chh  in  Boston,  preached  for  me  i  Cor.  i,  23.  P.M.  I  preached  Ps. 
37,  18.  And  baptized  M"'  Watt's  Infant  publickly  in  the  Congreg-', 
he  first  owning  the  Chh  Covenant.  Last  Tuesday  the  Old  S"  Chh 
B"  gave  a  call  to  M''  Bacon,  &  M'  Hunt  aet  26,  to  settle  Colleague 
Pastors  in  that  Chh — 54  Brethren  present.  This  was  D''  Sewall's 
Chh.  M'  Bacon  is  of  M''  Hopkins'  principles,  among  other  Things 
holding  that  for  the  Baptism  of  Children  one  of  the  parents  must 
be  in  full  Communion — &  if  they  dont  come  to  the  Lds  Supper, 
neither  shall  they  or  their  Children  have  Baptism.  But  M'  Blair^ 
held  the  same  principle,  which  excited  such  Difficulty  as  necessi- 
tated him  to  ask  Dismission  from  this  same  Chh  in  Boston.  On  this 
Trial  there  appeared  5  or  6  of  the  Chh  of  M'  Blairs  Opin.  &  above  40 
against  it.      D''  Sewall  was  ag'  it.      Indeed  one  principal  Reason  of 

1  In  another  memorandum  Dr.  Stiles  sa3-s  of  this  day,  No  Sermon  at  Chh. : 
only  prayers.  The  day  was  usually  observed  as  the  anniversary  of  the  INIartyr- 
dom  of  King  Charles  1. 

'  For  vSamuel  Blair  see  below,  March  14,  1771. 


JANUARY    24-FEBRUARY    4,    1 77 1  87 

form^  this  Clih  A.D.  1670  circa,  was  because  their  Brethren  the 
first  Chh  Boston,  would  not  practice  on  the  Synod  of  1662,  but 
required  one  parent  in  Communion.  The  principle  on  which  M'' 
Blair  (Colleague  with  D''  Sewall)  came  to  this  Conclusion,  was  diff. 
fr.  that  w*^  brings  M'  Hopk.  &c  to  it — the  one  was  the  same  as  in 
Chh  of  Scotland,  where  all  persons  of  good  Know.  &  moral  Life, 
come  to  the  Table,  &  have  Baptism  &c  without  consid*-'  the  Ques- 
tion, whether  they  are  regenerate.  Now  M''  Hopk  &  M'  Bacon 
require  Regener*^  as  the  indispensable  Qualific''.  M''  Bacon  was  at 
difficulty  with  the  Chh  in  B" — to  refuse  Baptism  to  such  as  could 
make  profess,  of  faith  without  com^  to  the  Lds  Table,  was  not  only 
contrary  to  the  Orig.  Found''  Principles  of  that  Chh,  but  to  a  recent 
declared  Determin'^  in  the  Case  of  M''  Blair.  Indeed  all  this  was 
known  to  M''  Bacon  &  M^  Hunt  before  they  went  to  preach  on  Pro- 
bation. The  Chh  sent  a  Committee  to  know  their  purposes  on  this 
Question.  M'  Bacon  told  me  he  replied,  that  tho'  he  judged  who- 
ever was  qualified  for  one  was  also  for  both  ordinances  ;  3'et  if  they 
could  not  see  their  Waj-  clear  to  come  to  both,  &  }"et  could  to  the 
one,  he  did  not  see  that  it  was  his  Dut}'  to  hinder  him  ;  &  so  that 
he  would  baptize  in  the  usual  manner  on  owning  the  Covenant, 
without  exacting  their  coming  to  the  Lds  Table  :  &  so  said  M'' 
Hunt.  Which  gave  satisfaction.  I  had  talked  so  exactly  in  the 
same  Manner  with  M''  Hopkins,  (&  which  he  never  did  nor  could 
confute)  at  his  first  coming  here,  that  I  suspected  he  had  received 
these  sentiments  from  him,  tho  I  did  not  suggest  it  to  him  ;  but 
M'"  Bacon  in  Course  of  Convers^  said  he  had  last  fall  (when  at  New- 
port) conversed  with  M'  Hopkins  upon  it,  &  he  would  say  little  or 
noth^  to  him  about  it.  Indeed  it  was  well  known  to  the  Hopkin- 
tonian  party  that  B"  Old  S"  would  never  receive  this  principle  of 
theirs  ;  &  yet  they  were  fond  of  having  one  of  their  Brethren  set- 
tled there.      I  look  upon  it  an  Instance  of  Temporizing.' 

4.  .  .  .  This  Aft.  I  spent  in  comp^  with  Rev.  M'  Smith  a  Prus- 
sian &  Lutheran  Minister.  He  was  educated  in  the  Uni\-ersity  of 
Frajikfort  on  \h&  Oder.     Where,  when  about  set.  16,  he  was  called 

'Dr.  Stiles's  distrust  was  well-grounded.  The  Rev.  John  Bacon  (Coll.  of 
N.  J.  1765)  was  installed  over  the  Old  South,  Sept.  26,  1771,  at  the  same  time 
with  the  Rev.  John  Hunt  (Harv.  1764) ;  but  difficulties  soon  arose  on  doctrinal 
points,  in  consequence  of  which  Mr.  Bacon  was  dismissed,  Feb.  8,  1775.  See 
Sprague's  Amials  of  the  Amer.  Pulpit,  i,  686,  and  this  Diary,  April  20,  1772  ; 
also,  YlWVs  Hist,  of  the  Old  South  Church,  ii,  124-71,  208-10. 


88  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

forth  into  the  War  b}-  the  King  of  Prussia  ;  &  afterwards  he 
became  Chaplain  to  Prince  Ferdinand  in  the  last  War,  i.  e.  officiated 
in  praying  &  Preaching— but  not  baptizing  or  administer^  the  Com- 
munion. He  came  to  America  about  four  years  ago,  and  preached 
among  the  lyUtheran  Congregations  in  Pensylvania  ;  and  was 
ordained  in  that  Province  b}-  three  Liithcran  Ministers,  without  the 
presence  of  a  Superintendent,  none  being  in  America.  He  married 
last  year  to  a  woman  at  the  German  Flatts'  above  Alban}-.  There 
are  about  90  or  100  Families  of  Germans  at  Boston,  some  Luth. 
some  Calvinists.  They  have  called  him,  &  mean  to  form  a  Congre- 
gation &  build  a  Meetingh.  For  this,  he  is  going  to  I^ondon,  to  ask 
of  the  German  Clihs.  there  about  ^500  or  more  for  the  Meeting- 
house, &  to  ask  of  his  Majesty  a  Salary.  Two  Episcopal  Clergy- 
men in  Boston  visited  him,  &  told  him  he  might  probably  be  assisted 
by  the  Society,  &  discoursed  about  Ordination.  He  gave  them  to 
understand  that  he  judged  his  own  ordination  valid,  &  after  referr^ 
them  to  the  Angels  of  the  Chhs  in  the  ReveP  as  each,  Bishops,  he 
humourousl_y  ridiculed  the  notion  of  Reordination,  &  rallied  D'' 
Bjdes  in  particular  who  being  a  Minister  before  should  go  to  I^on- 
don  onl}^  to  get  a  Gown,  which  M''  Smith  himself  had  already. 

In  the  even'^  I  had  a  Meet"  of  the  young  Women  of  my  Con- 
greg-'  at  my  house  ;  I  discoursed  Rev.  xix,  7,  8,  9.  There  were 
present  about  70  or  more. 

5.  Ezra  began  Ovidii  de  Tristibus.  Even*-'  I^ect.  at  Mr.  Hopk. 
Meeting.  Mr.  Bacon  preached.  .  .  I  was  in  comp-'  to  day  with 
Cap^  Hamilton  &  a  Dutch  Gentleman  ;  both  had  been  to  Latitude 
Eighty  One^  North  on  the  Whale  Fishery.  They  said  that  on  the 
Greenland  side  the  Sheet  Ice  extended  off  shore  40  Leagues  or 
more,  at  least  that  from  Mast  Head  Land  could  not  be  seen — that 
in  Ma}^  &  the  first  of  the  WhaF  the  whales  lay  on  that  side,  &  the 
Ships  fastened  to  the  Ice,  by  cutting  a  hole  &  carry '^  the  Anchor  on 
the  Ice  and  so  the  Vessel  lay,  the  [ice]  being  there  5  or  six  feet 
thick.  Afterwards  the  Whales  remove  to  the  other  side  or  east- 
ward :  then  the  ships  remove  to  Sir  Tho*  Smiths  Ba}-,  Hackluyts 
Headland  &c — That  while  Cap*^  Hamilton  lay  here,  it  was  not  near 
so  cold  as  before  ;  the  Vallies  free  from  Snow  &  Ice  &  filled  with 
Grass  ;  no  Ice  adherent  to  the  shores  &  Bays,  except  what  came 

'  The  township  including  iHon,  in  Herkimer  County,  on  the  Mohawk  River. 
^  79°  is  the  highest  point  known  to  have  been  reached  as  early  as  this. 


FEBRUARY    5-7,    1 77 1  89 

float^  from  the  Northward  ;  He  was  about  the  80"'  deg.  from  May 
to  28"'  August  : — the  Sun  perpetually  above  the  horizon  or  most  of 
the  Time  : — by  which  means  the  Weather  became  moderate  &  even 
warm,  for  he  said  the  Pitch  in  the  Vessels  Seams  zuas  melted;  he 
often  icas  cloathed  only  in  a  flannel  Jacket ;  »&  was  generally  more 
moderate  than  the  Winters  in  New  Engld  ;  &  that  the  Sea  was 
open,  tho"  frequently  charged  with  floating  Ice. 

6.  Ver}'  cold.  Therm"  six  deg.  above  o.  this  Morn*^.  In  the 
Salem  Print,  Jany.  29.  ult.  I  find  Animadversions  on  a  Proposal  to 
erect  a  Consociation  of  Chhs  in  that  Vicinit}',  on  this  Maxim  "  com- 
munion of  Faith  necessary  to  Commun.  of  Chhs."  I  suppose  this 
is  set  a  foot  by  D''  Whitaker,'  an  enterprizing  3'oung  Presbyterian 
from  the  Jersies,  who  removing  thence  &  settling  here  is  endeav^  to 
assimulate  the  N.  Eng.  Chhs  to  Presbyter^^  and  to  render  himself 
important  by  erecting  a  new  System  within  our  Chhs,  under  the 
pretext  of  guarding  them  against  erroneous  Doctrines.  Men  in  all 
Ages  have  endeavoured  to  aggrandize  themselves  on  the  Ruins  of 
the  Chhs  Liberties.  The  plan  of  this  Consoc.  is  briefly,  that  it 
consist  of  the  Pastors  &  one  Messenger  delegated  from  each  Chh  ; 
to  begin  with  3  or  more  Chhs  :  to  be  a  standing  &  decisive  Council 
for  those  Chhs,  they  not  to  have  Eib''  to  apply  to  or  call  in  any 
other  :  to  license  Candidates  &c.  This  transfers  the  power  ovit  of 
each  distinct  Chh,  &  renders  all  subordinate  to  a  Judicatorial  Policy 
never  suggested  by  Christ — »&  that  on  a  principle  upon  which  one 
might  ascend  to  the  all  comprehensive  &  all  absorbing  Policy  of  the 
Pontificate.     I  am  apprehensive  this  Salem  Witchcrafte  may  prevail. 

7.  Reading  in  Purchases  Pilgrims.  Attended  M'  Hopk.  Even^ 
Eect.  M''  Bacon  aetat.  32.  preached  Rom.  ix,  22.  He  had  before 
laid  down  two  propositions.  I.  That  the  End  of  God  in  punish^ 
the  wicked  was  his  own  Glory.  II.  He  would  manifest  this  Glory 
in  fill^'  the  wicked  as  full  of  Misery  &  Wrath  as  their  Capacities 
would  admit.  The  first  he  discussed  before.  This  Even*-'  he  con- 
sidered the  last. 

In  convers^  M'"  Hopk.  informed  the  Difference  between  D'' 
Wheelock  &  D'  Pemberton  and  the  rest  of  the  Indian  Commission- 
ers at  Boston  ;  &  also  D^  Wheelocks  Diff.  with  Rev.  M""  Kirtland 
Ind.  Missionary  at  Onoida.  When  D'"  Wheelock  sent  D''  Whitaker 
&  M""  Cecum  home  to  Engld  to  sollicit  Benefactions,  the  Boston 

'  See  above,  under  Feb.  18,  1770. 


90  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

Commissioners  sent  home  a  Letter  (pen'd  by  D'  Pemberton)  to  shew 
that  they  did  not  approve  it.  D'  Pemberton  said  (biit^not  in  the 
Letter)  that  "  D''  XAHieelock  was  a  man  of  unbounded  Ambition,  & 
not  fit  to  be  at  the  head  of  such  an  Institution."  '  He  told  M'' 
Hopkins  this.  This  Letter  created  an  Obstruction,  &  occasioned  a 
Difference.  M'  Kirtland  &  M"'  Ralph  Wheelock  vSon  of  the  Doctor 
were  at  College  together"  &  there  had  a  Difference.  Mr  Kirtland 
had  gone  forth  after  this  under  M'  Wheelock,  to  the  Indian  Mis- 
sion. At  length  he  proposed  to  marr}',  but  wanted  a  little  subsist- 
ence. B}-  some  means,  he  was  neglected  while  on  the  Mission,  & 
want  of  supplies  was  supposed  to  be  ow°  to  the  Doctors  Son.  When 
M''  Kirtland  pressed  the  fixt  supply,  the  D''  told  him  he  would  do  as 
well  as  he  could  for  him  but  could  fix  noth^  certain.  Upon  this  M"" 
Kirtland  wrote  to  M'  Whitfield  in  England  for  Supply.  By  his 
Influence  there  and  in  Scotland  a  supply  of  ^loo.  ster  was  sent 
over  to  M''  Kirtland  expres-slj^  and  not  to  come  into  the  hands  of 
D''  Wheelock.  This  gave  offence  &  the  Breach  became  open. 
Upon  this  the  B"  Commissioners  took  M''  Kirtland  into  their  service 
&  fixt  him  a  salar}-.  And  this  fixt  the  Breach,  supposed  to  have 
originated  from  so  remote  a  Cause  as  a  trifling  Difference  at  College.' 
8.  Read  M''  Pitt,  Ld  Chathams  Speech  in  Pari', 
lo.  Ldsday.  I  preached  A.M.  &  P.M.  on  these  united  Texts 
Exod.  XX,  8  &  Rev.  i,  lo.  On  the  Sabbath.  The  Anniversary  of 
my  Marriage.  I  pub.  Bans  between  John  Mumford  &  Anstis  Ham- 
mond, and  propounded  Simon  Newton  for  Admission  into  the  Chh  ; 
&  baptized  William  the  Son  of  Geo.  Mowatt  ;  and  notified  religious 
Meet"  of  the  Negroes  at  my  house.  This  Day  I  have  been  married 
fourteen  years — &  have  been  very  happy  in  an  industrious,  sensible 
&  religious  Wife,  the  Eldest  Daughter  of  Co'  John  Hubbard  of 
New  Haven.  We  have  seven  Children  living,  besides  one  that  is 
not.  Read  Bp.  Newton  on  prophecy.  [This  or  next  Sabb.  M'' 
Dawson  bapt.  2  persons  at  the  Point,  tho'  excessive  cold  &  shores 
full  of  Ice.] 

^  Cf.  this  Diary,  May  27,  1779. 

-'  At  Princeton,  where  the  Rev.  Samuel  Kirkland  (to  use  his  own  later  spell- 
ing) received  his  degree  in  1765  ;  Wheelock  migrated  in  1764  to  Yale,  where  he 
was  graduated  the  next  year. 

^  In  Kirkland's  Life,  by  his  grandson,  S.  K.  Lothrop,  the  breach  is  supposed 
to  have  arisen  from  Ralph  Wheelock 's  overbearing  conduct  at  the  mission.  A 
partial  reconciliation  with  Dr.  Wheelock  was  arrived  at  in  October,  1771. 


FEBRUARY    8-20,    1771  9I 

11.  Read-  Newton.      I   have   long   desired   to  find  the   Period   in 

which  Egypt  received  Circumcision This  even^  I  instructed 

about  50  Negroes  or  more  from  Rom.  iii,  22-25.  Finished  reading 
the  first  \'olume  of  Bp.  Newton  on  Prophecy.  By  the  prints  I  find 
under  the  London  News  of  Nov'  last,  that  the  Episc°  Clergymen  in 
Maryland  had  lately  preferred  a  Petition  to  the  King  asking  a 
Bishop  for  that  province. 

12.  Read  a  Pamphlet  pub.  at  B"  last  month  being  Ten  Letters  to 
Bp.  Hoadly  on  the  Mode  &  Subjects  of  Baptism. 

14.  Writing  Reflexions  on  the  X  Letters.  I  did  not  attend  M"" 
H.  Lecture  pr.  by  M''  Bacon. 

16.  M''  a  Jew  came  to  m}-  Stud}-  this  Even^  to  converse  on 

the  New  Testam' After  he  was  gone  I  was  told,  that  he  is 

courting  j\Iiss  Pollock  a  young  Jewess  much  inclined  to  Xtianit}', 
&  who  has  expressed  her  Wishes  that  her  Mother  &  family  would 
become  Christian.  That  they  had  both  got  an  English  New  Testa- 
ment &  read  it  privately  together  ;  &  were  surprized  in  the  Fact  by 
her  Friends,  who  were  highly  displeased. 

17.  Ldsda}^  A  M.  M""  Bacon  preached  ior  vi\Q.—fear  not  little  flock. 
P.M.  I  preached  Exod.  xx,  &c  Sabbath  &c.  &  published  Jn" 
Mumf*^  &  Anstis  Hammond  2^^  Time,  Will'"  Bently  &  Hannah  Pit- 
man &  Tho'  Honswell  &  Priscilla  Cory,  first  Time.  And  pro- 
poundd  Mary  Davis  for  Admiss.  into  full  Communion.  I  under.std 
ISP  Hopk.  this  day  propounded  three. 

20.  Chh  Meeting  at  Sister  Trevett's.  I  discoursed  on  i  Pet.  2, 
7.  perhaps  about  40  present  ;  next  to  be  at  S'  Toph.  last  Wedny 
next  Mo  :  an  excessive  cold  Day  &  Even^.  Fahr.  Therni''/^'^  above 
Cypher.  This  Evening  at  VI"  25.  died  M'  John  Channing  ;'  an 
hospitable  &  generous  Friend  to  me — an  immoveable  Advocate  for 
the  Doctrines  of  Grace  &  particularly  Ju.stific"'  by  the  great  Atonem* 
&  the  divine  Righteousness  of  the  Ld  J.  C.  imputed  to  the  peni- 
tent Believer.  He  was  much  of  a  Gentleman,  a  Merchant  of  Emi- 
nence negotiating  3  or  /"4000  Ster.  per  aim.  in  Commerce.  About 
1750  he  was  largely  in  Trade  in  Comp'  with  M''  Chaloner  his  Wifes 
Brother,  &  own  six  or  seven  large  Vessels  Brigs  &c.  In  1755  they 
failed  for  ^150,000.  Old  Ten'  and  perhaps  the  creditors  lost  ^80 
or  /locooo  or  about  Ten  Thous''  SterP.     This  gained  them  many 

'  Grandfather  of  the  Rev.  Wm.  EUery  Channing.  He  was  son  of  John  and 
Mary  (Antram),  from  Dorsetshire,  England,  and  married  on  Jan.  5,  1746,  Mary, 
daughter  of  Ninian  Chaloner,  of  Newport,  and  widow  of  James  Robinson. 


92  DIARY    OF   EZRA   STILES 

Enemies.  Recover^'  from  a  Bankruptc>-  Mr  Chann"  again  went  into 
Trade  and  from  1760  to  1770  traded  chiefly  in  European  Goods  to 
about  3  or  ^4000.  ster  per  Ann.  In  which  Time  he  met  with 
Losses  above  ^1500.  ster.  besides  ^^1200  ster.  bad  debts.  It  is 
feared  an  Insolvenc}-  must  take  place  on  a  settlem^  of  his  Estate. 
How  far  the  principle  of  Righteousness  &  Moral  Virtue  was  affected 
in  the  mixt  scenes  of  Commerce,  God  only  knows.  It  is  greatly 
happy  to  live  disentangled  from  the  World.  He  died  set.  56.  He 
was  born  in  Boston,  &  I  think  baptized  by  one  of  the  D''  Mathers. 
His  Father  left  Engld  in  Q.  Anns  Reign — -was  a  Puritan — &  his 
Grandmother  used  to  carry  Victuals  under  her  Cloke  to  the  puritan 
Ministers  in  prison  last  Century.  He  never  would  be  perverted 
from  an  Affection  to  the  puritan  Cause.  And  tho'  much  in  polite 
Life,  never  learned  profane  Swear-  nor  Drinking — tho'  he  loved 
affluence  &  even  luxurious  Entertainments  for  his  Friends.  He 
loved  &  kept  a  good  Table,  lived  high  as  to  Eating,  greatly — 
intirely  temperate  as  to  Drink^.  He  was  a  sensible  Man,  sociable, 
of  a  noble  spirit  detesting  every  Thing  mean  &  dishonorable. 

21.  This  Aft  at  Uj4^'  died  M''"  Hammond  set.  63.  wife  of  Cap' 
PoUipus  Hammond' — She  was  exceeding  kind  to  the  poor.  No 
Lect.  at  M''  Hopkins  because  of  intense  cold. 

22.  Cold  Moderated. 

23.  Th.  32  at  Noon.  M'  Bacon  set  out  for  Boston.  It  is  said 
Bristol  Ferry  is  so  frozen  that  a  Waggon  passed  across  on  the  Ice. 
Made  a  funeral  Sermon  on  M''  Channing. 

24.  Ldsdy.  A  M  &  P  M.  I  preached  on  Heb.  xi,  13.  These  all 
died  in  Faith,  &c.  I  published  besides  the  others,  Nathan  Beebee, 
&c.  Admitted  vSimon  Newton  into  full  Communion,  he  standing 
up  in  his  Pew. 

28.  Digesting  Materials  for  Ecc.  Hist.  New  Eng.  In  Even^ 
attended  M''  Hopk.  Lect.  He  preached  Heb.  xii,  25.  See  that  ye 
refuse  not  him  that  speaketh.  After  Lecture  we  went  to  Cap* 
Mores  to  the  Marriage  of  his  Daughter.  M'  Jn "  Chan*-'  son  of  dec*^ 
arrived  from  Carolina. 

March. 

I.  I  preached  my  Sacram*  Lect.  Col.  i,  10,  &  published  six 
Couples. 

3.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  Rom.  iii,  25,  without  Notes — admin- 
istered the  Lords  Supper — published   3   Couples.     P.M.  Mat.  v,  7, 

'  Sarah  Mumford,  of  Newport,  born  170S,  married  1734. 


FEBRUARY    2I-MARCH    8,    1 77 1  93 

a  funeral  Sermon  on  Sarah  the  wife  of  Capt  PoUipus  Hammond. 
Read  Newton  on  Prophec}*,  50  pages. 

4.  Red  226  pages  in  Newton  ;  &  some  in  Auhis  GelHus.  .  .  Last 
Monday  Even*^  M'  Hopkins  had  a  Meeting  of  the  young  Men  of  his 
Congreg^  at  his  House  :  this  Evening  he  had  a  Meet^  of  Young 
Women . 

7.  A  satyrical  piece  against  me  in  the  Providence  Gazette  to  ridi- 
cule my  Notion  of  the  Rapidity  of  American  Population  &  Growth 
of  the  N.  E.  Churches.'     I  did  not  attend  M''  Hopkins  Lecture. 

8.  Col.  Malbone  of  Pomfret  has  sent  down  to  Newport  to  invite 
a  numb,  of  Gent,  to  come  thither  next  month  to  celebrate  the  Con- 
secration of  an  Episc"  Chh,  which  he  has  procured  to  be  erected 
there."  It  is  said  that  there  are  about  sixtj-  Families  become  Episc" 
within  a  dozen  or  fifteen  Miles  round  the  Chh.  Mortlake  of  Brook- 
lin  is  a  Parish  of  small  bounds  made  out  of  Pomfret  &  Canterbury 

Pomf. 

thus Div.  Line. 

Cant. 

It  contains  perhaps  130  Earn,  presb.  A  Congreg^  Chh  was  gath- 
ered there  perhaps  about  1730,  M''  Avery  Pastor,  to  whom  suc- 
ceeded M''  Whitney'  present  Pastor  a  worthy  Man,  and  acceptable 
to  the  few  Episc''  themselves.  M"^  Malbon,  Father  of  present  Col. 
Malb. ,  perhaps  40  y.  ago  purchased  about  Five  Thousd  Acres  in 
the  S°  part  of  Pomfret,  all  which  fell  into  [&  was  a  quarter  part] 
Brooklin.  He  put  Negroes,  stock  &  Tenants  upon  it  &  it  became 
a  valuable  Plantation  :  but  never  settled  his  Family  upon  it.  It 
was  a  little  doubtful  whether  the  Land  of  a  nonResident  Episco- 
palian was  subject  to  ministerial  Taxes  ;  and  old  Col.  Malbon  being 
a  very  catholic  Chhman,  and  the  ministerial  Tax  being  for  many 
3'ears  at  first  very  small  on  his  Tract,  because  new  &  uncultivated, 
perhaps  not  much  more  than  the  Tax  of  one  Famih^  out  of  70  or 
80,  w°  70  or  80  fam.  might  give  M''  Aver}'^  a  Salary  of  ^50.  L.  M. 
thus  the  Tax  being  small  perhaps  scarce  2  or  3  Dollars  per  ann.  for 
30  years.  Col.  Malbone  consented  to  pay  it  steadil}- ;  In  this  man- 
ner it  became  a  Thing  of  Course  to  comprehend  this  Estate  in  the 
Rate  Bill.  As  the  Estate  grew  in  Value  the  proportion  of  Tax 
increased  upon  this  Tract  more  sensibl}'  than  on  other  Estates.  For 
the  other  three  Quarters  of  so  small  a  Tract  was  settled  &  bro't  to 

^  In  a  communication  signed   "A.  Z.,"  in  the  Gazette  of  March  2. 

^  See  this  Diary,  Jan.  2,  1770. 

^  Ephraim  Avery  (Harvard  1731),  and  Josiah  Whitney  (Yale  1752). 


94  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

at  once  ;  but  now  at  length  this  Qu""  was  so  cultivated   as  to  be  of 
great  Value,  &  so  as  to  pay  latelyy?//)'  Dollars  a  year  min.  Ra:te. 

Old  Col.  Malb.  died  a  few  years  since  :  &  the  sons  loosing  greatl}' 
in  Trade,  at  length  removed  &  settled  at  this  Estate.  Young  Col. 
Godfry  Malbone  treated  the  Min.  M'  Whitney  with  Respect  &  Hos- 
pitality &  had  no  Difference  with  him.  But  influenced  b}-  his  Chh 
Connexions  in  Newport  &  to  gratify  his  wife  &  family,  he  began 
at  length  to  be  disposed  to  have  a  Chh  near  him.  Which  could  be 
done  if  30  or  40  Families  could  be  brot  to  agree  to  support  or  help 
in  support^  a  Clergyman.  For  if  the  Society  in  Engld  would  give 
^30  or  £\o.  ster.  &  as  much  more  could  be  raised  in  the  Vicinity, 
Col  Malb.  proportion  would  be  less  than  w^hat  he  now  p''  to  a  Dis- 
sentg  Minister.  And  then  he  shd  have  a  Min.  to  his  Liking.  The 
Episc"  at  Newport  joyned  in  to  assist  in  build^  the  Chh.  Matters 
thus  prepared,  it  only  remained  to  find  occasion  for  breakg  off  a 
friendh'  connex.  with  M'  Whitney  &  pple.  Had  none  offered,  they 
were  too  ripe  not  to  break  off,  especially  after  the  Col.  remov"  him- 
self and  Famih^  there.  But  one  offered  &  it  was  seized.  A  new 
Meetingh.  was  wanted  &  proposed  at  the  Society  Meet".  Col. 
Malb.  mildh'  or  with  seeming  Mildness  opposed  it,  recommend^  a 
Repair,  as  some  others  opposed  it.  The  Vote  was  carried  for 
Build*-'  &  a  Tax  levied.  And  as  the  Malbone  Estate  was  a  q''  of  the 
parish  it  would  pa}'  a  very  large  share.  Thereupon  M""  Malbone 
declared  off,  and  for  the  first  time  determined  (what  had  been  pre- 
determind  in  Newport  long  before)  that  the  Estate  shd  pay  no 
more  :  but  he  would  build  a  Chh  if  a  suitable  Number  would  Con- 
form. So  he  went  to  proselyt^,  &  easily  got  a  doz.  or  more  of  those 
who  voted  ag^  Rebuild".  He  told  the  build^  a  Chh  shd  cost  them 
noth*^  it  shd  be  built  by  himself  &  Newport  Donations  ;  &  they  shd 
pa}^  only  their  Rate  to  the  Clergy m.  &  this  Rate,  no  more  than  to 
the  Dissent''  Ministers.  Then  he  sent  forth  into  Cant^'  Pomfret  &c 
&  found  a  number  of  discontented  &  uneasy  persons,  and  sang  to 
them  the  same  song  &c.  And  bj'  one  means  &  another  he  has  pre- 
vailed on,  the  Episc"  say  60  families,  the  Presb.  say  25  or  30,  to 
declare  for  the  Chh  of  Engld.  Col.  Malb.  procured  3  or  400  Dol- 
lars at  Newport,  some  subscriptions  among  the  Episc"  at  Boston  & 
N.  York,  &  thus  built  a  handsome  Chh.  This  Edifice  is  have  a 
grand  Consecration  this  Spring.  They  have  no  Clergyman  as  yet, 
but  are  seeking  out  for  one.' 

^  For  a  fuller  account  of  these  events,  see  Miss  Larned's  Hist,  of  Windham 
County,  ii,  6-15. 


MARCH    9-16,    1 77 1  95 

.      9.   M'"  Read  tells  me  they  now  have  one  Rul*-'  Elder  M' Cushman' 
in  the  Chh  of  Dartmouth  under  the  Rev  Sam'  West  Pastor. 

10.  Ldsday.  Stormy  Day.  I  preached  A  M.  Ps.  cxii,  4,  without 
notes.  &  published  two  Couples.  P  M.  2  Cor.  xiii,  5,  &  admitted 
Mary  Davis  into  the  Chh  :  &  propounded  Phyllis,  Serv'  of  Gov. 
Lyndon." 

13.  Last  Evening  I  married  two  Couples,  M'  Bebee  &  Miss  Skin- 
ner &  M'  Bently  &  the  only  surviving  Daughter  of  the  late  Deacon 
Pitman. 

14.  I  preached  M'  Hopk.  Eveng  Eect.  Prov.  ii,  3-6.  M''  Pemberton 
come  to  Town  ;  informs  that  M''  Blair  is  at  Boston — formerly  Pas- 
tor of  the  Old  South.'  [The  Episc"  put  by  their  Ball  or  Assembly 
on  Ace"  of  M''  Brown  supposed  dying.] 

16.  This  Foren.  at  X''  Died  here  the  Rev''  Marmeduke  Browne* 
A.M.  set  40.  circa.  Incumbent  of  the  Chh  of  Engld  in  Newport 
and  Missionar}'  from  the  Society  for  Propag^  the  Gospel.  The  Chh 
Bell  tolld  about  i>4  hour  or  from  about  X'^  5'  to  XI"  15'.  M' 
Brown  w^as  born  at  Providence  in  this  Colony,  where  his  Father 
Rev.  Marmeduke  Brown^  was  Episc"  Minister.  He,  that  is  the 
Father,  came  to  N.  Eng.  with  D""  George  Berkley  afterwards  Bp  of 
Clo}-ne  in  Ireld,  &  has  for  many  years  past  &  still  is  the  Episc" 
Mission^  at  Piscataqua  in  N  Hampshire.  He  sent  his  Son  to 
Dublin  for  a  liberal  Education,  after  which  he  took  Orders  & 
became  Itinerant  Miss^'  for  the  Prov.  of  N  Hampshire  :  upon  the 
Removal  of  Rev'*  Tho^  Pollen  from  Newport  to  Jamaica  1760,  M"" 
Brown  succeeded  at  Newport.  In  1769  he  went  home  to  Dublin  to 
secure  an  Estate  left  him  by  his  Wife  :  when  he  went  to  London,  & 
Antwerp  in  Flanders  :  &  returned  to  New^port  in  Aug^  or  Sept. 
last.  He  came  home  in  a  feeble  State  &  has  been  declining  ever 
since.     He  was   a  good   classic  Scholar  in  Latin   &  Greek — had  a 

'  See  this  Diary,  April  13,  1775. 

^  Col.  Josias  Ivyndon,  Governor  1768-9. 

3  The  predecessor  of  Messrs.  Hunt  and  Bacon,  from  1766  to  1769.  See 
Sprague's  Annals  of  the  Auter.  Pulpit,  iii,  268-70;  and  Hill's  Hist,  of  the  Old 
South  Church,  ii,  78-119,  138-40.  He  had  resigned  his  pastorate  while  absent 
in  Pennsylvania  ;  and  the  object  of  this  visit  was  to  resume  friendly  relations 
with  his  former  parishioners,  who  had  felt  aggrieved  by  the  circumstances  of 
his  resignation. 

•*  See  Sprague's  Annals,  V,  79-80,  and  Mason's  Annals  of  Trinity  Church,  i, 
145-48. 

*  Error  for  Rev.  Arthur  Browne  (B.A.  Trin.  Coll.  Dublin  1726). 


96  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILES 

general  acquaintance  with  I)i\init\',  but  not  deeply  read  in  it : 
of  indifferent  parts,  yet  made  a  tolerable  Figure  for  a  Chh  Clergy- 
man, [for  in  X.  E.  they  are  generally  of  very  ordinary  Talents.] 
And  since  his  Return  from  Europe,  it  is  said  he  discovered  some- 
thing of  a  serious  sense  of  Religion.  He  said  that  London  had 
abandoned  all  Religion  &  Virtue.  He  left  onh-  one  Child  Arthur 
Brown  about  vet  15.'  It  is  a  great  Thing  for  any  man  to  die  !  it  is  a 
great  Thing  for  a  Minister  to  die,  &  render  an  Ace"  of  his  Steward- 
ship to  the  great  Head  of  the  Chh  I 

17.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  all  day  on  Job  xxxvi,  26,  and  bajitized 
two  Children — M''  Simpson's  «&  M'  Ben.  Sayer's.  In  the  Evening  I 
married  Tho'  Crandal  &  Ann  Topham,  jun.  The  Episc"  or  Trinit}^ 
Chh  shut  up  «&  no  Ser\-ice  performed  in  it  all  day,  on  Account  of 
M''  Browne's  Death  ;  tho'  M''  Bisset  the  Assistant  Minister  is  in 
Town.     Superstitious  ! 

18.  At  six  o'clock  this  ]\Iorngthe  Colors  were  displayed  at  Liberty 
Tree,  the  Annivers^  of  Repeal  of  the  Stamp  Act  i']66.  The  two 
Presb.  Bells  rung  ;  but  the  Chh  Bell  was  silent,  but  at  length  rang 
with  the  rest.  At  sunset  the  Colors  struck  &  a  Canon  discharged. 
In  Even"  the  Committee  of  the  Sons  of  Lib-'  supped  at  Gov. 
Lyndon's. 

21.  Attended  as  a  Bearer  at  the  Funeral  of  the  Rev.  M""  Browne. 
The  other  Bearers  Rev.  John  Usher  of  Bristol,  Rev.  M''  Graves  of 
Providence,  Rev.  Sam'  Hopkins,  Rev.  Sam'  Faj^erw^eather  of  Nar- 
rag.,  Rev.  Luke  Babcock  of  Phillipsburg  New^  York,  all  Episcopa- 
lians but  M""  Hopkins.  The  three  Bells  tolled  at  I.  P  M.  then  at  II 
when  we  repaired  to  the  House  :  at  III  the  Procession  moved  and 
coming  to  the  Chh  the  Corps  were  deposited  before  the  pulpit  while 
Rev.  M'  Bisset  ( chh  Schoolmaster  &  Assistant  Minister)  read  the 
Service — part  of  the  ninetieth  psalm  in  Tate  &  Brady  sung  &  the 
Organ  played — then  M''  Bisset  preached  from  Ps.  xc,  12.  so  teach 
us  to  numb,  our  days  &c.  He  gave  a  very  high  Character  of 
M""  Browne.  Then  the  Corps  were  let  down  &;  buried  under 
the  Chh  just  before  the  Chancel  &  on  the  North  vSide  of  the 
pulpit,  M'  Usher  reading  the  Funeral  Service  at  the  Interment.  A 
great  Body  of  people  were  convened,  some  said  4000 — the  Chh  is 
100  feet  long  &  40  wide,  so  the  Area  4000  feet,  one  Gallery  of  per- 
haps 10   feet  depth  mak*-' in  whole   2000 -f- 4000  =  6000  sq""  feet.     I 

'  B. A.  Trill.  Coll.   Dublin   1776;  became  an  eniineiit  Irish  lawyer.     ^fx&  Dic- 
tionary of  National  Biography,  vii,  41. 


MARCH    17-30,    1 77 1  97 

judge  the  Chh  would  not  contain    1200  souls — I  suppose   within  tS: 
without  there  were  about  1000  or  1200  people. 

In  the  Even«  I  attended  M'  Hopkin's  Lecture  when  he  preached 
Jn"  xii,  26.  If  any  man  serve  me,  him  7ciU  my  J-'ather  honor :  a  full 
Lecture. 

After  Lecture  I  went  to  Cap'  Pollipus  Hammond  &  married  M' 
John  Mumford,  Son  of  W",  &  Miss  Anstis  Hammond,  Daut;hter  of 
Pollipus. 

22.  Read  Rev.  Mr.  Westle5^'s  Sermon  on  the  Death  of  Mr.  White- 
field  .  .  .  This  day  I  rec*'  a  Packet  from  New  Haven  contain" 
2  pamphlets,  one  Mess.  Breck,  Ballantines  &  Lathrops  Ans.  to 
Assoc,  of  N.  Haven  Count)^ — another  M'  Dickinson  on  the  New 
Divinity.'  I  find  by  the  prints  that  the  Commissions  have  been 
published  at  Boston  14"'  Ins'  constituting  L' Gov.  Hutch.  Governor, 
and  Secret^'  Oliver  L'  Gov.  of  Massachusetts. 

24.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  all  day  on  Change  of  the  Sabb.  from  these 
two  Texts  jo3'ntly  Exod.  xx,  8,  &  Rev.  i,  10.  I  published  2  couples 
viz  Abijah  Fisher  &  Mary  Bennet — &  Zephaniah  Pease  jun.  & 
Hannah  Tabor.  And  after  Sermon  P  M.  baptized  Phyllis  Gov' 
Lyndons  Negro  servant  &  admitted  her  into  full  Communion  . 
[This  day  died  Gov"^  Shirley  at  Roxbury  set  76.] 

26.  Last  Evening  M'  Isaac  Hart,  a  Jew  of  this  Town,  sent  me, 
to  read,  a  Letter  in  Hebrew  he  lately  received  from  Macpelah  in  the 
Holy  Land.     .      .^ 

27.  This  Even^  monthly  meeting  of  my  Chh  at  Sister  Topham's. 

28.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins'  Even^  Lecture.  He  preached  from 
Rev.  xxi,  7. 

29.  Went  to  the  Synagogue,  it  being  Even''  of  the  Passover. 

30.  Went  to  the  Synagogue,  it  being  PASSOVER.  They  read 
from  two  Vellum  Copies  or  Rolls  of  the  Law  in  the  Forenoon.  In 
the  Afternoon  they  began  by  reading  a  Portion  out  of  Solojnons 
So7ig.  This  was  new  to  me.  I  knew  not  before  that  the  Canticles 
were  ever  publickly  read  in  the  Synagogue — &  least  of  all  that  it 

'  The  first  named  of  these  pamphlets  was  A  Letter  from  the  Klders  in  the  Pro- 
vince of  Massachusetts-Bay,  who  assisted  in  the  Ordination  of  the  Rev.  John 
Hubbard  (the  diarist's  brother-in-law),  at  Meriden,  June  22,  1769  (New  Haven, 
1770,  8°  pp.  24);  the  second  was  An  Answer,  by  the  Rev.  Moses  Dickinson,  to 
two  important  Questions,  on  Blindness  of  Mind,  and  the  Work  of  Regeneration. 
(New  Haven,  1770,  8°  pp.  64.) 

-  The  original   Hebrew  of  this  letter  is  copied  by  Dr.  Stiles,  and  a  few  pages 
later  (under  date  of  April  26)  an  English  translation  is  given. 
7 


98  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

was  a  usage  at  the  Passover.  They  shewed  me  a  Copj^  of  the 
Canticles  with  a  Spanish  Translation  :  &  also  subjoyned  was  a 
Spanish  Translation  of  the  Chaldee  Targum  on  the  Canticles. 

The  preceding  I^etter  contains  a  Represent^  of  the  Jews  suffering 
in  the  holy  Land.  It  is  dated  from  Hebron  in  the  year  of  the 
Creation  5523  corresponding  with  A.D.  1763.  Signed  Aaron  Ali- 
phander,  Hijam  Jeudah  alias  Gomez  Peto,  Isaac  Hajja  Zabi  the 
priest,  Elias  Son  of  Archa,  Phinehas  Mordecai  Bag  Ive,  Abraham 
Gedelia  the  younger.  The>'  represent  that  they  are  taxed  or 
amerced  25,000  Pieces  of  Eight,  &  send  forth  two  Brethren  to 
collect  it  by  contribution.  This  Letter  was  sent  to  Mr.  Isaac  Hart 
of  Rhode  Island.    .    .    . 

31.  lydsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Luke  xi,  13,  &  pub.  2  Couples. 
P.M.  finished  course  of  Sermons  upon  the  Sabbath. 

April 

1.  Died  W°  Barbut  aet  59,  of  my  Chh. 

2.  Last  Evening  the  Rev.  M'  Rusmeyer  the  Moravian  Minister 
here,  brought  me  a  new  Edition  of  Serranjis'  Greek  Psalms. 
Francis  Okely  A.B.  lately  of  vSt.  Johns  Coll.  Camb.  in  his  Travels 
into  German}'^  found  the  onl}-  Copy,  &  last  year  published  it  in 
London  with  his  Lat.  TransP  Entitul-  it  "  Psalmorum  aliquot 
Davidis  Metaphrasis  Grgeca  Joannis  Serrani  et  Precationes  ejusdem 
Graeco  latinge,  &c."  Serranus  was  a  French  Refugee  who  fled  to 
the  Canton  of  Berne  &  being  received  kindly  there,  wrote  and  ded- 
icated this  Greek  Version  to  Hieronimus  Emanuel  head  of  that 
Canton  1575.  The  same  year  it  was  printed  by  Hen.  Stephens.  It 
consists  of  24  Psalms  selected  promiscuousl3\  To  these  Okely  has 
joyned  "Grsecorum  quorundam  Lyricorum  Poemata  sacra"  of  the 
moderns.  It  consists  of  250  pages  8"".  The  Design  of  the  Publi- 
cation is  to  furnish  the  Universities  with  a  greek  Classic  which  may 
instil  Christianity  into  you  at  the  same  Time  as  thej^  are  learning 
the  Greek  Language.  He  has  sent  over  to  get  them  introduced 
into  the  American  Colleges.  He  has  printed  a  Thousd  Copies  :  & 
if  this  succeeds,  he  purposes  to  furni.sh  others  both  Greek  &  Lat. 
vSo  that  the  Authors  to  be  learned  for  the  Dead  Languages  be 
changed — &  instead  of  the  antient  Gentile  Authors  full  of  idolatrous 
Worship,  the  modern  christian  Aiithors  be  substituted.  There  can 
l)e  but  one  objection  ag*  this,  that  the  Greek  of  Homer  Xenophon 
&  Thucydides   must  be  jnu'cr   tlian   that  of   the   moderns — &  the 


MARCH    3I-APRIL    8,    1 77 1  99 

Latin  Authors  of  the  Augustine  Age  purer  than  the  moderns — the 
Hebrew  of  Moses  &  Isaiah,  than  of  Jarchi  or  Mainionides,  tho' 
these  last  are  excellent.  Yet  it  may  be  said,  as  the  onh'  End  of 
leani"  the  dead  Languages  is  to  understand  Lat.  Gr.  &  Heb.  &  not 
so  much  to  write  them  perfectly  &  elegantly  (an  impossible 
Attempt  !)  so  the  Interpref^  &  Syntax  of  these  Languages  may 
be  learned  sufficiently  accuratel}'  from  less  perfect  Compositions — 
w''  have  the  advantage  of  convey*^  evangelistical  sentiments  with  the 
Language.  To  which  it  may  be  again  said — that  in  english  Books 
these  sentiments  may  be  conveyed  with  still  greater  clearness  & 
Facility.  So  that  I  rather  incline  to  the  Antients,  banishing  Horace, 
Juvenal  &  the  unchaste  Tribe,  and  making  a  Choice  of  the  best. 
Cicero,  Justin,  Tacitus,  Virgil  for  Latin  : — Homer,  Xenophon,  Plato, 
Dionysius  among  the  Greeks — I  think  for  Language  cannot  be 
equalled  for  Purity  of  Language.  If  a  stranger  Avas  to  learn  Eng- 
lish, he  would  not  learn  an  English  Book  wrote  by  a  German  or 
Italian,  but  by  a  Pope  or  an  Addison. 

3.  Buried  at  Boston  i^'  Inst.  Gov''  Shirle^^  set.  76. 

4.  Catechised  Children  this  Atternoon,  20  B.  30  G.  Attended 
M"^  H.  Even^  Lect. 

5.  All  day  digesting  Materials  for  Ecc.  Hist. 

7.  Ldsdy.  A.  M.  I  pub.  2  couples  &  preached  on  Ps.  xxxiii, 
18  ;  present  a  Seceeding  Minister  late  arrived  from  Scotland.  P.M. 
Ps.  89.  15.  Compared  the  52  &  53''  Ch.  of  Isaiah  in  English  & 
original — exam''  Dr.  Owen  &  Bp.  Kidder. 

8.  This  Afternoon  I  was  visited  b}^  Rev.  M''  Roger  a  young 
seceeding  Minister  lately  from  Scotland.  He  arrived  at  Boston  a 
fortnight  ago  or  23^*  ult.  with  his  Wife.  He  was  educated  at  an 
Academy  of  Seceders  in  Scotland.  He  was  ordained  first  of  Aug'' 
last.  He  tells  me  the  controversy  about  the  Burghers  Oath  began 
1748  &  divided  the  Seceeders  into  two  Synods,  the  Synod  of 
Burghers  consist^  of  Eighty  Ministers  &  that  of  the  Antiburghers 
consist^  of  above  one  hundred  Ministers  :  &  that  the  Interest  col- 
lectively consists  of  about  Two  Hundred  Ministers  «&  as  man>-  Chhs 
in  Scotland,  inclusive  of  six  Ministers  in  America,  one  at  Albany, 
one  at  N  York  M""  Mason,'  &  one  at  Philad\  That  Rev"  M""  Gibb 
of  Edinburgh  is  one  of  their  most,  eminent  Ministers,  &  M"'  Willison 

1  Rev.  John  Mason,  father  of  Rev.  John  Mitchell  Mason,  the  distinguished 
Presbyterian  preacher.  See  Sprague's  Annals  of  the  American  Pulpit,  vol.  9 
(Associate  Reformed,  pp.  4-1 1). 


lOO  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

of  I^ondon  another  who  wrote  the  Examination  of  Palsemons  or 
Sandemans  Creed.  He  says  the  Sccecders  began  with  four  Minis- 
ters, the  Erskines  &  others,  who  formed  the  Seccession  1732.  The 
Chh  of  Scotld  contains  about  900  or  a  Thousd  Ministers.  The 
Seceeders  have  in  40  years  grown  from  4  to  200.  The  six  in  Amer. 
have  formed  a  Prsby.  here  subordinate  to  &  a  Member  of  the  S^'uod 
in  Scotland.  M''  Roger  belongs  to  the  Antiburgher  Synod.  He  came 
over  in  consequence  of  Applic'  of  this  Presby.  to  that  Synod  :  the 
Presby.  informed  the  Synod  that  they  had  the  Care  of  Eighteen 
Congregations  &  Meetinghouses  in  America.  He  .seems  to  be  a 
serious  Man,  a  mighty  Admirer  of  all  D'  Owens  Writings 

11.  Did  not  attend  M'  Hopkins'  Eecture.  Reading  Basnage's 
Hist,  of  the  Jews  ;  &  writing  a  Latin  Letter  to  a  Moravian  Minis- 
ter at  Astracan  on  the  R.  Volga,  to  inquire  after  the  Ten  Tribes 
among  the  Kalnnics  &  Usbcck  Tartars  about  the  Caspian  sea. 

12.  M'  Roger  tells  me  each  Synod  has  an  Academy,  one  at  All- 
way  near  Stirling,  another  at  Haddington  S.  E.  from  Edinburgh. 
Here  are  educated  the  Seceders.  By  the  Prints  I  find  a  Chh  gath- 
ered March  27,  177 1  at  Monadinock  N"  4.  in  N.  Hampshire  ;  & 
Rev.  Benjamin  Bridgham  ord.  Pastor  at  the  same  Time.' 

14.  Ldsday.  A  M.  I  preached  Col.  ii,  9,  10.  P.M.  i  Thess.  ii,  11, 
12.  propounded  Mary  Wilson  for  full  communion  ;  &  notified  public 
ann-'  Fast  next  Thursday,  &  contrib.  for  the  poor  P.M.  .  .  .  This 
day  Rev'^  Edward  Upham  A  M.  Pastor  of  the  first  Baptist  Chh  in 
Newport  for  22  years  past,  preached  his  Farewell  Sermon.  He  is 
remo\-ing  to  Springfield,  where  he  was  formerly  Pastor  to  a  Baptist 
Church. 

17.  Examining  MS.  Letters  on  Indian  Affairs  addressed  to  D'' 
Cott.  Mather  &c.  Whence  I  collect  these  summary  memoirs,  viz. 
That  the  first  who  preached  the  Gospel  to  the  Massachusetts  was 
Rev.  Jn"  Eliott  of  Roxbury,  who  having  learned  the  Ind.  Language 
began  first  to  preach  to  them  Oct.  28,  1646.  Rev.  Roger  Williams 
had  preached  before  this  to  the  Narraganset  Indians.  M'  Eliot  in 
a  Letter  dated  22^*  of  the  6'  73,  says  "  There  be  (thro'  the  Grace  of 
Christ)  six  Chhs  gathered  accord^  to  the  order  of  gath*^  Chhs  among 
the  English,  one  at  Natik,  one  at  Hassannemeset  28  miles  to  the 
West,  one  at  Mashepoge  20  miles  East  of  Plymouth,  two  at  Martyns 
Vinyard,  &  one  at  Nantucket.      In  1696  M""  Rawson  was  appointed 

'  Rev.  Benj.  Rrij^ham  grad.  at  Harvard  1764  ;  this  town  was  re-chartered  in 
1773  under  the  name  of  Fitzwilliani. 


APRIL    II-18,    1771  lOI 

to  visit  all  New  Engld,  where  he  foimd  Thirty  Indian  Churches. 
Now  1 77 1  there  are  Ind.  Chhs  in  N.  E.  one  at  Mashpee,  one  about 
Sandwich,  one  at  Natick,  one  at  Housatunnuk,  one  in  Narraganset, 
two  on  the  Vinyard.  There  are  a  few  small  Congregations  besides 
which  [have]  preach^  occasionally  but  are  not  Chhs,  viz  at  Pot- 
nummekot  on  C.  Cod,  Pequots  in  Stonington  &  Groton,  at  Mohe- 
gan,  at  Niatuck  in  I^yme;  So  are  seven  Chhs  &  three  or  4  occasional 
Congregations.  All  the  Indians  in  N.  Eng.  could  not  now  make 
Ten  Congregations  of  a  hundred  Families  each.  By  the  prints  I 
find  that  "April  10,  177 1  the  Rev  M'  Timothy  Hillyard  was  ordained 
Pastor  of  the  East  Chh  in  Barnstable " 

By  the  prints  also  I  find  that  lately  died  at  Danbury  in  Connecti- 
cutt  M'  Robert  Sandeman  Founder  of  the  Sect  of  Sandimanians. 
He  came  from  Scotland  into  New-Engld  Autumn  1764.  then  about 
set.  47.  as  he  then  told  me.' 

18.  Public  Fast  in  the  Provinces  of  Massachusetts,  Connecticutt, 
&  New  Hampshire  by  civil  Authority  :  and  the  Congregational 
Chhs  in  Rhode  Island.  I  preached  both  Forenoon  &  Afternoon 
from  Isai.  lix,  i,  2.     Contrib.  for  poor. 

This  day  M''  Dawson  was  installed  Pastor  of  a  new  Baptist  Chh 
in  this  Town,  in  the  manner  following.  The  Congregation  assem- 
bled at  X.''  o'clock  A  M.  &  continued  in  the  Exercises  till  IV  P  M. 
There  was  present  only  one  Baptist  Elder  M''  Jenkins  of  Narragan- 
sett,  said  to  have  had  only  new  lyight  Eay-Ordination.  They 
begun  by  singing  a  Hymn  given  out  by  M''  Dawson,  who  then 
prayed  :  then  M''  Jenkins  gave  another  Hjmm  &  prayed.  After 
this  M""  Dawson  gave  a  history  of  his  Life,  read  some  Certificates 
concerning  himself,    &  gave  an  acco*  of  his  Conversion,  which  he 

said  was  when  he  was  six  years  old.     Then  M'' one  of  the 

Brethren  stood  up,  gave  a  word  of  Exhortation,  narrated  his  Expe- 
riences, &  declared  his  satisfaction  in  having  M""  Dawson  his  Minis- 
ter. Then  M''  Hubbard  another  Brother  stood  up  &  gave  his  Voice 
for  M""  Dawson.  I  think  only  these  two  Brethren  stood  up  to  speak. 
Next  several  Sisters  stood  up  one  after  another,  &  declared  their 
Experiences,  &  their  Satisfaction  in  M''  Dawsons  being  their  Minis- 
ter, engaging  to  stand  by  him  in  all  his  Difiiculties  &  Trials  thro* 
good  and  evil  Report.  Thus  the  general  Consent  &  Aquiescence  of 
all  the  Brethren  and  Sisters  was  taken.  Upon  which  M''  Dawson 
declared  his  acceptance  of  the  Office  to  which  he  was  thus  called, 

'  See  this  Diary,  Aug.  5,  1772. 


I02  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

which  he  accordingly  took  upon  himself.  I  do  not  find  that  there  was 
any  charge  given.  But  to  finish  the  Proceedure,  Elder  Jenkins  then 
publickly  gave  M''  Dawson  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship,  but  used 
not  Imposition  of  Hands.  And  then  the  solemnity  was  concluded. 
There  may  be  a  dozen  or  fifteen  Communicants  of  the  Church, 
which  received  no  other  Gathering  or  Embodying — than  that,  after 
M''  Dawson  had  baptized  a  number  last  3'ear  he  at  length  about  the 
M"  of  March  last  year,  administered  the  Eds  vSupper  to  them  once 
or  twice,  When  Differences  soon  arising  this  Ordinance  was  discon- 
tinued. M''  Green  &  some  others  disagreed  &  left  him.  And 
M''  Dawson  himself  went  away  to  Philad-'  last  3'ear  ;  but  return- 
ing this  year  &  baptizing  a  few  more,  resumed  the  purpose  of  sett- 
ling among  them.  And  the  public  Coalescence  »&  Transaction  of 
this  day  may  be  considered  as  constituting  them  a  Chh. 

19.  Translating  the  Eetter  from  Macpelah.  This  da}'  Rev. 
Edward  Upham  with  his  Wife  &  Family  sailed  for  Connecticutt 
River — removing  to  vSpringfield.  His  Congregation  &  Friends 
accompanied  them  to  the  Ship  with  many  Tears. 

21.  Edsdy.  AM.  I  published  D'  Peter  Thatcher  Wales  &  M" 
Ei'dia  Potter  both  of  Portsmouth,  &  preached  Deut  v,  29,  and  pro- 
pounded Abigail  &  Ann  Hammond  for  the  Commun.  in  my  Chh. 
P.M.  Exchanged  with  M'' Hopkins — he  preached  Dan.  x,  11.  I 
preached  Ps.  119,  40  &  prop.  Mary  Gladd^  for  Commun.  in  his  Chh. 

24.  Col.  Nathan  Whiting  of  New  Haven  died  there  the  9"" 
Instant  set  47.'  Chh  meeting  at  Sister  W°  Channings  when  I  dis- 
coursed on  Jno.  iv,  10. 

26.   Did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopk.  Eect.  last  night. 

28.  Edsdy.  A  M.  I  published  the  Banns  of  D'  Wales  &c.  second 
time,  and  preached  on  Ps.  119,  59,  all  day.  And  P  M.  admitted 
W°  Wilson  into  full  communion  :  notified  Eds  supper  next  Sabb.  & 
sacr'.  Eect.  next  Frida}-  at  Five  o'clock  Afternoon.  The  Eunar 
Eclipse  this  Evening  came  on  about  VIII''  20'  &  went  off  about  X. 
25'  or  27  app.  Time  at  Newport.  It  was  a  thick  Air.  About  half 
or  six  Digits  eclipsed.     Time  diff.  from  the  Almanacks. 

29.  This  day  arrived  here  Cap*-  Gilbert  from  Eondon.  In  him 
came  oxer  a  printed  Plan  of  Imperial  Union,  viz  the  Parliament  of 
Ireland  to  he  dissolved,  &  its  Members  be  incorporated  into  the 
British  Parliament  :  and  America  to  be  allowed  fifty  Members  of 
Parliament. 

'  Yale  Coll.  1743.     He  was  a  second  cousin  of  Mrs.  Stiles. 


APRIL    19-MAY    6,    177 1  103 

30.  The  Rev.  M''  Albert  IvUdolph  Ritssmej^er  Moravian  Minister 
here  shewed  me  sundry  I^etters  from  different  Parts  of  the  World, 
collected  &  circulated  among  the  Unitas  Fratrum,  which  I  read  this 
Evening. 

May 

1.  This  day  the  Gen.  Election  here.  The  Hon.  Joseph  Wanton 
Esq.  chosen  Gov  :  the  Hon.  Darius  Sessions  Esq.  chosen  Dep-'  Gov- 
ernor :  and  Henry  Marchant  Esq.  chosen  Attorney  General.  I 
received  by  the  Post  from  Boston  Rev.  M'  Lathrops  Sermon  on  the 
Murder  of  5  March  1770.  also  M'' James  Lovells  English  Oration 
Apr  1771  :  also  the  printed  Charter  &  Regulations  of  the  Corpora- 
tion of  the  first  Congreg-'  Chli  in  Providence  under  M'  Rowlands 
pastoral  Care.  N.B.  M''  Snows'  Chh  was  originally  Congregational 
at  its  Gathering  1746 — after  his  Death  it  will  probably  become 
Baptist 

2.  Attended  M'  Hopkins  Even^"  Lect.  he  preached  Jn"  xiv,  13, 
14.  A  Letter  from  Gen.  Gage  this  day  laid  before  the  Assembly, 
notif3'ing  his  Majesty s  pleasure  that  a  Regiment  be  stationed  at 
Newport,  &  desiring  Barracks  may  be  prepared.  The  Assembly 
laid  it  by. 

3.  Sacrt.  Eect.  at  V  P.M.  I  preached  i  Cor.  xi,  24,  25,  and 
pub.  Dr.  Wales  last  Time. 

4.  This  Day  the  Assembly  agreed  not  to  obstruct  the  coming  of 
the  Troops,  if  the}-  came  onl)^  as  marching  Troops  &  not  to  make 
any  Stay.  But  if  otherwise,  the  Governor  immediately  to  call  the 
A.ssembly.     The  Assembly  adjourned  as  usual  to  June. 

This  Concession  seals  the  Death  of  American  Liberty.  May  God 
humble  us  for  those  sins  which  have  brot  down  these  heavy  Judg- 
ments &  Calamities  upon  us.' 

5.  Eds  da}'.  A  M.  I  preached  Jn"  i,  14,  admitted  Abigail  & 
Anne  Hammond  into  full  Communion ;  administered  the  Lords 
Supper  to  68  Communicants.     P  M.  Hosea  xiv,  i,  2. 

6.  I  find  an  Ace"  in  the  N  Lond.  Gazette  that  D'  Johnson  has 
hired  a  House  at  Stratford  for  the  Residence  of  the  Dean  of  Limer- 
ick,' who  is  coming  over  sent  hither  by  the  Society   for  propag. 

^  For  Rev.  Joseph  Snow  see  below,  June  25-26,  1771. 

-  The  troops  were  not  sent  to  Newport. 

^  The  reference  (under  an  erroneous  title)  is  to  the  Rev.  George  Berkeley,  son 
of  Bishop  Berkeley.  See  below.  May  18.  See  also,  Beardsley's  Life  of  Samuel 
Johnson,  341-42. 


I04  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Episcopacy,  to  take  Inform^  of  the  State  of  the  Episc"  Chhs  in 
America.  It  is  said  to  reside  here  four  years  &  then  to  return  to 
Europe.  But  I  suppose  he  is  to  be  turned  into  an  American  Bishop. 
Rode  to  E.  Greenwich. 

7.  At  East  Greenwich  I  preached  all  day.  A  M.  from  Jn''  i,  14, 
to  about  100  persons  in  the  Courthouse.  P  M.  Ps.  119,  50  to  about 
130  or  140  persons.  There  are  about  a  dozen  Families  of  Presby- 
terians there  &  in  that  Vicinit}'. 

8.  I  returned  to  Newport.  By  the  prints  I  find  that  Five  hun- 
dred persons  are  coming  from  Islay  in  Scotland  to  America  as  set- 
tlers, I  suppose  for  St.  Johns.  A  large  Colony  are  also  coming 
from  Sky. 

The  first  Inst.  May  were  two  Ordinations.  The  Rev''  Enos 
Hitchcock  was  ord.  "  Co-pastor'"  with  the  Rev''  Jno.  Chipman  in 
the  Second  Chh  in  Beverly  .  .  .  The  Rev"  Isaac  Story  was 
ordained  the  same  day  at  Marblehead  Copastor  with  the  Rev''  Mr. 
Bradstreet. 

9.  No  Lecture  at  M""  Hopkins.  I  married  D'  Wales  of  Portsm" 
this  Aft.  &  M'  Fisher  of  Providence  in  the  Evening. 

II.  In  the  Gent.  Magaz.  Dec.  is  an  Ace"  of  the  City  &  suburbs 
of  Canterbur}^ — Medium  of  4  years  from  1766  to  1769,  Total  Births 
291.  Deaths  296,  Marriages  88.  There  are  987  Houses  within  the 
Walls  (S:  851  without,  all  1838  ;  as  by  a  late  Numeration.  Rev.  D'' 
Richard  Price  F.R.S.  reckons  not  5  but  43/(  persons  to  a  house  for 
London.  Thus  the  Inliab.  are  8730  Souls  :  to  which  add  320  poor 
usually  maintained  in  the  General  Workhouse  &  in  six  poor  hospitals 
make  Tot.  Inhab.  about  9000.  If  the  Deaths  be  considered  a  30"^  the 
Total  about  8880. 

Remark,  i.  Newport  Rh.  Isld  has  a  Th.  or  12  hundred  Houses, 
&  near  8000  Souls  Whites  &  Blacks,  &  yet  the  medium  of  its 
Deaths  not  much  above  200  per  ann,  or  about  -3  of  the  Deaths  of 
Canterbury.  From  1760  to  1770  total  Deaths  in  Newport  1629 
Whites  &  407  Blacks  =  2036.  Boston  is  more  than  double  the 
Number  of  Deaths,  &  yet  its  houses  said  to  be  not  above  3000  &  its 
vSouls  15  Thousd.  There  are  500  Burials  at  Boston,  not  300  at 
Cant^',  so  Boston  much  larger  than  the  Archiepiscopal  City  of  Can- 
terbury. 

12.  Lds  day.  I  preached  all  day  from  i  Jn"  iii,  23.  Baptized 
Clark  Crayton  Son  of  Cap^  Belcher. 

13.  At  V"  P  M.    I  catechised   87   Children.     News  that  the  Lord 


MAY    7-23,    1771  105 

Mayor  of  London  Crosby  was  sent  to  the  Tower  about  20'"  March, 
for  discharging  a  Printer  apprehended  by  a  Messenger  of  Parliam^ . 
&  arresting  the  Messenger. 

14.  Ezra  having  spelt  &  read  to  the  52''  Psahn  in  the  Hebrew 
Psalter,  this  day  began  to  translate  the  first  Psalm.  I  purpose  he 
shall  translate  only  a  verse  or  two  a  daj^  before  Breakfast. 

15.  Formed  an  Emblem  of  the  Universe. 

16.  Attended  Even^  Eect.  at  M''  Hopk.  meeting.  M'  Niles'  a 
Candidate  for  the  Ministry,  pr.  fr.  Jn"  i,  12.  This  Even'^  M'  Hop- 
kins returned  from  Connecticutt,  &  brought  with  him  D""  Bellamy 
of  Bethlem  &  M'  Searl  of . 

17.  Attended  another  Even^  L,ect.  at  M"'  Hopkins.  D''  Bellamy 
preached  from  Ps.     The  Ld  reigneth,  therefore  &c. 

18.  I  am  told  that  the  Dean  of  Limerick  is  D''  Berkley  Son  of  the 
late  Bp  Berkley  ;  &  that  he  has  £  1000  ster  per  ann.  from  the  King. 
In  Afternoon  D' BelP'  preached  at  the  Bapt.  Sabb.  Meeting  Ps.  91,  i. 

19.  Ldsday.  AM.  Rev.  M''  Searl  of  Stoneham''  preached  for  me 
from  Jude  v.  6. — unto  the  Judg'  of  the  great  Day.  P  M.  D""  Bellamy 
preached  for  me  from  i  Cor  xiii,  13. — Faith,  Hope,  Charity.  At 
VI''  the  D''  preached  again  at  M''  Hopk.  Luke  xv,  17.  These  words 
"  And  when  he  came  to  himself."  — 

20.  Read-  Voltaire's  Phil.  Dictionary.  This  Even^  Dr.  BelP' 
preached  at  Mr.  Hopk.  Meet",  Jno  iii,  18. 

21.  Went  to  the  Association  of  the  Congregational  Pastors  at 
Little  Compton. 

22.  I  preached  the  Assoc.  Lecture  from  Mat.  xi,  28-30.  At  V" 
Rev.  M""  Rogerson^  preached  again.  Present  Rev^'  Messrs.  Town- 
send,  Campbell,  Ellis,  Rogerson  &  mj-self  :  six  were  absent.  M"" 
Staples^  was  present,  a  Candidate  preaching  at  Dighton  :  he  prayed. 
We  wrote  a  Letter  Testimonial  »&  recommendator}-  for  Rev.  M"" 
Rowland^  of  Providence. 

23.  Returned  home.  This  day  D^'  Bellamy  left  Newport  on  his 
Return  to  Connecticutt.  He  preached  seven  times  publickl}-  in 
Town  :   M''  Searl  twice. 

'  Nathaniel  Niles  (Coll.  of  N.  J.  1766),  afterwards  a  prominent  layman  in  Ver- 
mont. 

^  See  above,  Oct.  22,  1769. 

'  Robert  Rogerson,  minister  of  Rehoboth,  Mass.,  1751-99. 

••John  .Staples  (Princeton,  1765),  a  native  of  Taunton,  Mass. 

'  Mr.  Rowland  (Yale  1743)  was  straitened  for  support  and  was  contemplating 
removal.     He  finally  resigned  in  Aug.,  1774. 


Io6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

24.  This  day  a  Spinning  Match  at  M"'  Hopkins'  about  eighty 
Wheels. 

25.  Two  days  ago  arrived  here  one  Pearce  of  Narragansett  from 
a  Captivity  of  fifteen  j'-ears.  He  was  taken  by  the  Indians  at  the 
Tak^  of  F'  W"  Henry'  above  Albany  &  on  Hudsons  Ri^'er,  &  car- 
ried back  among  the  Indians  to  the  Mississippi  &c.  He  left  here  a 
Wife  &  several  Children,  his  Wife  is  dead,  his  Children  living.  He 
eats  but  once  in  fourty  Eight  Hours  or  two  Days,  a  Custom  the 
Indians  brot  him  to.  Went  to  the  Synagogue.  Read  in  Voltaire's 
Dictionary  philosophical. 

26.  Lds  dy.  A  M.  I  preached  Heb  ix,  2S.  Present  aged  M''  Bart- 
let  Father  of  D'' Jn"  Bartlett  of  my  Chh.  P.M.  Isai.  Ixvi,  10-12. 
I  published  two  Couples  Benedict  &  Hezek.  Daj'ton  &c  &c.  Yes- 
terday M""  Hopkins'''  Brother  of  Rev.  Sam'  Hopkins,  came  to  Town, 
&  preached  all  day  &  Even"  Ivccture.      I  did  not  attend  it. 

29.   Finished  read^  Voltairs  profane  Philos.   Dictionar)-.     He  has 

some  instructive  Remarks This  day  there  was  much 

religious  Exercise  in  Newport.  It  was  Charles's  Restor^  at  Chh  of 
Engld. — M'  Dawson  preached  abroad  at  the  Point  &  baptized  two 
persons  by  Immersion  in  the  Sea  in  the  Afternoon  about  HI".  At 
VI*"  M'  Kelly^  a  young  Baptist  Minister  Candidate,  preached  at 
late  M''  Uphams  Meeting — at  ¥11^2  or  about  sunset  M''  Russmej^er 
at  Moravian  Meet^  held  weekly  Eect.  &  M''  Daw\son  preached  at  his 
own  Meef^,  M''  Hopkins  preached  his  Brother's  Even-  Eecture — and 
at  the  same  time  was  a  monthly  Meeting  of  my  church  at  B''  Rob. 
Stevens'  when  I  discoursed  on  Jude  20,  21,  to  about  48  Communi- 
cants, &  finished  a  few  minutes  after  Nine. 

31.  D""  Eeverett  Hubbard^  of  New  Haven  made  Lieut.  Colonel  of 
N  Haven  Regiment  of  Militia  by  Gen.  Assembly.  Wednesday  last 
an  Episc"  Convention  at  Norwich. 

June. 

I.  Finished  the  hebrew  Psalms  &  began  again.  Afternoon  went 
to  the  Sabbatarian  Baptist  Meeting  &  heard  M''  Kelly  preach  on  the 
Parable  of  the  good  Samaritan.  Afterwards  I  was  visited  b}-  the 
Rev.  W"'  Gordon  of  London  who  with  his  Wife  came  to  Philad^ 

'  Aug.,  1757. 

"  Rev.  Daniel  Hopkins  (Yale  Coll.  1758),  of  Salem,  Mass. 

^  Erasmus  Kelly,  born  in  Pennsylvania,  July,  1748.  See  below,  Oct.  9,  1771, 
and  July  24,  1776. 

^  Yale  1744  :  brother  of  Mrs.  Stiles. 


MAY    24-JUNE    10,    1 771  107 

last  Winter.  He  was  educated  in  the  Academy  in  London  now 
under  D""  Conder  :  was  thirteen  j-ears  in  the  Ministry  at  Ipswitch  in 
Engld,  &  thence  removed  to  a  Congregation  in  London  &  succeeded 
the  Rev.  D""  Jennings.  He  obtained  a  Release  from  this  Congreg^ 
&  came  over  out  of  an  ardent  Desire  to  spend  the  rest  of  his  Days 
among  the  Puritans  of  New  England.' 

2.  Ivds  dy.  A  M.  I  published  two  Couple.  Rev''  William  Gor- 
don of  London  preached  for  me  Luke  ii,  30.  P  M.  I  preached 
Philip,  ii,  15,  16,  and  notified  Society  Meeting  to  morrow  at  V. 
P  M.  and  catechising  Tuesday  V  P  M.  Attended  an  Evening  Lec- 
ture at  M'  Hopkins  Meet*^  when  M''  Gord.  preached  Lleb.  ii.  3.  In 
Even^  I  married  Benedict  Da^-ton  &c. 

3.  M''  Gordon  &  Lady  went  via  Providence  for  Boston.  He  is 
set.  43  or  one  year  younger  than  I  am.  This  Afternoon  my  Con- 
gj-gga  yoted  to  apply  to  the  Gen.  Assembly  for  a  Charter  of  Incor- 
poration. 

4.  I  have  now  Three  Thousd  Silkworms  hatched.  At  V"  P  M. 
I  catechised  20  B.  50  G.  4  Neg.  Tot.  74. 

5.  Spinning  Match  at  my  house,  70  Wheels  ;  spun  «&  brot  in 
1 87  fourteen-knotted  Skeins  of  fine  Linnen  yarn.  My  kind  people 
sent  in  to  us  Tea,  Flour,  Sugar,  Gammons  &c  &c  to  the  amount  of 
35  or  fourt}^  Dollars,  the  greatest  Part  of  which  was  left. 

6.  I  find  the  two  Associations  in  Hampshire  County,  «&  the  Con- 
gregational Convention  at  Boston  have  incensed  Gov.  Hutchin.son 
with  flattering  Addresses.  Attended  M''  Hopk.  Even^  Lecture  at 
VI"^.     He  preached  Jn"  xvi,  8. 

9.  Lds  dy.  M.  I  preached  Ps.  119,  140,  &  pub.  Hez.  Dayton 
last  Time.  P  M.  I  preached  Gal.  vi,  14,  and  at  the  Desire  of  the 
Committee  communicated  a  Vote  of  the  Congreg^  for  a  Foren.  Con- 
tribution every  Ldsd}^  for  Repair  of  Steeple  &c  And  notified  a 
Meeting  of  the  Brethren  of  the  Chh  at  my  House  tomorrow  V. 
P.M. 

10.  Last  Even^  I  married  Hez.  Dayton  &  Ruth  Smith  at  her 
Mothers.  This  Afternoon  my  Chh  met  &  I  laid  before  them  the 
Draught  of  a  Charter  or  Act  of  Incorporation  which  they  approved 
&  voted  to  joyn  with  the  Congregation  in  solliciting  the  Gen. 
Assembly  now  sitting  to  grant  the  same.     After  this  the  Congreg* 

1  He  settled  in  Roxbury,  Mass.,  as  pastor  of  the  3d  Parish  from  July,  1772,  to 
1786,  when  he  returned  to  England.  Best  known  by  his  History  of  the  Revo- 
lutiofi.     See  below,  June  2,  1789. 


I08  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

met  at  the  Meetinghouse  &  approved  the  same  Charter  &  Voted  & 
signed  a  Petition  &c.  To  this  Petition — in  the  name  of  the  Chh  & 
Congreg-' — the  signers  are  promiscuous  without  distinction  of  Com- 
municants &c.  About  700  Silkworms  (out  of  3500J  skin'd  the  first 
Time  ;  &  the  rest  ahnost  universal!}'  asleep. 

11.  The  Charter  read  first  Time  in  the  Assembly,  &  opposed  by 
M''  Moses  Brown  of  Providence  a  Baptist. 

12.  By  the  B"  prints  I  find  that  5^''  Instant  died  Rev.  Samuel 
Phillips  Pastor  of  2"  or  S"  Chh  in   Andover  set.  82.'     A  venerable 

'  Graduated  at  Harvard  College,  1708.  See  vSprague's  An^ials  of  the  Ainer. 
Putpit,  i,  273-75. 

Dr.  Stiles  visited  Mr.  Phillips  in  June,  1768,  and  has  preserved  the  following 
notes  in  his  Itinerary  : — 

Rev'  Sam'  Phillips,  born  Feb.  17,  O.  S.  1690,  Pastor  of  2'^  Chh.,  Andover, 
began  preaching  there  Apr.,  1710.  Ord.  17.  Oct.,  1711.  Chh.  gathered  same 
day,  14  Males,  21  Females,  who  also  signed  the  Chh.  Cov'  with  the  Males. 

Deacons 

(  In"  Abbot,  ob.   1720  circa 
1711  •,  . 

t^  AVm.  Love  joy 

Nehemiah  Abbot 
Jn°  Abbot,  son  of  Jn'' 
Isaac  Abbot 
Joseph  Abbot 
Jn"  Dane 
Hezek.  Ballard. 
The  4  last  liv*-'  1768  &  officiat*^. 

Use  Cov' — All  baptized — not  one  family  unbaptized — about  200  fam.  Negro 
Servant  in  Cov'  having  formerly  owned  it,  had  child  lawfully  ;  Mr.  Phillips 
offered  to  bapt.  it  for  the  Master — refused  to  do  it  for  the  Servant's  right  unless 
freed.  The  IVIaster  promised  for  the  EduC  &  Mr.  Phillips  baptized  it.  Ex 
ore  D.  P/iittips. 

In  Mr.  Phillips'  Register  of  Communicauts  as  they  were  1762  with  .\dditions 
to  this  Time  they  amounted  to  Two  Hundred  &  Sixty  nine  :  of  which  Eight 
are  since  dead  :  so  Total  of  Commun.  now  living  &  in  regular  stands  261. 

102  INIen  167  Women 

dead      4  4 

98  163  Fem. 

From  all  I  can  learn  this  Chh.  &  that  at  Hinghani  are  in  the  best  State  of 
any— &  nearly  as  perfect  as  this  World  will  admit.  They  are  not  only  gener- 
ally baptized  &  as  many  Commun.  as  can  be  expected— but  keep  up  family 
Religion  &  Worship,  are  sober,  industrious,  just,  kind,  and  as  a  people  live 
godly  Lives,  walk*^  in  all  the  Ordinances  &  Command"  of  the  Ld.  blameless. 
Particularly  Mr.  Phillips,  who  is  a  truly  evangelical  &  apostolic  Pastor,  told 
me  that  of  the  261  Communicants  not  one  was  under  Scandal. 


JUNE    II-I2,    1771  109 

Minister  of  the  truly  puritan  Stamp  with  whom  I  was  well 
acquainted.  He  was  formerly  a  great  Opposer  of  M'  Whitefield  & 
the  Extraordinaries  of  1741 — he  was  an  Old  Light  Calvinist. 

The  Charter  took  up  the  Assembl}-  the  whole  Forenoon.  AP 
Moses  Brown,  M""  Jenks  &  M""  Hopkins  formerly  Gov.  [the  Provid 
Deputies  &c]  M'  Cumstock  &c  strongly  opposed  it.  M'  Cranston 
and  M'  Geo.  Hazard  Newport  Dep.  spoke  for  it,  tho'  both  Chhmen. 
Upon  calling  the  Vote  in  the  Lower  House,  it  was  granted  by  three 
Majority  only.     Three  or  more  Quakers  voted  for  it. 

By  convers^  wdth  —  of  Narrag.  I  find  that  M''  Solomon  Sprague' 
(son  of  old  Elder  Sprague)  was  ordained  Elder  of  the  Baptist  Chh 
in  Exeter  (called  New  Lights)  June  1769  by  the  La3ang  on  of  the 
hands  of  five  Baptist  Elders- viz  Elder  Joshua  Moss''  of  N.  London, 
Elder  Worden'  now^  removed  to  Hosac,  Elder  Young,  Elder  Gallop 

&  One  that  saw  Elder  James  Rogers  ordained  at  Richmond, 

&  afterwards  of  S**  Kingston,  told  me  that  five  Elders  laid  on  hands 
viz  Elder  Joshua  Moss  of  N  London,  Elder  Palmer'  of  Stonington, 
Elder  Babcock'  of  Westerly  &  two  others  forgotton. 

This  Afternoon  the  Charter  was  read  in  the  Upper  House,  and 
without  saying  any  Thing  upon  it,  immediately  put  to  Vote  by  the 
Governor  Joseph  Wanton  Esq,  and  passed,  tw^o  or  three  not  voting 
at  all,  &  one  only  voting  against  it.  The  Dep'  Gov.  Darius  Sessions' 
Esq  is  a  Presb.  or  Congregationalist. 

Old  Light  yet  Calvinist— too  cunning  for  all  the  Men  in  the  Parish. 

Customs — 6  Catechizings  per  ann,  once  in  Meetinghouse,  rest  in  diff.  Vicini- 
ties :  begin  Communions  on  first  Sabb.  April  &  continue  once  in  6  Weeks  till 
six  Sacraments  completed  in  the  year  :  begin  Sabb.  on  Saturday  Evening,  as 
do  most  or  all  of  the  Chhs.  all  around  &  perhaps  in  Mass.  Province.  Reads 
Scripture  in  Foren.  public  Worship,  formerh'  Afternoon  also,  now  omits  thro' 
Age.  Sing  Old  N.  E.  Version.  Use  Relations.  Mr.  Phillips  has  Estate  of 
^4000.  Sterling  :  has  3  Sons,  one  worth  ^loooo,  the  other  ^20000  Ster.  apiece, 
no  Daughters. 

^  Son  of  Elder  David  Sprague,  and  born  April  2,  1730.  The  father  founded 
the  Baptist  Church  in  Exeter,  R.  I.,  and  died  in  1777  ;  the  son  succeeded  him 
as  minister  there  in  1769,  and  died  on  February  26,  1794.  He  was  also  a 
physician. 

-  Joshua  Morse,  born  1726,  ordained  1750  in  what  is  now  Montville,  Conn., 
died  1795. 

^  Peter  Worden,  born  1728,  ordained  1751  in  Warwick,  R.  I.,  removed  to 
Coventry  R.  I.,  1757,  and  Cheshire,  Berkshire  County,  Mass.,   1770,  died  180S. 

■'Wait  Palmer,  ordained  1743. 

*  Stephen  Babcock,  ordained  1750. 

*  B.A.  Yale  1737. 


no  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

The  Gentlemen  of  my  Congreg-''  who  appeared  for  us  were  M"" 
Rob.  Stevens,  M""  Otis,  M''  W"  Eller}-,  M''  Marchant,  D"-  Bartlett. 
Few  others  of  my  Meeting  present. 

13.  By  the  B"  Prints  I  perceive  that  the  address  to  the  Gov.  from 
the  Convent,  of  Cong.  Pastors  at  Boston  was  hastily  procured  & 
early  in  a  very  thin  Convention  before  the  Ministers  were  fully  come 
together.  There  are  above  Three  hundred  Cong.  Pastors  in  Massa- 
chusetts. Only  Seventee7i  proved  a  Majority  out  of  Twenty  four 
only  then  present  in  voting  this  flattering  Address  to  a  Man  w^ho 
declared  his  ' '  profound  Veneration  for  the  Church  of  England  ' ' 
and  tho'  a  Communicant  in  our  Chhs  as  well  as  in  the  Chh  of 
Engld,  speaking  of  the  Cong.  Chhs  to  the  Pastors  calls  them  "  your 
Churchs."  I  have  been  formerly  a  Friend  to  this  Man,  have  had 
the  honor  of  receiving  several  lyCtters'  from  him  while  writing  his 

^  The  following  extracts  are  from  Gov.  Hutchinson's  letters  among  Dr.  Stiles's 
papers  : — 

Boston,  15.  Feb.  1764 
Rev'  Sir, 

My  good  friend  Mr.  Chesebrougli  mentioned  to  me  some  time  ago  that  you 
was  employing  some  part  of  your  time  in  a  History  of  the  Country,  but  whether 
it  was  a  general  history  of  the  Colonies  or  of  any  one  in  particular  &  whether 
your  plan  was  large  &  circumstantial,  or  compendious  &  more  general,  he  did 
not  acquaint  me.  I  have  spent  some  time  in  a  work  of  this  nature  which  I 
have  now  ready  for  the  press  ...  If  I  had  known  that  a  gentleman  of  your 
talents  was  engaged  in  a  work  of  this  nature,  I  should  not  have  thought  there 
would  have  been  occasion  for  my  employing  myself  in  the  same  way  ...  I 
intended  to  have  published  the  work  here,  but  as  there  is  some  probability  of 
my  going  to  England  in  a  few  months,  I  shall  suspend  the  publication  until 
that  matter  is  determined.   .   . 

Boston,  4  July,  1764 
Reverend  Sir, 

Your  obliging  letter  of  7.  May  I  did  not  receive  until  yesterday.  It  happened 
to  find  me  at  leisure  which  I  do  not  expect  to  last  long,  and  therefore  embrace 
the  first  opportunity  of  answering  it.  I  am  sorry  you  have  conceived  so  favor- 
able an  opinion  of  my  performance.  I  remember  the  old  line,  Magnus  mihi 
paratus  est,  adversariiis  expedatio.  .  .  I  have  let  the  manuscript  rest  for  4  or 
5  months  expecting  an  answer  to  my  request  for  leave  to  go  to  England  where 
I  intended  to  have  printed  it,  but  I  cannot  yet  obtain  an  answer  &  am  in  doubt 
what  it  will  be  when  it  comes.  I  have  therefore  laid  aside  the  thoughts  of  my 
voyage,  if  our  Assembly  should  be  disposed  to  renew  their  request  to  me,  and 
shall  begin  to  think  of  printing  it  here.  ...  I  have  had  too  great  a  share 
myself  in  our  publick  affairs  for  30  years  past  to  think  of  publishing  that  part 
of  our  History.  I  threaten  Mr.  Otis  sometimes  that  I  will  be  revenged  of  him 
after  I  am  dead. 


JUNE    I3-18,    1771  III 

History,  which  when  printed  he  was  pleased  to  send  to  nie, — Intt  it 
was  while  I  tho't  him  a  hearty  Friend  to  Massa.  Charter,  American 
Liberty,  and  the  Congreg"  Chhs —  I  now  consider  him  an  enemy  to 
all  three.  At  VI''  I  preached  M'  Hopk.  Lect.  Ps.  119,  59,  he  being 
absent.  A  melencholly  Murder  in  S.  C.  Fam-',  his  Wife  &  Daugh- 
ter carried  to  Goal  this  Ev^  at  XI''  at  night.' 

15.  Cap*  Jo.  Bull  a  Tory  tells  me  he  was  lately  told  by  a  Boston 
Gentleman  a  Presbyterian,  that  above  four  hundred  persons  in  Bos- 
ton had  turned  Chhnien  since  the  late  political  controversy  there. 
I  doubt. 

16.  Ldsd}-  AM.  I  published  James  Tanner  jun.  &c  &  preached 
from  Philip,  iii,  18-20.  P  M.  Col.  i,  12.  And  communicated  a  Let- 
ter from  five  aggrieved  Brethren  of  the  Chh  in  Kennedy'  in  Connec- 
ticut ask^  this  Chh  to  sit  in  council  there  25"'  Ins*.  But  M""  Hopk. 
being  absent  on  a  Journey,  it  was  thot  not  best  that  both  Congreg'' 
Min.  shd  be  out  of  Town  at  a  great  Distance  together — so  concluded 
not  to  send. 

17.  Read^  President  Edwards'  MS.  o\\  Justification. 

1 8.  B}'  the  Prints  we  have  an  Ace"  of  a  Battle  in  North  Carolina. 
The  Oppressions  of^  Government  having  wro't  up  the  pple  into  the 
fury  of  taking  Arms  in  Hillsboro'  &  the  back  Counties  :  Gov. 
Tryon  raised  with  immense  Difficult}'  about  a  Thousand  enlisted 
Militia  &  some  field  pieces  &  went  against  them  last  Month.  It  is 
said  the  Regnlators  were  Two  Thousand  strong.  On  16*''  of  Maj^ 
they  came  to  Battle  at  Alamance.     Tryons  Party  suffered,  so  as  the 

Boston,  15.  Jan,  1764  [should  be  1765]. 
REvd  vSiR, 

I  am  very  much  obliged  to  you  for  your  favorable  opinion  of  my  book.  .  .  . 
I  think,  from  my  beginning  the  work  until  I  had  compleated  it,  which  was 
about  twelve  months,  I  never  had  time  to  write  two  sheets  at  a  sitting  without 
avocations  by  publick  business,  but  was  forced  to  steal  a  little  time  in  the  morn- 
ing and  evening,  while  I  was  in  town,  and  then  leave  it  for  weeks  together,  so 
that  I  found  it  difficult  to  keep  any  plan  in  my  mind.  .  ,  .  I  have  no  talent  at 
painting,  or  describing  characters.  I  am  sensible  it  requires  great  delicacy. 
My  safest  way  was  to  avoid  them  and  let  facts  speak  for  themselves.  I  was 
astonished  after  reading  Robertson's  History  of  Scotland  and  having  settled 
Mary  Stewart's  character  in  my  own  mind  as  one  of  the  most  infamous  in  His- 
tory to  find  him  drawing  her  with  scarce  a  blemish.  ,   .  . 

1  Cf.  below,  Sept.  8,  19,  and  24,  1771. 

-  Canada  Parish,  then  in  Windham,  now  the  town  of  Hampton-,  named  from 
the  earliest  settler,  David  Canada  ;  cf.  Larned's  Hist,  of  Windham  County, 
ii,  65. 


112  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

killed  &  wounded  were  fewer  than  fifty,  of  which  dead  &  such  as 
ma)' die  of  wounds  not  above  15  or  twenty.  Of  the  Regidators  it 
was  said  killed,  wounded  and  Taken  were  about  Two  Hundred — on 
28"'  May  it  was  talked  they  were  350.  What  shall  an  injured  & 
oppressed  people  do,  when  their  Petitions,  Remonstrances  &  Sup- 
plications are  unheard  &  rejected,  they  insulted  by  the  Crown 
Officers,  and  Oppression  &  T3-ranny  (under  the  name  of  Govern- 
ment) continued  with  Rigour  &  Egyptian  Austerity  !' 

19.  Received  from  M""  I^everett  of  Boston  18  Copies  of  D'' 
Chauncys  View  of  Episcopacy  &c  9  in  sheets  &  9  in  Calf  gilt  & 
lettered.     Price  6/  and  8/4  E.  M. 

20.  Various  Accounts  of  the  Battle  at   the   River  Almansee  in 

N"  Carol "The   glorious    &    signal    Victory  of    this 

day,  gained  over  a  formidable  Body  of  lawless  Desperadoes,  under 
div.  Provid.,  is  much  to  be  attributed  to  the  cool  intrepid  &  souldier- 
like  Behav.  of  his  ExcelP'  the  Gov',  who  was  in  the  Center  of 
the  Eine  during  the  whole  Engag^  &  in  the  most  eminent  Danger 
hav^  had  his  Bayonet  shot  away  with  a  Musket  Ball.  Nothing  could 
equal  the  Firinncss  &  Intrepidity  zJ''  zv"  our  Troops  behaved.  The 
Craven  8z.  Beaufort  Detatchm'*  on  the  Right  Wing  sustained  a  ver}- 
heavy  Fire  for  71  ear  half  an  Hoiir ;  &  the  Carteret  &  Orange  De- 
tatchm'**  on  the  Eeft  Wing  performed  wonders  for  Raw  &  inexpe- 
rienced Militia  who  had  scarce  Time  since  their  Inlisting  to  learn  the 
Exercise."  Thus  far  the  Newbern  Ace"  probably  drawn  up  by 
Martin  Howard  jun.  Esq.^  of  note.  This  Acc°  speaks  of  the  Regu- 
lators as  ' '  embodied  in  Arms  to  oppose  the  Pro\-incial  Forces  under 

'  Cf.  Winsor's  Narrative  and  Critical  Hist,  of  America,  vi,  80-81. 

■^  Formerly  of  Newport,  and  driven  from  there  in  consequence  of  his  accept- 
ing the  appointment  of  Stamp-Master  in  1765,  when  he  was  burned  in  effigy. 
See  R.  I.  Hist.  IMagazine,  v,  224-27. 

In  ilhistration  of  his  reputation  the  following  extract  ma}'  be  given,  from  a 
letter  addressed  to  Dr.  Stiles,  on  April  8,  1767,  by  John  Whiting,  then  at  New- 
bern, N.  C. : — 

I  have  had  the  honour  of  dining  &  drinking  tea,  with  my  lord  chief  justice 
Howard,  sundry  times  ;  he  is  very  alert,  in  high  spirits,  and  extreemly  com- 
plaisant &  polite,  &  greatly  improv'd  &  refin'd,  whether  it  is  to  be  ascrib'd  to 
the  European  air,  or  American  fire,  I  don't  pretend  to  Determine  ;  but  think  it 
is  allowed  that  the  latter  is  the  greatest  refiner  ;  and  perhaps  the  sons  of  liberty 
vx&y  claim  some  acknowledgement  for  his  present  honorary  &  lucrative  situa- 
tion, with  which  they  have  riggled  him.  He  is  very  much  caress'd  by  the 
Carolineans,  they  are  much  pleased  with  his  free,  facetious,  &  polite  behaviour, 
for  he  is  really  a  man  of  sense,  and  a  Gentleman.   .   .   . 


JUNE    19-20,    1771  113 

the  command ' '  of  the  Governor.  So  Gov.  Tryons  Army  were 
Provincials — Militia  raw  &  inexperienced  :  which  have  been  con- 
temptuously dispised  &  scorned  by  the  Crown  civil  &  military 
Officers,  as  Paltroons  &  Dastards  : — &  yet  in  this  Ca.se  "nothing 
could  equall  their  Intrepidity  &  Firvi/wss." 

So  also  as  to  the  numbers.  From  all  the  acco'^''  we  may*j3erhaps 
collect  that  the  Gov.  had  a  Thousd  men  on  his  side,  &  perh.  1500 
Regulators.  In  this  terrible  action  which  lasted  so  long  &  was 
fought  with  so  much  Bravery  &  two  Field  Pieces  or  Brass  three 
pounders, — it  is  wonderful  that  the  killed  &  wounded  slid  be  but 
sez'en  and  sixty  on  one  side,  &  fourty  &  joo  on  the  other. 

Capt  Richardson  of  Newbern  a  Governors  Man  arrived  at  New- 
port June  6,  in  19  days  from  Newbern,  &  his  story  was,  that  the 
Gov.  marched  from  Newbern  with  two  hundred  men  about  a  fort- 
night before,  sailed,  joyned  by  sixtj^  from  Cartwright  Count}' — two 
Brass  three  pounders  with  other  suitable  Artillery.  About  10"' 
Ma3^  he  was  encamped  at  Hillsboro'  about  180  miles  fr.  Newbern  in 
the  heart  of  the  Country  of  the  Regulators,  his  Army  hav^  increased 
to  about  fifteen  iiundred  strong  &  waiting  to  be  joyned  by  Gen. 
Waddel.  Two  daj-s  after  he  rec'^  Advice  fr.  Waddel  that  he  was 
60  miles  northward,  was  beset  by  Eight  Hundred  Regul-"^  &  himself 
had  but  three  hundred  &  fifty  \\\&n,  but  expect^  150  more.  Upon 
reciev^  this  12  May  the  Gov^  marched  to  cut  his  way  thro'  the  800 
between  him  &  Waddel.  M''  Rhdson  also  said  that  iG'*"  May 
arrived  an  Express  fr.  the  Gov.  to  M''  Howard  in  Newbern  Chief 
Justice,  requiring  him  to  repair  to  the  Camp  by  31^'  May  to  try 
tzcenty  Regulators  w°  his  Excelly  had  in  Custody,  among  whom  the 
famous  D''  York.  That  Judge  Howard  (who  was  to  set  out  on  21^') 
told  him  that  he  understood  Herman  Husbands  was  at  his  own 
House,  with  800  Regulators  to  protect  him,  &  they  did  not  intend 
to  attack  the  Gov.  unless  he  came  to  take  s'^  Husbands  or  his 
Estate,  in  which  Case  they  would  give  his  Excelly  one  Voile}'  with 
their  Rifle  Guns,  &  then  Bush  fight  him.  But  Richdson  bro't  no 
Ace"  of  the  Battle,  tho'  he  came  from  Newbern  iS""  May.  He 
reported  that  it  was  said  there  were  five  hundred  Highlanders 
among  the  Regulators. 

The  Gov.  in  pub.  orders  of  May  17  calls  it  a  "signal  Victory 
obtained  over  obstinate  &  infatuated  Rebels.  His  Excelly.  sympa- 
thizes with  the  Eoyalists  for  those  brave  men  that  fell  and  suffered 
in  the  Action." 


114  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

At  Newbern  May  23"  divine  vService  performed  at  Chh  by  Rev. 
James  Reed  Minister  of  the  parish  to  offer  up  Prayers  &  Thanks- 
givgs  to  the  Almighty  for  the  signal  &  very  glorious  victory  obtained 
by  his  Excelly  our  Gov.  over  ohstniaic  &  desperate  Rebels. 

The  Boston  Gazette  Jvme  17,  1771,  says  "The  Public  are  here 
presented  with  an  astonishing  account  of  a  CIVIL  WAR  in  North 
Carolina  in  or  near  the  County  of  H-llsborough." 

At  VI''  P.M.  I  preached  Even"  Lect.  for  M''  Hopkins  in  his  Ab- 
sence from  Ps.  31,  19. 

21 I  find  by  the  Western  prints  that  the  Gen.  Assem- 
bly have  lately  erected  a  college  in  N"  Carol,  by  the  name  of  Queens 
College,  &  that  Col.  Edmund  Fanning'  once  my  Pupil  at  Yale  Col- 
lege is  elected  President  of  it  with  three  Tutors  under  him. 

22.  Heard  M'  Morgan  new  Organist  plaj-  at  Chh. 

23.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  pub.  M'  Tanner  &  preached  from  2  Cor.  iv, 
15.  And  after  last  prayer  a  Contribution  for  Arrears  of  Repairs  of 
the  Meetingh.  &  Steeple  in  1766,  there  being  an  Arrear  of  above 
160  Dollars.  P  M.  I  preached  Mat.  xiii,  23.  Contrib.  as  usual. 
Read  in  Goodwin  on  Justify"  Faith.  Rev.  M''  Snow  preached  for 
M''  Hopkins. 

24.  Collected  ^^esterday  /"44.5.0  or  ^)'^  Doll.,"  &  a  Ticket  one 
Doll.,  for  Repairs  A.M.;  and  4  Doll,  &  one  loose  for  me  P.M. 

25.  M''  Snow  of  Providence  was  a  private  &  Illiterate  Brother  of 
the  Congregational  Chh  there  under  M''  Cotton.^  In  1746  he  headed 
a  large  Separation  which  almost  broke  up  that  Chh.  A  body  of 
new  Light  Separates  from  the  Cong.  »&  Bapt.  Chhs  united  under  M'' 
Snow  &  formed  themselves  into  a  mixt  &  distinct  Chh,  &  Elected 
M'^  Snow  Pastor,  and  he  was  ordained  about  1746^  according  the 
manner  of  the  Separates  by  the  Laying  on  of  the  Hands  of  I  think 
the  M"'  Paines  &  others.     The  Chh  embodied  by  a  Chh  Covenant 

'  Yale  1757.  Queens  College  was  chartered  in  January,  1771,  with  Col.  Fan- 
ning as  the  first  named  in  the  Board  of  Fellows  or  Trustees. 

-  By  an  order  of  the  Rhode  Island  General  Assembly  in  1769  the  Spanish 
milled  dollar  (5  shillings  in  lawful  money)  was  to  be  reckoned  as  equivalent  to 
^8  old  tenor. 

•'Josiah  Cotton.     See  below,  July  24,  1771. 

■*  In  February,  1747.  Joseph  Snow,  born  in  Bridgewater,  Mass.,  in  1715,  was  a 
carpenter  by  trade.  The  church  over  which  he  was  ordained  is  now  repre- 
sented by  the  Beneficent  Congregational  Church.  In  1793,  however,  he  with- 
drew with  many  of  the  members  and  the  church  thus  separated  is  now  repre- 
sented by  the  Union  Congregational  Church.     He  died  in  1803. 


JUNE    21-28,    1771  115 

which  I  have,  &  it  is  a  good  one.  Among  other  peculiarities  of 
this  Society  are  these — M''  Snow  baptizes  Adults  and  Infants,  the 
latter  by  Sprinkling  only,  the  former  by  plunging  or  Sprinkl-  indif- 
ferently as  any  chuse — the  Baptist  Controversy  not  a  Term  of  Com- 
munion /.  e.  Anti-p£edobaptists  &  Psedobaptists  sit  down  together 
amicably  at  the  Lords  Table — the  Deacons  &  any  gifted  Brethren 
have  lyiberty  &  opportunit}-  of  praying  &  Exhorting  in  the  Ldsdy 
pub.  Congregations — they  have  an  inveterate  Displeasure  against 
the  old  Congregational  Chhs  &  Pastors.  A  Majority  of  the  Breth- 
ren are  Baptists,  and  if  a  Successor  to  M'  Snow  should  be  Anti- 
psedobaptist,  this  would  become  &  end  in  a  baptist  Church.  M'' 
Snow  is  a  Paedobaptist. 

26.  M''  Snow  never  was  admitted  to  preach  in  either  of  the  Con- 
gj-gga  Qi-^i^s  in  this  Town  or  Colon}-,  before  last  Sabbath.  How  M'' 
Hopkins  will  approve  it  &c  &c.  His  Predecessor  M'  Vinall  tho'  a 
great  Whitfieldian,  would  never  consent  to  admit  M""  Snow.  Dea- 
con Coggeshair  introduced  him  in  M''  Hopkins'  Absence  :  he  has 
been  warml}-  engaged  to  introduce  him  for  ten  years  past — but 
could  never  effect  it  till  this  Time.  I  once  heard  M''  Snow  preach 
in  the  Sabb'^  Meet^  in  Newport.  He  is  loud  &  boisterous,  but  deliv- 
ers many  sound  Truths,  and  pretty  well  understands  the  Doctrines 
of  Grace,  &  is  of  a  sober  .serious  exemplary  Life — &  perhaps  has  a 
better  Understanding  of  the  Gospel  Scheme  than  three  Quarters  of 
the  Pastors  of  the  Waldenses  &  Albigenses,  or  of  the  reformed  in 
the  South  part  of  France.  I  hope  he  does  good.  Tho'  I  greatly 
disapprove  of — his  Lay  ordination — &  of  his  running  about  into 
congregational  Parishes  in  opposition  to  the  Pastors,  &  holding  sep- 
arate meetings,  &  promoting  a  spirit  of  Disaffection  to  a  learned 
Ministry.  ...  In  the  Even^  monthly  Chh.  Meeting  at  Sister 
Childs. 

27.  I  preached  M-"  Hopk.  Lect.  VI"  P  M.  i  Cor.  i,  ult. 

28.  M''  Todd  went  awa3^  In  New  Haven  print  I  find  that  June 
3''  Ins'  died  the  Rev''  Jo.seph  Fowler'  Pastor  of  the  first  Chh  in  East 
Haddam.  He  had  been  in  the  Ministry  there  20  years.  I  had  an 
Invitation  to  that  Chh  in  1750,  &  preached  there  several  Sabbaths  ; 
but  chusing  to  continue  in  the  Tutorship  in  Yale  College  a  few  years 
longer,  I  declined  the  call.  And  M'  Fowler  was  settled  there  soon 
after. 

1  Nathaniel  Coggeshall,  born  1702,  died  1784,     See  this  Diary,  Dec.  17,  1784. 
-  Yale  Coll.  1743,  ordained  May,  1751. 


Il6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

29.  B3'  the  Virginia  Prints  it  appears  there  was  held  4"'  Ins'  a  Con- 
vention of  some  of  the  Episc°  Clergy  of  that  Province,  of  about  a 
dozen  or  14  Ministers  out  of  about  one  hundred.  They  voted  an 
Address  home  for  an  American  Bp. — that  a  committee  should  pre- 
pare an  Address  &  procure  it  to  be  signed  by  the  Clergy.  Two  or 
more  professors  in  the  College  of  W^  &  Mary  entered  a  long  pro- 
test against  it. 

30.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  pub.  Mr.  Tanner  last  time — preached  Ps. 
70,  4 — contribution.  P.M.  I  preached  i  Pet.  iv,  18.  Contrib.  as 
usual. 

July. 

2.  Catechising  19  Boys  44  Girls  8  Negroes.     Tot.  71. 

3.  Writing  L,etters  to  London,  Scotland  «&  Holland. 

4.  Some  silk  worms  done  eating*  Rode  out  to  Bristol  Ferry, 
dined,  returned — and  at  VII.  P  M.  I  preached  M'  Hopkins  I^ecture, 
Luke  xi,  13. 

5.  Draughted  a  Plan  for  a  ministerial  Fund.  There  are  above 
95  married  men  &  55  young  men,  or  150  Men  in  my  Society  ;  123 
married  Women  &  84  young  Women,  besides  children. 

150  Men  ....       1043  Doll 

207  Women     .  .  .  .        460 


357  1503  Dollars  Fund. 

Now  I  propose  that  20  or  30  of  these  should  subscribe  10  &  20  Dol- 
lars, the  most  of  the  rest  two  Dollars,  those  least  able  i  Dollar,  to 
be  paid  out  of  their  Estates  at  their  Death,  or  in  their  Life  Time,  if 
they  please — retaining  Liberty  to  erase  their  Subscription  any  Time 
during  their  Lives.  The  most  of  these  persons  will  die  in  30  years. 
So  this^  in  one  Generation  would  produce  a  Fund  of  1500  Dollars 
which  at  interest  would  give  90  Dollars  per  ann.  And  in  another 
Generation  it  might  arise  to  200  Dollars  a  year.  And  it  is  not 
desirable  that  the  Fund  should  ever  rise  higher.  For  it  is  just  as 
right  &  equitable  that  the  persons  of  the  Congreg^  for  the  Time 
being  in  all  future  Time  slid  pay,  as  that  their  predecessors  .should. 
Now  if  there  be  an  Income  of  ^60.  L.  M.  per  ann.  the  Congreg'^  (if 
it  continue  100  Families,  as  it  is  now  equal  to  130  Families)  can 
easil}'  raise  70  or  ;^8o.  more  ;  &  this  is  eno  to  afford  ^120  Salary  to 
the  pastor  and  ^^20  to  the  poor.  I  preached  my  Sacramental  Lec- 
ture at  V.  P.M.  Jn"  viii,  30,  31. 


JUNE    29-JULY    8,    1 77 1 


117 


6.  Drawing  a  Plan  of  Travels  for  M''  Marchant  ;'  Travels  2000 
Miles  in  niak-  Tour  of  Europe  &  seeing  the  principal  Cities.  From 
London  thro'  Holland  &  Hanover  to  Berlin  500  Miles— from  Berlin 
thro  Dresden  &  Prague  &  Vienna  &  Venice  to  Rome,  710  Miles — 
from  Rome  thro'  Genoa,  Turin,  Geneva,  &  Paris  to  London  780 
Miles.     Thus 


©Berlin 


O  Venice 


Rome© 


This  may  [be]  performed  in  two 
Months  Riding,  and  one  Month 
Leisure  for  viewing  the  Places. 
The  Travel  about  30  English  Miles 
a  Da}'.  The  whole  might  be  ac- 
complished for  about  100  Dollars. 
He  intends  to  be  gone  a  year,  & 
intends  to  travel  to  Holland  &  Paris 
at  least. 


7.  Lordsdy.  AM.  I  preached  Jn'^  i,  29,  and  administered  the 
Communion  to  52  Commiinicants.  P  M.  I  preached  Ps.  xxvii,  10. 
M'".  Hopkins  returned  home  last  Frida}-  Evening.  This  even"  I 
married  James  Tanner  jun.  &  Hannah  Haszard  at  my  House.  M"" 
Agent  Marchant  spent  the  Even^  with  me  designing  to  set  out  for 
London  in  the  Morning.  At  Farewell  parting  he  presented  me 
wdth  a  Gratuit}^  of  three  Guineas. 

8.  Above  Three  Thousd  Silkworms  are  cocooing.  Perhaps  150 
remain  feeding,  &  almost  .satiated.  M'  Hopkins  saw  Rev.  M"" 
Leavenworth  of  Waterbury,  who  was  at  New  Haven  the  Day  of 
Gather'^  the  new  Chli  there,  &  told  him  that  M''  Bird  was  installed 
the  same  Day,  &  either  M""  Mills  of  Ripton  or  M''  Pumroy  of  Hebron'^ 
gave  him  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship.'  On  the  19"'  or  20^*^  of 
June  ult.   this   Chh  was  gathered  under  the  Leading  of  s*^  Mess""* 

'  A  copy  of  this  Plan  is  preserved  among  Dr.  Stiles's  MSS. ;  it  covers  24  quarto 
pages.  See,  also,  this  Diary  for  Dec.  4,  1772.  Henry  Marchant,  a  member  of 
the  Continental  Congress,  an  eminent  lawyer  of  Newport,  born  1741,  died  1796. 
He  was  now  Attorney-General  of  the  Colony,  and  under  appointment  as  agent 
at  the  court  of  Great  Britain. 

-  Jedidiah  Mills  (Yale  1722),  of  the  present  town  of  Huntington,  Conn.,  and 
Benjamin  Pomero}-  (Yale  1733). 

-  This  report  was  incorrect.  The  church  in  New  Haven  known  as  the  Fair 
Haven  Church  was  gathered  in  June,  1771,  but  though  Mr.  Bird  supplied  the 
pulpit  for  much  of  the  time  until  a  pastor  was  settled  (in  February,  1773),  he 
was  never  installed.     See  Dr.  Dutton's  History  of  ilie  North  C/iurch,  pp.  65,  76. 


Il8  DIARY    OF    EZRA'  vSTlLES 

Mills  &  Pumroy  out  of  Rev''  M''  Edwards's  Clih.  There  were  about 
one  third  of  the  Chh  and  Congreg^  opposed  the  call  &  settlemen*  of 
M''  Edwards  two  j^ears  ago.  They  continued  about  one  year  or  less 
negotiating  a  proposal  for  M''  Fish  of  Stonington  to  be  settled  Col- 
legue.  But  this  being  procrastinated  till  the  minority  were  satis- 
fied the  Majority  were  not  sincere  in  joyning  that  proposal  &  seeing 
nothing  likely  to  be  done  in  it  ;  thereupon  in  Sept  1769  separated 
&  began  to  hold  Ldsday  Worship  by  themselves  in  the  Courthouse, 
one  of  the  Brethren  carrjnng  on  the  Worship  b}^  Prayer,  Singing,  & 
reading  a  Sermon  out  of  a  printed  Volume.  In  a  few  Sabbaths 
after  this,  D''  Wheelock  preached,  &  M'"  Pumroy  came  &  assisted 
several  sabbaths  ;  at  length  M''  Bird  their  old  Minister  when 
together,  preached  to  them.  In  the  Summer  1770  they  erected  a 
large  Meetinghouse  in  New  Haven  near  that  of  Rev.  M''  Whittle- 
seys,  covered  &  soon  assembled  in  it.  The  neighbouring  Ministers 
of  the  Association  discouraged  it  with  all  their  might  :  and  the  Con- 
greg''  has  risen  up  intirely  in  opposition  to  them.  These  neigh- 
bor^' Pastors  all  refusing  to  forward  them  ;  and  even  the  Candidates 
declining  to  preach  for  them,  they  were  obliged  to  take  M''  Bird  again. 
The}'  were  the  rather  induced  to  this  for  two  Reasons  viz  i .  that 
M''  Bird  had  taken  M'  Edwards  Congreg^  in  1750  when  separate,  in 
a  low  Estate,  dispised  by  the  then  As.sociation,  &  not  larger  than 
this  present  Separation,  and  raised  it  up  into  the  biggest  Meeting  in 
Town  :  &  they  had  bruited  it  that  he  could  do  the  like  again  :  & 
the}^  were  not  likel}'  at  present  to  get  a  3'oung  Candidate  because 
discouraged  by  the  Pastors.  2.  M''  Bird  had  a  good  Estate  in 
Town,  and  could  subsist  on  a  less  Salary-  from  them  than  any  body 
Else.  Accord'^  they  determined  to  embody  into  a  Chh  State  &  have 
the  Ordinances  regularly  administered  among  them.  Thereupon 
they  applied  to  M'  Mills  &  Pumroy,  Veterans  in  Separation-mak- 
ings, and  they  came,  &  under  their  Guidance,  a  new  Chh  of  about 
a  dozen  Male  Members  was  gathered.  But  previous  to  gathering 
they  the  separating  Brethren  sent  to  the  Rev'"  M''  Edwards  &  his 
Chh  &  desired  them  to  object  &  shew  Reasons  if  any  they  had, 
why  the}'  should  not  b|;  gathered  into  a  distinct  Church.  There- 
upon M'  Edwards  with  his  Deacons  repaired  to  them,  and  said,  the 
Chh  had  already  alledged  her  Reasons  against  their  Separation  from 
them,  &  the.se  they  well  knew,  &  that  these  the  Chh  persisted  in 
&  adhered  to,  but  had  nothing  further  to  offer.  After  this  at  a 
pubHc  Congregation  in  the  New  separate   Meetinghouse  the  Chh 


JULY    8,    1771  119 

was  solemnly  Embodied  in  the  usual  Manner  by  reading  over  the 
Chh  Cov*  &  Principles  of  Belief  with  the  Names  subscribed,  & 
leading  the  covenanting  Brethren  to  acknowledge  &  ratify  the  same 
by  a  public  Vote  ;  «&  thus  they  covenanted  to  walk  together  (as  a 
distinct  Chh)  in  the  Ordinances  &  Fellowship  of  the  Gospel.  This 
is  the  third  Congregational  or  Presb.  Chh  besides  the  College  Chh 
within  the  Old  Society- ,  or  compact  part  of  the  Town  of  New 
Haven.  Then  the  new  Chh  were  publickly  led  to  give  a  Call 
to  the  Rev''  Sam' .  Bird  to  be  their  Pastor  ;  which  Call  he  then 
accepted,  &  then  took  upon  him  the  pastoral  Care  of  this  Chh.* 
Then  one  of  the  Ministers  gave  him  the  Rt.  Hand  of  Fellow- 
ship ;  but  I  have  not  heard  that  thej^  gave  him  a  new  Charge. 
And  thus  things  were  settled.  Now  it  may  be  remarkt  that  this 
Instalm*^  is  in  a  new  &  unusual  Manner  in  our  Chhs.  These  Min- 
isters appeared  as  Ministers  only,  not  as  sent  by  their  Chhs  nor 
accompanied  with  any  Messengers  from  their  Chhs,  nor  properly  as 
an  ecclesiastical  Council  ;  neither  could  thej'  give  the  Rt.  Hand  of 
Fellowship  in  the  name  of  the  Churches.  For  now  a  long  Time 
since  175S  the  Consociation  of  that  Count}^  have  claimed  the  exclu- 
sive power  of  Ordinations  &  Instalm''*  into  the  pastoral  office  in  the 
Chhs  of  their  Circuit.  This  bro*  on  a  Discussion  of  the  powers  of 
ordin''  Councils  which  had  been  universalh'  called  in  iDy  the  Chh  to 
ordain  their  pastor  Elect.  The  Chhs  had  always  invited  whom  they 
pleased,  but  in  no  Instance  called  the  Consociation  as  such.  In 
that  County  the  Consoc.  have  prevailed  to  have  seven  ordin-'  viz, 
M'  Trumble  of  N"  Haven,  M'  Waterman  of  a  separate  Chh  in 
Wallingford  led  off  &  separated  by  the  Consoc,  M''  Hawley  of 
Bethany,  M'  Sherman  of  Carmel  installed,  M''  Elles  of  N"  Branford, 
Collegue  with  M''  Merick,  M^  Bray  of  Cohabit,'  M''  Foot  of  Ches- 
hire Collegue  with  M''  Hall.  In  the  same  County  in  same  Time 
have  been  4  Ord.  in  the  old  way  or  contrary  to  the  new  &  usurped 
claims  of  that  Consociation,  viz,  M''  Edwards  of  New  Haven,  M^ 
Hubbard  of  Meriden,  M''  Wales  of  Milford,  &  now  M''  Bird  installed 
at  New  Haven.  Milfd  &  Meriden  were  once  consociated  Chhs, 
M''  Edwards's  was  a  separate  Chh  set  up  in  opposition  to  the  Con- 
sociation 1 741  ;  M'  Birds  new  Chh  is  also  gathered  in  Opp"  to  Con- 
sociation ;  &  has  even  Installed  its  Pastor  without  any  Eccl.  Coun- 
cil at  all.     The  Appell''  of  an  Ecd.  Council  is  given  primarily  to  a 

'  This  sentence  was  subsequently  erased. 

*  Thomas  Wells  Bray  (Yale  1765),  of  North  Gitilford. 


I20  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

number  of  Sister  Chhs  convened  by  their  Pastors  &  Messengers  as 
Delegates,  &  called  in  b}^  the  Chh  desiring  their  Advise,  &  origi- 
nall}'  having  no  Auth-'.  There  have  been  Meet''''^  of  Ministers 
alone  from  the  beginning,  stated  or  occasional — as  statedly  in  Asso- 
ciations especially  fore  loo  years  past — occasional  as  upon  Fasts  for 
Droughts,  sacramental  Lectures,  extraord^'  I^ectures ;  &  also  as 
called  in  by  a  Chh  to  advise  in  Cases  of  Difficulty.  And  tho'  in 
this  way  they  often  subserve  the  End  &  use  of  a  Council,  yoX  they 
are  not  considered  Ecclesiastical  Councils  in  the  sense  of  our  New 
Engld  Chhs  whether  Congregational  or  Consociated ,  both  of  which 
mean  b^^  Council,  a  Council  of  Churches. 

It  is  the  understand^  of  the  Body  of  our  Denom.  (for  both  Cong. 
&  Consoc.  are  one  with  me)  that  Elders  only  have  power  to  ordain. 
From  the  Begin^,  however  the  Chh  called  in  what  has  since  been 
distinguished  from  other  Councils  by  the  name  of  an  Ordaining 
Council.  There  sometimes  arise  difficulties  in  the  Chh  about  the 
pastor  Elect,  in  w^  the  Chh  needs  &  desires  the  Advice  of  Sister 
Chhs.  This  Council  serves  that  End  accord"  to  the  Idea  of  Congre- 
gationalism. The  Ministers  as  Elders  (not  as  members  of  the 
Council)  ordain  the  pastor  Elect :  and  in  the  Name  of  their  Fellow 
Laborers  give  the  Rt  Hand  of  Fellowshp.  But  then  in  this  part 
the  Pastor  giving  the  Rt.  Hand  acts  a  double  part,  both  equally 
important,  he  by  vote  of  Council  &  in  the  name  of  the  Chhs  con- 
vened gives  the  Rt  Hand  in  Token  of  the  Fellowship  of  the  Chhs. , 
as  well  as  Fellowship  of  the  Pastors.  Now  if  the  Pastors  are 
vested  with  their  Sacerdotal  Character  from  Christ,  they  can  confer 
it  in  Ordin-"  &  in  token  of  receiv"  the  ordained  Brother  into  their 
ministerial  Fellowship  can  give  the  Right  Hand.  It  seems  this  has 
been  done  in  M''  Birds  Instalment :— and  it  is  universally  done  by 
the  Baptist  Elders,  who  never  act  in  ordaining  Councils,  but  ordain 
officially  as  well  as  baptize. 

This  day  M'  Henry  Marchant  set  out,  via  Boston,  for  London, 
Agent  for  the  Colony  of  Rhode  Island  at  the  Court  of  Great 
Britain. 

9.  We  have  it  reported  that  the  Regulators  have  surrounded  & 
taken  Gov.  Tryon  &  four  hundred  men.  M""  Huntington  was 
ordained  Pastor  of  a  new  Chh  gathered  at  Worthington  last  Month.' 

'  Rev.  Jonathan  Huntington,  born  in  Windham,  Conn.,  1733,  ordained  at 
Worthington,  Mass.,  June  26,  1771,  died  1781  :  a  brother  of  Gov.  Samuel  and 
Rev.  Dr.  Joseph. 


JULY    9-14,    1771  121 

He  was  an  ingenious  Man,  but  not  of  academic  Education.  There 
is  a  Law  of  the  Province  that  a  Minister  must  either  have  a  Degree 
at  a  College,  or  be  approved  by  the  Association.  The  Chh  had 
appointed  the  Day  of  Ord"  &  sent  for  the  Council  before  they  were 
apprised  of  s''  Law.  Upon  which  the  Assoc,  convened  at  N° 
Hampton  &  approved  him  previous  to  the  Ordination  ;  after  this 
he  was  ordained.  Also  M""  Niles  was  to  be  ordained  last  Month  at 
Abington.' 

10.  Great  Freshes  or  overflowings  of  the  Rivers  in  Virginia 
latter  End  of  May,  by  Reason  of  long  &  great  Rains.  Equal  to 
the  Ogygian  or  Deucalian  Floods  in  Greece  memorable  in  Antiquity. 
The  Damages  computed  at  half  a  Million  Sterling.  Upon  James 
River  only,  five  hundred  houses  were  swept  away  by  the  Flood — 
From  Shockoe,  Warwick  &c  two  Thousand  Hogheads  of  Tobacco 
— Waters  up  5  or  six  Lengths  of  Shingles  on  the  Roofs  of  Store- 
houses— all  the  Islds  &  low  Grounds  under  Water — last  years  Corns 
&c  &c  Stock  &c  washed  of — upon  Roanoke  still  worse,  much 
damage  on  Rappahannoc.  This  years  Crop  Tobacco  supposed  must 
be  lessened  Twenty  five  Thousand  Hdds. 

11.  In  convers^  with  Rev.  M''  Rusmeyer  he  shewed  me  a  Letter 
from  a  Moravian  Minister  at  New  York  who  tells  him  that  the 
Brethren  have  a  Mission  at  a  place  which  they  have  named  Sarepta 
lying  on  the  River  Wolga,  150  English  Miles  due  north  from 
Astraca7i :  and  that  if  I  will  send  a  Letter  of  Interrogatories  about 
the  Kalmuck  Tartars  and  the  Ten  Tribes,  he  will  forward  it  &  pro- 
cure an  Answer.  Mr.  Rusmeyer  also  told  me  of  two  new  Missions 
of  the  Brethren  lately  opened  ;  one  at  Labradore  among  the  Eski- 
maux  Indians  whither  two  or  more  of  the  Brethren  went  to  settle 
last  spring.  He  said  Mr.  Gorham  Gov.  of  Placentia  on  Newfound- 
land, being  at  N.  York  lately  went  to  Bethlem  &  was  present  at  the 
religious  Exercises  of  the  Brethren  there.  Gov.  Gorham  saw  the 
afores"^  Brethren  at  Placentia  in  their  passage  for  Labradore 

14.  Ldsdy.  AM.  Ps.  xix,7.  P.M.  Ps.  xxxvi,  7.  Capt.  Childs 
(Tho)^  &  Fam'"  removing  to  settle  at  Bridgwater,  desired  public 
Pra^^ers  in  the  Congreg''  that  they  may  be  commended  to  the  divine 
Blessing.  His  Mother  &  Wife  are  Members  of  my  Church  &  very 
pious  Persons.     Also  at  M'  Agent  Marchants  Desire,  left  behind, 

'  See  below,  Aug.  31  and  Oct.  2,  1771. 

'  Thomas  Childs,  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  Childs,  was  baptized  at  Newport 
on  May  16,  1742,  and  married  Hannah  Fryers  on  June  ir,  1769. 


122  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

we  commended  him  to  the  div.  Blessing,  as  he  is  going  to  London. 
This  m}-  wifes  Birth  Da}^,  being  foiirty  j^ears  old.       I  am  in  the 
fourty  fourth  year  of  my  Age.     Sacrament  of    Lds  Supper  at   M"" 
Hopkins  Chh  tooday. 

1 6.  Wednesday  July  3.  Ins'  "was  ordained  to  the  Work  of  the 
min'',  at  Warren  in  Bristol  County  (b}^  the  unanimous  choice  of  the 
Baptist  Chh  &  Cong,  in  that  Town)  the  Rev.  Charles  Thompson, 
A.B.  the  first  son  of  Rhode  Isld  College  who  has  3'et  engaged  in 
the  sacred  Oihce.  The  Rev.  Eben.  Hinds  of  Middleborough  began 
the  Solemnity  with  Prayer  &  preached  an  excellent  sermon  upon 
the  Occa.sion,  to  a  polite  &  crowded  Auditory  from  2  Tim.  ii.  15. 
Study  to  shezv  thyself  &c.  The  Rev.  Noah  Alden  of  Bellingham 
delivered  the  Charge  ;  M'  Hinds  gave  the  Rt.  Hand  of  Fellowship, 
&  M''  Alden  concluded  with  Prayer."  Remark  i.  The  Baptists 
ordain  by  Imposition  of  Hands,  tho'  that  is  not  mentioned  here. 
2.  This  Ace"  is  drawn  up  more  after  the  manner  of  Presb.  or  Cong. 
Ordinations  than  usual,  &  I  believe  was  conducted  more  in  that 
distinct  way.  For  usually  in  Bapt.  Ordin'^  they  lay  on  hands  & 
pra}-  &  sa}-  a  few  words  which  ma}*  be  considered  as  an  Introduc- 
tion of  the  person  into  the  Min^' — but  it  is  all  one  work  and  usually 
the  Work  of  one  man  as  speaker  (tho'  two  or  3  lay  on  hands  in 
Ord^) — So  in  performing  a  Baptism,  after  Sermon,  the  person  is 
baptized,  &  after  this,  shifting  Apparrel,  the  person  is  presented  at 
the  Deacons  Seat  »&  the  Elder  baptizing  lays  on  his  hands  &  prays — 
yet  it  is  all  one  Action  or  a  continuation  of  one  Work  performed  by 
one  Man.  But  in  this  Ordin^  the  Work  was  distinguished  into 
parts  much  in  the  Presb.  manner.  3.  While  Congregationalists  have 
an  Ordin-'  Council  consisting  of  Pastors  &  Messengers  of  Sister 
Clilis,  yet  the  Baptists  never  have  such  Councils.  The  Chh  &  Pas- 
tors elect  calls  in  the  Baptist  Elders  or  Teachers  of  Sister  Chhs  : 
and  these  Elders  are  not  .sent  by  their  Chhs,  nor  in  Ordinations  do 
they  act  as  Delegates  of  their  Chhs,  but  as  Elders  endowed  with 
Office  Power  from  the  Head  of  the  Chh.  They  baptize  whomso- 
ever they  will  without  consult^  their  Chhs,  the}'  administer  the  Lds 
Supper  abroad  occasionally  without  a.sk-  Eeave  of  their  Chhs,  they 
ordain  Elders  without  being  sent  by  their  Chhs.  They  don't  do  it 
in  opp"  to  their  Chhs,  but  they  do  it  officially.  But  when  they 
admit  Members  to  the  Lds  Table  in  their  own  Chhs,  and  in  Cen- 
sures &  all  Chh  Discipline,  and  in  ecclesiastical  Councils,  the  Bap- 
tist Elders  lead  the  Brethren  to  Votes  &  proceed  &  are  governed  by 


JULY    16-17,    '^11^  123 

their  Votes  :  &  I  don't  find  that  their  Elders  ever  claimed  or  exer- 
cised a  power  of  negativing  the  Chh.  Rem.  5.  Formerly  the  Bap- 
tist Ministers  were  fond  of  the  Appell'^  Elder ^  &  the  Baptists  usu- 
ally call  their  pastors  Elder  in  common  Discourse,  as  Elder  Eyres, 
Elder  Thurston,  Elder  Alden,  Elder  Hinds  &c.  But  since  the 
College  is  erected  they  begin  to  assume  the  Titles  Rev.  Ch^  Thomp- 
son, Rev.  Noah  Alden  &c,  tho'  heretofore  they  have  shewn  an 
Aversion  to  these  presbyterian  Titles.  Rem.  6.  The  above  M"" 
Hinds  &  M'  Alden,  tho'  pious  &  good  Men  &  of  good  Knowledge 
in  the  Scriptures  (about  as  knowing  as  the  common  pple  in  New 
England  usual!}'  are),  yet  the}'  are  not  Men  of  College  Education, 
know  nothing  of  the  learned  Languages,  or  Ecclesiastical  History, 
or  S^'stematical  Divinity.  They  are  well  read  in  the  Bible,  and 
some  Tracts  on  the  Mode  and  subject  of  Baptism,  &  a  few  Sermons, 
make  all  their  Reading.  At  least  this  is  usually  the  Qualification 
of  the  Bapt.  Elders.  Within  2  or  3  years  indeed  D'  Gills  Bod}^  of 
Divinity  as  it  is  called  has  been  published  among  them.  And  as 
this  truely,  instead  of  being  a  connected  vSystem  of  Theology,  is 
only  a  Collection  of  Sermons  upon  a  number  of  principal  &  import- 
ant Subjects,  (which  may  be  dipt  in  here  &  there  ad  Libitum  with- 
out Connexion,)  so  I  believe  it  probable  some  of  the  Baptist  Elders 
are  now  perusing  some  of  these  selected  Discourses  as  to  particular 
points,  such  as  Election  &c  &c. 

July  8  &  9  Rev.  M''  Burt  &  Townsend  of  Barrington  set  out  with 
the  Delegates  of  their  Chhs  to  hold  an  Eccles.  Council  at  Dighton. 
Council  adjourned. 

Ephraim  Miner  of  Stonington  had  twenty  sheep  sheared  this 
Season,  the  wool  taken  off  the  whole  was  One  hundred  &  three 
pounds  J  ounces,  as  weighed  in  the  presence  of  several  persons. 
The  lightest  Fleece  weighed  4"'  2'"  the  heaviest  seven  pounds. 

17.  At  XI''  A  M.  the  Spire  of  the  Chh  Steeple  taken  down. 
East  Saturday  M'"  Agent  Marchant  sailed  from  Boston  for  London, 
in  the  Ship  Boston  pacquet,  Cap'  Lyde.  An  Eccles.  Council  at 
Rutland  lately  vindicated  &  cleared  the  Rev.  M''  Buckminster'  from 
the  Accusations  of  Cap*  Isaac  Stone  of  Oakham.  "The  Council 
likewise  authorized  by  the  parties  adjudged  Cap*  Stone  to  defray  the 
public  Expences,  which  he  did  accordingly." 

1  Joseph  Buckminster  (Harvard  1739),  father  of  the  Rev.  Dr.  Joseph  (Yale 
1770I,  of  Portsmouth,  N.  H. 


124  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 

1 8.  Wrote  Letters  of  Recommendation  for  Sister  Mary  Childs 
Widow,  &  Sister  Hannah  Wife  of  Tho^  Childs,  remov^  to  settle  at 
Bridgwater  in  Massachusetts,  both  Communicants  in  my  Church. 
M''  Tauro  the  Jew  priest  or  Chuzan  in  this  Town  tells  me  there  are 
about  a  Dozen  Jew  Families  in  Philadelphia,  and  that  thej^  are  open- 
ing a  Synagogue  there.  He  is  lateh'  from  New  York,  but  did  not 
see  the  York  Chuzan  because  he  was  gone  to  Pliilad-'  upon  that 
affair.  I  suppose  therefore  that  he  has  gone  to  form  them  &  begin 
the  Synag.  Worship  there.  They  have  no  Edifice  as  yet.  But  I 
conclude  this  may  date  the  Beginning  of  the  Sj'nag.  Worship  in 
Philad\ 

Attended  M''  Hoj)k.  Even''  Lect.  he  preached  Jn"  xvi,  1 1 :  of 
Judgment  &c. 

19.  By  the  Western  prints  I  find  Gov''  Try  on  escaped  to  Newbern, 
where  arriving  about  Ten  o'clock  at  Night  unexpectedly,  that  little 
Town  or  Burrough  of  perhaps  70,  or  Eight}^  houses  was  illuminated. 
He  immediately  came  off  on  Board  a  Sloop  [vSukey  Cap^  Yarborough] 
for  N  York  where  he  arrived  8"'  Ins*  in  five  days  fr.  N'^  Car"  &  pub- 
lished his  commission  as  Gov.  there  in  Room  of  the  Earl  of  Dun- 
more  who  is  to  be  removed  to  Virginia.  At  Night  the  City  of  N 
York  was  illuminated.  The  York  print  contains  an  early  Address 
of  the  Rector  &  Episcopal  Inhabitants  of  N.  York,  full  of  Flattery 
to  one  returned  from  plunging  his  Sword  in  the  Bowels  of  Ameri- 
cans. Martin  Howard  Esq  Judge  &c  condemned  about  a  Dozen 
Regulators,  all  hanged,  but  one. 

21.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  Ps.  xix,  7.  P.M.  Rom.  ix,  3,3. 
Reading  Dr.  Watts  Lyric  Poems,  &c. 

22.  Read"^  Junius  Americanus'  Letters.  Judge  Howard  held 
Supreme  Court  at  Hillsborough  from  May  30  to  June  20  upon  the 
Regulators.   .    . 

23.  On  first  of  May  ult.  Mr.  Pitt  alias  Ld.  Chatham  concluded 
his  speech  in  the  House  of  Lords  thus  : — "  that  tho'  no  Man  prided 
himself  more  on  his  Attatchment  to  his  native  Country,  the  Proceed- 
ings of  those  pple.,  who  called  themselves  its  Governors,  had  ren- 
dered it  so  disagreeable  to  him,  that  was  he  but  ten  years  j^ounger 
he  would  spend  the  Remainder  of  his  Days  in  a  Country  (meaning 
America)  which  had  already  give?!  such  Earnest  of  its  Independent 
Spirit.  Nor  shd.  my  advanced  Age  (continued  that  spirited  Noble- 
man) even  nozv  prevent  me,  did  not  Considerations  of  the  last  Conse- 
quence {viy  bodily  Infirmities)  i?tterfere.'"     Extract  from  Prints. 


JULY    18-24,    "^ll"^  125 

24.  Commencem'  at  Harvard  Coll.  Wediiesdy  17"'  Ins*  when 
among  other  Exercises  President  Locke  made  a  Latin  Oration — & 
there  was  a  Dialogue  in  Greek,  &  another  in  Samaritan.  There 
were  graduated  sixty  Tzvo  Bachellors  of  Arts,  &  thirty  Eight  Masters 
— total  one  Hundred.  And  the  Degree  of  Doctor  in  Divinity  was 
conferred  on  the  Rev"  Nathanael  Appleton  of  Cambridge.  Thus 
above  100  were  graduated.  I  suppose  this  was  more  than  ever 
were  graduated  at  one  Commenc*^  in  America.  Among  the  Masters, 
Rev.  Naphtali  Dagget  President  pro  Tempore  of  Yale  College, 
Rev.  Eliphalet  Williams  of  Hartford  &  Fellow  of  Yale  College,  & 
Rev.  M'  Bacon  of  Boston  educated  at  Nassau,  having  before  rec'' 
the  Degree  of  A.M.  at  their  respective  Colleges,  were  admitted  ad 
Eundeni.  Also  the  Honorary  Degree  of  A  M  was  given  to  Jn" 
Cuming  Esq.  of  Concord.  The  Doctorate  in  Theology  has  been 
conferrd  in  Harvard  Coll.  but  once  before  viz  on  the  Rev''  Increase 
Mather  about  Eighty  years  agone.      Dr.    Appleton'  proceded  A.B. 

'  The  following  notice  of  him  is  extracted  from  a  letter  of  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Charles  Chauncy,  of  Boston,  to  Dr.  Stiles,  dated  May  6,  1768  : — 

"  I  have  also  been  intimate  with  Mr.  Appleton,  who  is  an  upright,  faithful, 
excellent  preacher,  tho'  much  wanting  in  correctness  ;  and  a  man  of  very  con- 
siderable power,  and  has  been  of  great  service  to  the  College  by  his  wise  endeav- 
ours to  promote  its  good.     He  deserves  to  be  remembered  with  honor." 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  of  Dr.  Appleton  to  Dr.  vStiles,  enclos- 
ing some  statistics  respecting  his  congregation  : — 

"  Camb.  July  19,  1760." 
"Rev'?  Sir, 

"I  think  it  would  answer  some  very  good  Purposes  to  have  a  just  &  particu- 
lar account  of  all  y»  Congregational  Chh'  in  New  England,  together  with  y*^ 
number  of  families  y*  make  up  such  Congregations,  published  to  y*  world 
together  with  an  account  of  y''  Chh'  of  England,  &  y"  Scituation  in  y«  midst  of 
these  Congregations  ;  and  with  y"  Numbers  y'  belong  to  y"  Churches  of  Eng- 
land. And  as  it  would  cause  y"  Congregational  Chhs.  as  you  say  to  appear  a 
very  Respectable  Body,  so  it  would  set  forth  how  small  a  proportion  y"  Chh. 
of  England  bears  to  it,  and  would  give  y®  world  to  see  how  far  y^  mony  in  y" 
hands  of  y"  Society  for  propagating  y*  Gospel  in  foreign  Parts  is  from  being 
applied  to  that  use — the  Churches  of  England  in  general  being  an  handfull  of 
people  in  y*  midst  of  large  Towns  where  y"  Gospel  is  freely  &  faithfully 
Preached  by  Congregational  Ministers.  It  is  grievous  to  think  that  when  our 
Pious  Ancestors  came  over  into  this  Land,  when  an  howling  wilderness,  to 
enjoy  y«  Gospel  in  y'^  purity  &  simplicity  of  it  y'  the  Chh  of  England  should 
thrust  it  self  in  among  us.  But  this  is  to  bow  with  humble  submission  to  y" 
great  King  &  Head  of  y^  Chh.  who  can  answer  his  own  great  &  gracious  pur- 
poses in  ways  y'  we  dont  see  thro',  and  this  we  must  remember  that  Liberty  of 
6c>«5aV«£-^  is  a  grand  New  England  principle."  .  . 


dence  &c. 

1728. 

Oct. 

23- 

others. 

1717. 

Oct. 

9- 

1664. 

May 

27. 

126  .  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

at  Harv.  Coll.  AD.  1712  ;  was  ordained  Pastor  of  the  Chh  in  Cam- 
bridge A  D  17 1 7.  He  was  born  at  Ipswitch  Dec.  g,  1693.  Son  of 
Hon.  Jn"  Appleton  :  his  Mother  was  the  eldest  Daughter  of  Presi- 
dent Rogers.  He  was  ordained  by  D'  Increase  Mather  who  preached 
&  gave  the  Charge,  D'  Cotton  Mather  who  gave  the  Right  hand  of 
Fellowship,  Rev  M''  Angier  of  Watertown  &  Rev  M''  Rogers  of 
Ipswitch  all  laying  on  Hands  in  his  Ordination.  This  I  had  from 
his  own  Month.  I  can  trace  my  Ordination  thro'  D''  Appletons  up 
to  Bishop  Morton  in  England,  thus 

1755.  Oct.  22.  Ezra  Stiles  ordained  by  Rev.  John  Burt  of  Bris- 
tol, Rev.  Joseph  Torry  of  S"  Kingston,  and  ni}"  Father. 

1741.   May  13.     John  Burt  ordained  by  Rev.  M'  Cotton  of  Provi- 

Josiah  Cotton  ord.   by  Rev.    Nath'  Appleton  & 

Nath'  Appleton  ord.  by  D'  Increase  Mather  &c. 
Increase  Mather  ord.  receiv^  his  Charge  from  his 
Father  Rev.  Richard  Mather  of  Dorchester  &c. 

161 8.  Nov''  13.  Richard  Mather  ordained  Presbj-ter  or  Priest  by 
Bishop  Morton  in  England  ;  &  1 634  silenced  by  D''  Neale  A  B  P  of 
York  ;  came  over  to  N.  Eng.  &  became  Pastor  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Chh  in  Dorchester  Aug.  23,  1636,  where  he  died  Apr.  22, 
1669.     D''  Morton  was  Bishop  of  Chester. 

Again  Rev.  Peter  Thatcher'  of  Milton  was  ordained  by  his  Father 
Thomas  Thatcher  of  Weymouth  &  Boston,  and  he  by  first  Patriarch 
Rev  Jn"  Cotton  of  Boston.  Mr.  Thatcher  of  Milton  and  others 
ord.  Rev.  Nath'  Clap  of  Newport,  &c     Thus  I  trace  &c 

Ezra  Stiles  i755  Rev.  Othniel  Campbell  told  me 
Jn"  Burt  1 741  that  Rev.  M' Thatcher  of  Middle- 
Jos.  Gardner  1740  boro'  (who  died  1743)  ord.  him 
Nath'  Clap"  1720  1732  &  told  him,  he  could  trace 
Peter  Thatcher  .  .  .  his  ord.  thro'  his  Father  &c  to 
Tho'  Thatcher  1644  Mr.  Cotton. 
John  Cotton  of  Boston 

'Born  1651,  graduated  at  Harvard  1671,  died  Dec.  17,  1727;  his  son  Peter, 
born  1688,  graduated  at  Harvard  1706,  was  ordained  in  Middleboro',  Mass., 
1709,  and  died  there  April  22,  1744;  and  his  eldest  son  Peter  (Harvard  1737) 
was  settled  over  the  East  church  in  Attleboro',  Mass.,  from  1748  to  1785. 

'  A  graduate  of  Harvard  in  1690,  and  the  first  pastor  of  the  Congregational 
church  in  Newport ;  born  1667,  died  1745. 


JULY    24,    1771  .  127 

W  Torry  was  ord.  1732'  by  M''  Tho^  Prince  of  B"  &c  and  he  by 
the  Mathers.  D''  Cotton  Mather  says  he  was  ord.  May  13,  1684  by 
the  Imposition  of  the  Hands  of  his  Father  D''  Increase,  Rev.  M'' 
Allen  of  the  old  or  first  Chh  B"  &  Rev.  Jn"  Eliot  of  Roxbury  the 
Indian  Apostle.     Thus 

1755.   Ezra  Stiles  ord.  by  M''  Torry  &c 

1732.  Joseph  Torrey  ord.  by  M''  Prince,  M''  Searing  &c  &c 

17 1 8    Oct  I.  Thomas  Prince  ord.  by  D'  Mathers,  D''  Sewall  &c 
Also  thus  .  . 

1755.   Ezra  Stiles  ord.  by  Isaac  Stiles  his  Father 

1724    Nov.  II.   Isaac  Stiles  ord.  b}- Mr.  Whittelsey. 

1 7 10    May  Sam'  Whittelsey  ord.  by  M''  Sam'  Street  &  Copastor 

1672.   .    .  Samuel  Street  ord  by  M''  Nicolas  Street  his  Father 

1659.  Nov.  26.  Nicolas  Street  ord  by  Mr.  Jn"  Davenport — &  in 
Engld 

....   Jn''  Davenp*  ord.  by  a  Bp  in  Engld 

I  have  traced  my  Ordination  to  the  first  Ministers  that  came  out 
of  Engld  ;  among  others  to  M""  Cotton  of  B"— M""  Davenp'  of  N. 
Haven  :— M"^  Prudden  of  Milford  :— M""  Tho^  Welde  &  John  Eliot 
of  Roxbury  :— M^  Rd.  Mather  &c  &c. 

My  Father  Rev.  Isaac  Stiles  of  North  Haven  was  ordained  Nov. 
II,  1724.  set.  suae.  28.  by  the 

Rev.  Samuel  Andrew  of  Milford 

Rev.  Samuel  Russell  of  Branford,  gave  the  charge 

Rev.  Joseph  Moss  of  Darby 

Rev.  Nathan'  Chauncy  of  Durham 

Rev.  Samuel  Whittelsey  of  Wallingford 

Rev.  Joseph  Noyes  of  New  Haven 

Rev.  Jacob  Hemingway  of  East  Haven 

The  Sermon  preached  by  M''  Moss  or  M''  Chauncy,  some  say  one 
and  some  the  other.  Rev.  Sam'  Hall  of  Cheshire  (ordained  a 
month  after)  tells  me  M''  Moss  preached  it.  Jude  Cooper  then  a 
Boy,  tells  me,  he  remembers  the  Text  2  Cor.  v,  20,  A/'ow  then  we  are 
Ambassadors  for  Christ  &c.  My  Father  died  in  the  Ministry  at  N'' 
Haven,  May  14,  1760,  set.  63,  Min''  36.  On  Occasion  of  D'' Dana's 
ordin^  at  Wallingfd  1758,  at  which  he  assisted,  he  said,  "that  he 
had  assisted  at  above    Thirty    Ordinatio7is  of  Ministers  before  that,  & 

1  On  Ma3^  17,  1732,  at  South  Kingston,  R.  I.,  over  a  church  of  five  members 
gathered  that  day. 


128  DIARY   OF   EZRA    vSTlLES 

that  he  was  as  clear  in  the  Expediency  of  proceeding  in  this  as  any 

of  the  others."     These  were  some  whom  he  helped  to  ordain. 

.  Rev.  Sam'  Hall,  New  Cheshire,  Dec  9,  1724 

Rev.  Sam'  Russell,  Cohabit,  1725 

.  Rev.  Tho''  Ruggles,  Guilfd,  March  26,  1729 

Rev.  Theophilus  Hall,  Meriden,  Oct  29,  1729 

.  Rev.  Philemon  Robbins,  Branford,  Feb  7,  1733.     Rt.  Hand 

.  Rev.  Jonathan  Todd,  E.  Guilford  Oct  24,  1733.     Last  Prayer 

.  Rev.  Daniel  Humphry  of  Darby,  March  6,  1734.     Preached. 

.   Rev.  Abel  Stiles  his  B''  Woodstock,    1737.      Preached  i  Tim. 

iii,  I. 

.  Rev.  Sam'  Whittelsey  jun.  Milford,  Dec.  9,  1737. 

.  Rev.  Jn"  Trumble,  Westbury,    1738.     Preached 

Rev.  Mark  Leavenworth,  Waterbury. 

Rev.  Nathan  Birdsej',  West  Haven,  Oct  13,  1742.    Ex  ore  ejus 

Rev.  Benj.  Woodbridge,  Amity,  1742.  D". 

Rev.  Jonathan  Lyman,  Oxford,  174 —     Rt  hand 

.  Rev.  Nath'  Taylor,  New  Milford,   June  29,  1748.      Charge 

Rev.  John  Richards,  Cohabit,  Nov  1748. 

.  Rev.  Warham  Williams,  Northford,  June  13,  1750.    Right  Hand 

.  Rev.  Nicholas  Street,  East  Haven,  Oct.  8,  1755.     Last  ptayer 

Ezra  Stiles  his  Son  Newport  Oct.   22,    1755.     Preached 

2  Tim  ii,  i. 

Rev.  Elizur  Goodrich,  Durham,  Nov.  24,  1756. 

.  Rev.  Amos  Fowler,  Guilfd  I.    ]  to  ^  1 

„       '  >    .   .   .  June  8,  17 so. 

.  Rev.  Richard  Ely       D".    IV'"  i 

.   Rev.  Chauncy  Whittelsey,  New  Haven,  March  i,  1758.      Right 
Hand 

.   Rev.  James  Dana  D  D.  Wallingford,  Oct.  12,  1758. 

24 

All  that  are  dotted  I  had  from  their  own  Mouths.  The  rest  I 
had  from  Rev.  Sam'  Hall  of  Cheshire  last  year  when  he  was  aet. 
75.  Who  said  he  was  present,  &  well  remembered  my  Fathers 
assist^'  with  him  in  Eleven  Ordinations  at  least ;  &  to  Mess"  Theo. 
Hall,  Leavenw.,  Birdsey,  Woodb.,  Goodrich,  among  the  rest.  M'' 
Todd  assisted  at  Richards' s  &  told  me  Father  assisted  also.  None 
of  these  are  doubtful,  unless  RusseV s.  I  have  not  yet  had  opp°  to 
inquire  the  others,  but  from  what  I  recollect  mj^self  of  the  Times, 
&  from  cursory  Convers''  with  sundry  persons  at  N "  Haven  &  par- 

'  Should  be,  Jiuie  8,  1757. 


JULY    26,    1771  129 

ticularly  Mother  Stiles  now  living,  I  make  no  doubt  but  he  assisted 
in  ordaining  the  following  persons  : 

Rev.  Jonathan  Merick,  of  N"   Branford 

Rev.  Sam'  Arnold,'  West  Haven 

Rev.  Tim"  Allen,  D" 

Rev.  Stephen  Heaton,  Goshen 

Rev.  And'"  Bartholomew,  Harwinton 

Rev.  Jon*"  Ivyman,  Oxford,  gave  Rt.  hand  Fellowship 

Rev.  Tho^  Canfield,  Roxbury  in  Woodbury 

Rev.  layman  Hall,  Stratfield" 

Rev.  M''  Palmer,  Cornwall 

Rev.  Ashbel  Woodb.  Glassenbury. 

In  1770  M''  Hall  of  Cheshire  gave  me  the  Names  of  twenty  four 
Pastors  whom  he  had  assisted  in  ordaining,  including  one  instal- 
ment. D''  Bellamy  this  Spring  gave  me  the  names  of  twenty  two 
Pastors  in  whose  Ord.  or  Instal.  he  had  assisted.' 

This  Even^  monthly  Meef^  of  the  Brethren  &  Sisters  of  the 
Chh  at  Sister  Steven's  (Jn°),  when  I  discoursed  on  Rom.  viii,  14. 

26.  The  Rev'*  Samuel  Hall  of  New  Cheshire  was  cotemporary 
with  my  Father  in  the  Ministry,  &  the  greater  Part  of  L,ife  very 
intimate  Friends  living  but  six  miles  apart.     M''  Hall  was  born  at 

'  Should  be  Jonathan  Arnold  (Yale  1723). 
^  "  Not  "  is  added  in  pencil. 
3  The  list  is  : 

In  Litchfield  County 

Nath'  Roberts,  Torrington  Ammi  R.  Robbins,  Norfolk 

Thos.  Canfield,  Roxbury  Noah  Benedict,  Woodbury 

Reuben  Judd,  Judea  Benj"  Wildman,  Southbury 

Daniel  Brinsmade,  Judea  Noah  Wadhams,  New  Preston 

Judah  Champion,  Litchfield  Jer'^  Day,  New  Preston 

Abel  Newel,  Goshen  Jehu  Miner,  South  Britain 

Hez''  Gold,  Cornwall  Asahel  Hart,  Canaan 
John  Searl,  Sharon 

In  Fairfield  County 
David  Judson,  Newtown  Lyman  Hall,  Stratfield 

James  Beebee,  North  vStratford 

In  New  Haven  County 
Sam'  Bird,  New  Haven  Jon"  Edwards,  New  Haven 

James  Sproat,  Guilford 

In  New  York  Province 
John  Smith,  Rye 
9 


130  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Wallingfd  Oct  5.  1695,  two  years  before  my  Father.  He  was 
ordained  a  month  after  Father  was  ordained.  In  1770  I  visited 
M''  Hall  when  he  gave  me  this  Account : — that  he  was  ordained 
Dec.  9,  1724,  by  the  Rev''  Messieurs. 

Joseph  Morse  of  Darby 

Nath'  Chauncy  of  Durham 

John  Southmayde  of  Waterbury 

Jacob  Hemingway  of  East  Haven 

Sam'  Whittelsey  of  Wallingford  preached 

Joseph  Noyes  of  New  Haven 

Isaac  Stiles  of  North  Haven 

M''  Andrew  of  Milford  sent  for,  but  did  not  come  :  Messenger 
one  from  a  Chh  with  the  Pastor  ;  Cap*  Jn"  Munson  Mess,  from 
Chh  of  New  Haven. 

M'  Hall  had  a  Collegue  settled  1767.  From  his  Ordin^  1724  to 
Mar.  12,  1767 

Baptisms  in  Cheshire  .  .  .  2013 

Admitted  Communicants       .  .  .  670 

Burials  ......  626 

Sep.  9,  1770.  Actual  Communicants  four  /uDidred  &  nineteen 
exclusive  of  Episcopalians,  &  only  of  M''  Halls  Church.  A  large 
Chh  !  I  believe  largest  in  New  England.  M''  Hall  said  to  me, 
that  Rev  Sam'  Whitt-'  of  Wall,  told  him,  he  was  ordained  by  M' 
Street  of  Wallingfd,  M''  Andrew  of  Milfd,  M"'  Pierp*  of  N.  H.  M^' 
Russel  of  Branfd,  &  M'  Moss  of  Darby. 

28.  Edsdy,  A.M.  I  published  Jn"  Treby  &  W"  Bradford.  .  .  . 
I  am  told  that  this  day  the  Fish  Market  was  opened  at  the  Grain- 
ery,  &  the  Market  house  also  near  the  Parade. 

29.  M'  vSam'  Broome  of  N.  York  visited  me. 

30.  M'"^  Ellis  of  Newbern,  N"  Carolina,  breakfasted  with  us. 
She  is  lately  from  thence.  Says  Gov.  Tryon  found  thirty  eight 
Regulators  killed  at  the  Battle  at  Almansee,  &  no  more,  besides 
wounded.  She  says  Parson  Read  of  Newbern  has  twenty  Chapels 
under  him. 

Mr.  Broom  told  me  that  the  two  united  Presb.  Chhs  in  N.  York 
gave  ^250.  to  D''  Rogers  &  ^150.  &  house  to  M''  Treat:— M'  Treats 
House  cost  them  ;^6oo. — they  paid  ^200  Interest  being  in  Debt  for 
monies  hired  near  ^4000.  for  building  the  new  Meeting  house  : — 
that  D"'  Ogilvie  was  the  only  Episc"  Clergyman    in    N.   Y.   who 


JULY    28-AUGUST    I,    I 77 I  131 

vouchsafed  to  attend  a  Presbyterian  Lecture  :  that  ever}^  Ldsdy. 
Even''  they  had  preach^  alternately  at  the  Presb.  Meetings  : — that 
M''  Broom  &  his  Brother  had  2  Pews  in  each  Meet^  &  paid  ^20.  a 
3'ear  both. 

Aug. 

I.  This  day  M''  King  finished  my  Picture.'  He  began  it  last 
year — but  went  over  the  face  again  now,  &  added  Emblems  &c. 
The  Piece  is  made  up  thus.  The  Effigies  sitting  in  a  Green  Elbow 
Chair,  in  a  Teaching  Attitude,  with  the  right  hand  on  the  Breast, 
and  the  Left  holding  a  preaching  Bible.  Behind  &  on  his  left  side 
is  a  part  of  a  Library — two  Shelves  of  Books — a  Folio  shelf  with 
Eiisebij  Hist.  Ecc,  Livy,  Du  Halde's  Hist^  of  China,  and  one 
inscribed  Talmud  B.,  Aben  Ezra,  Rabbi  Selomoh  Jarchi  in  hebrew 
Letters,  and  a  little  below  R.  Moses  Ben  Maimon  Moreh  Nevochim. 

By  these  I  denote  my  Taste  for  History,  especially  of  the  Roman 
Empire,  &  of  the  Chh  in  the  3  first  Centuries  &  at  the  Reforma- 
tion— the  State  of  China  as  contain^  a  systematical  View  of  an 
antient  pple  for  4000  years,  being  one  Third  or  more  of  the  human 
Race  &  different  from  all  the  rest  of  the  Orientals — the  Rabbin. 
Learn"  part''  in  the  two  most  eminent  Periods  of  it ;  the  first  before 
&  at  the  Time  of  Christ  contain^'  the  Decisions  of  the  house  of  R. 
Eleazar  at  Babylon,  and  those  of  the  Houses  Hillel  &  Shammai  at 
Jerusalem  ;  the  second  period  was  at  the  Revival  of  the  Hebrew 
Learning  in  the  XI^''  &  Twelfth  Centuries,  when  arose  those 
Lights  of  the  Captivity,  Jarchi,  Maimonides  &c.  I  prize  this 
Learn''  only  for  the  scattered  Remains  of  the  antient  Doctrine  of 
the  Trinity,  &  a  suffering  Messiah,  preserved  in  the  Opinions  of 
some  of  the  Rabbins  before  Christ — the  very  Labors  of  the  modern 
Rabbins  to  obviate  or  interpret  them  into  another  sense  &  Applica- 
tion evincing  their  Genuiness  &  Reality.  The  Moreh  Nevochim 
which  was  originally  written  in  Arabic,  is  curious  for  many 
Reasons  ;  it  was  a  capital  Work,  &  became  an  Occasion  of  the 
greatest  literary  Dispute  among  the  Jews  since  the  days  of  Hillel — 
it  contains  great  Concessions,  which  have  recommended  it  to 
Xtian  Divines. 

On  the  other  Shelf  are  Newton's  Principia,  Plato,  Watts,  Dod- 
dridge, Cudworths  Intellectual  System  ;  &  also  the  New  Engld 
primaeval  Divines  Hooker,  Chauncy,  Mather,  Cotton. 

'  Now  in  possession  of  Dr.  Stiles's  great-granddaugliter,  Mrs.  Charles  C. 
Foote,  of  New  Haven. 


132  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILES 

At  my  Right  hand  stands  a  Pillar.  On  the  Shaft  is  one  Circle 
and  one  Trajectory  around  a  solar  point,  as  an  emblem  of  the  New- 
tonian or  Pythagorean  System  of  the  Sun  &  Planets  &  Comets. 
It  is  pythag.  so  far  as  respects  the  Sun  &  revolv-  Planets  :  it  is 
newtonian  so  far  as  it  respects  the  Comets  moving  in  parabolic 
Trajectories,  or  long  Ellipses  whose  Vertexes  are  nigh  a  parab. 
Curve.  At  the  Top  of  the  visible  part  of  the  Pillar  &  on  the  side 
of  the  Wall,  is  an  Emblem  of  the  Universe  or  intellectual  World. 
It  is  as  it  were  one  sheet  of  Omniscience.  In  a  central  Glory  is  the 
name  mP?^  surrounded  with  white  Spots  on  a  Field  of  azure,  from 
each  Spot  ascend  three  hair  Lines  denoting  the  Tendencies  of 
Minds  to  Deity  &  Communion  with  the  Trinity  in  the  divine 
Eight :  these  Spots  denote  i^Innocency ,^  a  Spirit,  a  World,  Clusters 
or  Systems  of  Worlds,  &  their  Tendencies  to  the  eternal  central 
yet  universal  omnipresent  Eight.  This  world  is  represented  by  a 
Cluster  of  Minds  whose  central  Tendencies  are  turned  off  from  Gd 
to  Earth,  self  &  created  good — and  also  in  a  state  of  Redemption. 
Intervening  is  the  Crucifixion  of  Christ  between  two  Thieves — 
both  Tendencies  going  ofif,  but  one  turned  back  to  the  Eight. 
Denotes  also  a  converted  &  an  unconverted  Man. 

At  a  little  Distance  on  the  Eeft  hand  is  a  black  Spot  the 

Receptacle  of  fallen  Angels  &  the  finall}'  wicked.  And  as  we 
know  onl}^  of  two  Worlds  (out  of  infinite  Myriads)  that  have 
revolted ;  so  this  is  big  eno'  to  contain  all  these,  if  none  w^ere 
saved.  And  the  collection  of  moral  Evil  «&  Misery,  in  comparison 
with  the  moral  Perfection  &  Happiness  of  the  immense  Universe, 
is  but  a  small  Spot  &  as  nothing  in  proportion  to  the  to  -n-av.  So 
that  under  this  small  minutesimal  Exception  of  the  Misery  of  all 
the  fallen  Angels  &  even  most  of  the  Posterity  of  Adam,  when  we 
consider  what  is  held  forth  in  the  Description  of  Coloss.  i,  16.  of 
Principalities,  Dominions  &c  innumerable  grand  assemblages  of 
Intelligences,  we  may  say  AEE  HAPPY  IN  GOD. 

These  Emblems  are  more  descriptive  of  my  Mind,  than  the 
Efiigies  of  mj^  Face.  I  have  selected  the  Books  to  my  Taste.  I 
posess  &  have  read  all  Newtons  Works  &  his  Principia  often  :  and 
am  highly  delighted  with  his  Optics  &  Astronomy.  Plato  I  have 
&  read  with  pleasure.  Watts  &  Doddridge  I  esteem  as  good  sound 
Divines,  evangelical  Preachers,  &  tho'  not  the  most  learned,  yet  of 
an  excellent  Spirit — in  them  w^e  have  a  good  Idea  of  evangelical 
apostolic  pastors.     Cudw'orth  I  esteem  for  his  Collection  of  all  the 


AUGUST    2-4,    1 77 1  133 

Mythology  of  the  fabulous  Ages,  which  I  conceive  to  have  origi- 
nated from  primeval  Revelation  to  the  Originals  of  all  Nations. 
President  Chauncy  I  conceive  the  most  truly  &  extensively  learned 
of  all  the  N  Engld  Fathers,  especially  in  the  Sciences,  the  School- 
men, the  Eccl.  Hist,  thro'  all  Ages  of  the  Chh,  &  perfectly 
acquainted  with  the  three  first  Centuries,  &  the  Reformation,  & 
the  Corruptions  of  the  Pontificate — add  Speculative  or  Systematic 
Theology  and  the  Knowledge  of  the  learned  Languages,  particu- 
larly Greek  &  besides  Hebrew,  its  several  Dialects  as  Syriac, 
Arabic,  Samaritan  :  a  Man  of  Piety,  Zeal  for  pure  Religion  & 
exemplary  uncorrupted  Fortitude  in  the  Redeemers  Cause.  M""  Jn" 
Davenport  was  in  my  opinion  the  next  to  him  for  immense  Read- 
ing &  Learning :  but  I  selected  Hooker  as  rather  more  eminent. 
He  was  of  vast  Erudition  tho'  not  so  extensive  &  universal  as 
Chauncy  :  but  he  had  a  Penetration,  Depth  of  Thot  &  solidity  of 
Judg'  beyond  them  all.  Richd  Mather,  &  Jn"  Cotton  were  of  a 
second  Class  for  Learning,  but  greatly  useful. 

I  attended  M''  Hopkins  Even^'  Lect.  he  preached  upon  Luke  xv,  18, 
the  Return  of  the  Prodigal  Son.  At  ¥111^2  an  Alarm  of  Fire  at 
the  upper  End  of  the  Town  in  Col.  Coles  Tanyard  :  but  happily 
extinguished. 

2.  This  day  visited  by  M'"  Richard  Stiles'  of  Bermudas  aet.  49, 
Merchant.  He  meditates  a  settlement  at  Newport  or  some  part  of 
the  Continent ;  &  is  going  via  Boston  for  Engld  to  bring  over 
Goods  to  open  Store.  He  has  a  Brother  in  N  York,  &  another  in 
Philadelphia — this  last  is  immensely  rich,  worth  Seventy  Thousd 
Philad"-  Money,  having  an  Income  of  Four  Thousd  per  ann.  chiefly 
by  means  of  two  rich  Wives  in  Succession. 

I  find  by  the  New  London  print  that  16"'  Ins'  died  Rev.  Ebene- 
zer  Devotion'^  Pastor  of  the  3''  Chh  in  Windham  in  Connecticutt, 
aet.  58,  Min^'  36.  He  was  Son  of  Rev''  Eben''  Devotion  of  SuflSeld 
— was  a  Gentleman  of  solid  Understanding,  extensive  Reading,  & 
eminent  for  every  kind  of  Merit.  A  great  Divine,  a  pious  Man,  an 
able  Politician  ;  &  in  1765  on  Occasion  of  the  vStamp  Act,  he  was 
sent  &  sat  Member  in  the  General  Assembly  in  Connecticut,  tho'  it 
was  a  very  singular  Instance. 

4.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  i  Jno.  iv,  16.  P.M.  Ps.  cxlix,  4, 
&  notified  catechising  at  Meetinghouse  as  usual.     Excessive  hot. 

'  See  H.  R.  Stiles's  Stiles  Genealogy,  665-66. 

-  Yale  Coll.  1732.     His  step-mother  was  an  aunt  of  Dr.  Stiles. 


134  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

5.  At  V  P  M.  Catechised  20  B.  35  G.  4  Negroes,  Total  59. 
M'  Burt  of  Bristol  here.  This  an  excessive  hot  clay,  Fahrenheits 
Therm.  Ninety  tivo  at  half  an  hour  before  One,  &  again  at  Three 
P  M. 

6.  M'  Burt  of  Bristol  here.  He  tells  me  a  further  Ace"  of  D'' 
Byles'  &  Christ  Chh  B".  Last  winter  a  Dispute  arose  whether  the 
£,\o.  per  ann.  allowed  b}^  the  Society"  in  Engld  was  to  be  a  part  of 
the  /,"ioo.  per  ann.  promised  by  the  Congregation?  D'  Byles  said 
it  was  given  to  him,  &  he  would  have  it  over  &  above  the  ^100.: 
his  Congreg'^  opposed  this.  Upon  which  he  shut  up  the  Chh 
Doors  last  Spring  for  two  Sabbaths  &  a  Fast ;  and  at  the  same 
time  engaged  the  rest  of  the  Episc"  Clergy  in  Town  not  to  preach 
for  the  Congregation.  This  irritated  them  highly.  They  applied 
to  Commodore  Gambler's  Chaplain,'^  but  D''  Caner'  had  engaged 
him  at  the  Chapel,  th"  the  Chapel  had  three  Ministers  in  Town 
viz  D''  Canner,  M'  Troutbeck  &  M''  Fog.  Upon  this  they  were 
told  if  they  would  submit  to  &  treat  their  Minister  well,  i.  e.  give 
him  ^100.  in  addition  to  the  ^40,  all  would  be  well.  Their  Re- 
sentments rose  high  :  the}^  said  they  would  be  priest  ridden  no 
longer  ;  they  were  chhmen  indeed  but  would  have  &  even  make 
a  Minister  of  their  own.  Upon  which  they  applied  to  M""  James 
Lovell  Grammar  School  Master^  &  offered  to  make  him  their 
Minister  &  ordain  him  themselves — that  he  should  read  what 
prayers  or  parts  of  the  Liturgy  he  pleased,  »&  leave  out  or  omit  the 
Athanasian  Creed  &  any  parts  he  please,  omit  Godfathers  &  Cross 
in  Baptism,  &  drop  the  Funeral  Service — &  besides  pray  extem- 
pore as  much  as  he  pleased.  He  replied  that  as  he  depended  on  the 
select  Men  for  the  School,  he  would  know  whether,  in  Case  he 
made  Trial  &  yet  for  an}^  Reasons  the  Affair  shd  not  be  carried 
thro'  it  would  prejudice  him  as  to  his  School  ?  The  Chh  Wardens 
on  this  waited  on  the  select  Men — who  answd  it  shd  not  hurt  him  as 
to  the  School.  Upon  which  M""  Lovel  performed  divine  Service  in 
Christs  Chh  the  next  Sabbath,  read^  the  Liturgy,  omitting  as  he 
pleased,  delivered  a  Sermon  &c.  This  brought  Byles  to  himself. 
He  immediately  went  Cap  in  hand  to  the  Heads  of  the  Congreg''  & 

^  Rev.  Mather  Byles,  Jr.  (Harvard  1751),  Congregational  pastor  in  New 
London,  Conn.,    1757-68. 

^  James  Gambler  was  commander-iu-cliief  of  the  fleet  on  the  North  American 
station  from  1770  to  1773. 

^  Henry  Caner  (Yale  1724),  Rector  of  King's  Chapel,  Boston. 

•*  B.  A.  Harvard  1756,  assistant  to  his  father  in  the  Boston  Latin  School. 


AUGUST   5-S,    1771  135 

told  them,  he  "  humblj^  tendered  them  his  Services  in  the  Name  of 
the  Lord  Jesus."  Upon  which  thej- received  him  again.  Had  he 
stood  out  the  Congregation  would  have  settled  M''  Lovell — and  as 
he  could  not  be  episcopally  ord.  without  canonical  Oaths  &c 
which  they  knew  he  would  not  submit  to  ;  .so  rather  than  ordain 
themselves,  both  he  &  they  would  have  asked  Ordin-'  from  the  Con- 
greg^  Pastors.  And  since  they  had  agreed  to  give  up  all  the 
exceptional  Things  in  the  Liturgy  &  to  give  full  Liberty  for  free 
prayer,  our  Ministers  would  have  had  no  Difficulty,  but  would 
have  freely  ordained  him.  It  would  have  ceased  to  be  Episcopal, 
&  in  Effect  become  a  Presb.  Congregation  using  Forms  of  praj-er 
under  great  Liberty.  Thus  they  would  be  lost  to  the  Chh  of 
Engld.  This  Pinch  bro't  the  Clergj^  to  their  senses.  But  it  shews 
that  if  they  were  well  &  firml}^  invested  with  Power  they  would 
subjugate  the  Churches.  Upon  this  Occasion,  there  was  a  second 
Edition  of  the  Dream,  written  formerly  on  Occasion  of  M''  Byles 
leaving  the  Congreg^  Chh  at  New  London,  &  turning  to  Epis- 
copacy :  in  w^hich  the  Puritanism  of  the  Mathers,  of  whom  he 
descended,  this  first  Defection  &  Apostacy  in  the  Family,  &  a 
prophecy  of  his  future  Contempt,  are  strongly  painted. 

7.  I  find  that  June  20  ult.  the  Rev.  &  Hon.  Commissar}^  with 
his  Lady  took  Shipping  from  Williams''-  in  Virginia  for  Engld  : — I 
suppose  to  solicit  the  Affair  of  a  Bishop. 

This  day  in  Newport  Fahr.  Therm,  rose  to  Ninety  four  &  two 
Thirds,  within  one  &  half  deg.  of  Blood  Heat,  w*^  is  96.  The 
hottest  in  this  Towm  for  nine  years  or  more. 

Monday  night  last  at  X''  my  Wife  &  Betsy  first  espied  a  nebulous 
Star  west  from  Jupiter,  which  they  took  for  a  Comet.  I  lookt  at 
it  but  could  not  determine.  It  lay  on  the  West  Edge  of  the  Milky 
way,  &  was  on  the  Meridian  about  Nine.  Yesterday  I  mentioned 
it  at  Cap*^  Vose's,  when  he  told  me  his  Son  said  he  saw  a  Comet 
la.st  Friday  Night ;  and  upon  ask-  the  son,  found  he  saw  it  in  the 
South. 

8.  Reads  \^  Boylean  Lectures  :  &  Hieron.  Rubeei  de  stilatitiis 
&c.  Attended  M''  Hopk.  Lect.  He  pr.  Isai.  65,  20.  He  made  an 
Infant  of  Days  the  same  as  a  Child  that  dies  100.  set.  and  the  Old 
man  the  Sinner  aet.  100  :  That  a  glorious  State  of  the  Chh  would 
come,  when  verj^  children  should  know  as  much  as  men  now — j'et 
some  sinners — &  that  the  wicked  set  100  would  be  as  ignorant  then 
as  Children  now. 


136  DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 

9.  Lncian  the  Greek  Satyrist  flourished  at  the  Bud  of  first 
Ceuf,  from  before  Trajan  to  &c  &  died  about  aet.  90.  he  was  con- 
temporary with  Justin  Martyr.  He  became  a  philosopher  aet.  40. 
perhaps  about  the  Time  that  Justin  became  a  Xtian.  It  is  by 
some  supposed  that  Lucian  was  a  Xtian.  With  whatever  View  he 
wrote  his  Philopatris,  he  makes  Triephon  preserve  the  Character  of 
a  serious  sensible  &  consistent  Christian — nor  do  I  perceive  any 
sneer  upon  him.  Critias  had  occasion  to  adjure  or  attest  a  Gd  :  he 
called  Jupiter  to  Witness.  Triephon  objects.  Critias  then  attests 
sundry  other  heathen  Gds,  whom  Trieph.  ridicules  in  succession. 
Critias  tired  out,  says, 

"  Crit.   Whom  then  shall  I  invoke  ? 

Trieph.  GOD  reigning  on  high,  great,  aethereal,  eternal  ;  the 
SON  of  his  FATHER;  the  SPIRIT  proceeding  from  the  Father, 
ONE  from  THREE,  and  THREE  from  ONE.  This  you  must 
esteem  Jupiter,  this  you  must  look  on  as  GOD. 

Crit.  What  you  teach  me  Numeration,  &  yours  is  an  Arith- 
metical Oath  &c — I  dont  understand  what  you  say,  Three  one. 
One  three  : &c. 

Trieph.  Hold  your  peace,  for  what  I  have  yet  to  tell  j^ou  are 
worthy  of  Silence. — &c — I  will  teach  you  what  the  Universe  is, 
&  who  was  before  all  Things — &c —  :  for  indeed  /  have  met  tvith 
that  Galiltran,  with  a  Pate  bald  behind,  &  an  aquiline  Nose,  zvho 
cutting  the  liquid  Air  penetrated  iyito  the  very  third  heaven  &  there 
learned  all  that  ivas  valuable  &  great :  he  renezved  us  by  Water,  8z. 
made  us  walk  in  the  Steps  of  the  righteous,  &  redeemed  us  from 
the  Regions  of  the  Impious." 

Rem.  I.  Accord^  to  L,ucians  Description  of  a  christian  in  the 
forepart  of  the  second  Centurj^  or  rather  the  latter  part  of  the  first. 
Christians  then  held  a  Trinity  in  Unity,  as  one  God.  2.  The 
christian  whose  Convers"^  lyucian  here  describes  was  one  who  was 
converted  &  baptized  by  S'  Paul,  &  so  before  A  D.  67.  for  Paul  was 
beheaded  that  3'ear.  3.  We  have  a  Descript.  of  Pauls  person — 
bald  Pate  behind — aquiline  Nose — rapt  into  3''  Heaven.  Again, 
4.  Water  baptism  called  Regeneration. — This  is  the  descript.  of 
the  Trinity  in  the  Original  Yi/'t/xeSovra  ©eov,  ®tov  u<f>6iTov  ovpaviwva,  vlov 
TraT/aos,  Trvevfia  €k  Trarpos  eKTropevo/xcvov ;  EN  EK  TPIf2N  Kai  EE  EN02 
TPIA. 

10.  This  day  my  son  Isaac  is  Eight  years  old.  By  the  Western 
prints  find  ace",  given  by  one  of  the  Regulators  of  the  Battle  of 
Almanse  in  May.     Of  the  Regulators 


AUGUST   9-10,    1771  137 

Seven  killed  on  the  spot 

Two  killed  or  died  after  running  a  little  waj^ 

Eight  Died  of  their  Wounds  since 

Three  not  out  of  Danger  May  17. 

The  Gov.  fired  in  15  Minutes,  after  had  given  them  an  hour 
for  consideration.  Most  of  them  instantly  retired  back — only 
about  three  hundred  engaged  Tryon — of  these  not  twenty  killed 
&  wounded  &  20  or  30  taken.     They  judged  they  killed  of 

Tryons  lAenJifty- seven.  How  different  the  Accounts  ?  Tryons  Ace''. 
&  the  Junto  of  antiamerican  Myrmidons  along  the  Continent, 
represented  it  as  great  an  Enterprize  &  heroic  fighting  &  General- 
ship, &  the  Victory  as  glorious  as  that  of  Gen^  Wolfe  at  Quebec. 
A  great  Battle  which  lasted  they  said  i|  and  two  hours — &  yet 
killed  not  twenty  Men  on  a  side.  The  Regulators  say  it  lasted  but 
half  or  three  Qurs  of  an  hour,  &  this  inveloped  in  smoke. 

This  Afternoon  visited  by  M''  Raynolds  who  arrived  yesterday 
from  Nova  Scotia.  He  removed  thither  from  Newport  1761  & 
settled  at  Cornwallis  :  where  M''  Phelps'  is  Congreg''  Pastor.  He 
tells  me  last  year  1770  was  the  first  Presb.  Ordination  ever  per- 
formed in  that  Province.  A  Dutch  Chh  at  Eunenburg  had  called 
M''  Brown  a  Dutchman  to  be  their  Minister.  Where  he  was 
ordained  by  the  Eaying  on  of  hands  of  the  following  Presbyterian 
Pastors  who  had  been  ordained  before  their  settlement  in  Nova- 
scotia. 

Rev.  M''  Lyon  of    Cobequid "" 

Rev.  M''  Secomb  of  Chester^ — preached 

Rev.  M'  Murdoch  of  Hortou" — gave  the  Charge 

Rev.  M""  Phelps  of  Cornwallis — gave  Rt.  Hand  Fellowship. 

M'"  Murdoch  is  a  Seceeder — yet  uses  Watts'  Psalms,  and  is  marry- 
ing a  Daughter  of  M'  Malachi  Salter  of  Halifax,  Merchant,  a  Con- 
gregationalist.    There  is  another  Seceeder  Minister  in  Nova  Scotia. 

D''  Eyers  told  me  he  was  at  Providence  last  Wednesday  & 
viewed  M''  Browns  Thermometer.  At  III^  P  M.  it  stood  at  95 
in  the  house.  M''  Brown  suspended  it  abroad  on  a  post  in  the  yard 
in  the  Sun,  when  it  rose  to  107,  and  thence  it  was  said  the  heat  of 

'  Benajah  Phelps  (Yale  Coll.  1761).     He  returned  to  Counecticut  in  1778. 
^  Of  Truro  :  from  New  Jersey. 
^John  Seccombe  (Harvard  1728). 

•*  James  Murdock,  a  native  of  Ireland.  For  further  details  of  these  minis- 
ters, see  the  Proceedings  of  the  Mass.  Historical  Society,  2d  series,  iv,  70. 


138  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

that  day  was  107  at  Providence.  D''  Ej'res  then  took  the  Therm". 
&  suspended  on  the  outside  of  the  house  at  IV'\  in  an  Eastern 
shade  when  it  stood  at  95^^.  At  Newport  94!  was  the  highest 
Altitude  of  that  day. 

The  Chh  at  Horton,  now  under  M'  Murdoch,  was  originally 
gathered  a  Congreg".  Chh  after  the  manner  of  New  Engld  bj^  sub- 
scribe^' a  Chh  Covenant :  &  Mr.  Fuller'  was  ordained  in  New 
Engld  at  their  Request  &  sent  its  pastor.  M"^  Murdoch  has  altered 
some  of  its  Customs — particularly  has  a  long  Communion  Table — 
&  admits  by  Tokens.  But  does  not  think  himself  obliged  to  all 
the  Restrictions  of  the  Seceders  in  Scotland — tho  sent  out  by  one 
of  their  Synods. 

This  Aft.  I  received  a  Letter  Missive  to  be  communicated  to  our 
Chh,  asking  us  to  assist  in  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  at  KennedjMn 
Windham  the  last  Tuesday  of  this  Month.     Dated  Aug.  9,  1771. 

M''  Raynolds  tells  me  Rev.  Dr.  More"  of  Halifax  is  not  yet 
returned  from  soliciting  Funds  in  Europe  for  the  presbyterian 
Ministers  in  Nova  Scotia. 

I  see  in  the  Virginia  Gazette,  the  Lower  House  of  AssembP' 
voted  their  Thanks  to  the  Gentlemen  of  the  Clergy  who  protested 
against  the  Petition  for  an  American  Bishop  :  now  this  Assembly 
are  Episcopalians. 

11.  Ldsday,  A.M.  I  preached  Isai.  xlix,  4.      P.M.  Ps.  Ixii,  i,  2. 

12.  Died  wife  of  Lewis  Bilio. 

13.  Inspected  the  Transcript  of  the  Charter  of  my  Congregation 
on  Parchment  for  Authentication  by  the  Governor. 

15.  Read  Essays  on  i.  Thenat.,  use  &  subj"'  of  the  Sacraments. 
2.  on  Regeneration.  3.  on  the  Means  of  Grace.  B}^  Rev.  Jn". 
Blair  A  M.  Pastor  of  the  Chh  of  Good-ivill  in  Prov.  of  N  York. 
Printed  this  3^ear.  M'  Blair  was  formerly  Professor  of  Divinity  in 
Jersey  College.^  He  is  for  having  all  come  to  the  Lords  Table. 
All  baptized  in  Infancy  are  brot  into  the  visible  Chh  as  Members  & 
subjects  of  Discipln  and  Treatm'  as  Chh  members  accord"  to  their 
states  &  Ages.  As  in  believers,  some  require  one  Treatm'  some 
another — despond^  Saints  require  Comfort,  all  require  spiritual 
food,  wicked  &  visions  professors  censure  &c — So  for  Infant  Mem- 

'  Daniel  Fuller  (Yale  1762),  of  East  Haddam,  Conn.,  ordained  June  5,  1765. 
-  From  Ireland.     Cf.  Mass.  Hist.  Soc.  Proceedings,  2d  series,  iv,  70. 
'  Born  in  Ireland  in  1720,  and  pastor  in  Walkill,  N.  Y.     See  Sprague's  Annals 
of  the  Atner.  Pulpit,  iii,  1 17-19. 


AUGUST    II-15,    1771  139 

bers  ;  they  are  to  be  taught  the  Doctrines  of  the  Gospel  with  the 
closest  Application  to  their  Consciences,  &  are  to  be  called  upon 
to  Dutys  as  the}^  become  capable,  &  so  in  course  to  the  Lds 
Table,  without  consider^  zvhether  they  are  regenerate  or  not — &  in 
Case  they  neglect  this  or  any  other  duty,  to  be  disciplined.  And 
upon  this  plan  all  baptized  Parents  to  have  their  Children  baptized 
of  course,  unless  under  Censure. 

M''  Blair  supposes  it  absurd  to  speak  of  a  dormant  Principle  ot 
Holiness  in  Regeneration— or  to  suppose  that  a  Man  may  be 
regenerated  some  time  before  Faith  :  he  supposes  the  principle  & 
its  Exercise  go  together,  Activity  &  L,ife  being  of  the  Essence  oi 
the  principle.  If  a  man  may  be  regenerate  &  hol)^  some  Minutes 
&  hours  before  the  Exercise  of  Faith,  he  sees  not  why  he  mayn't 
be  months  &c  and  even  regenerated  and  go  to  hell  at  last.  If  it 
be  said  Gd  will  alwaj^s  give  Faith  to  the  regenerate,  so  that  no 
regenerate  person  shall  die  without  Faith  ;  3'et  this  does  not  satisfj' 
because  the  Scripture  connects  Salvation  with  Regeneration  (as 
well  as  Faith,  Repent^,  Love  &c)  so  that  when  &  where  there  is 
Regener"^,  there  and  at  that  very  Moment  there  is  in  the  soul  ever)- 
Thing  necessar}"  to  Salvation.  Whereas  if  there  be  an  intervening 
Moment  or  days  or  months  or  years  between  Regener*  &  Faith, 
(Faith  being  indispensably  necessary):  for  so  long  a  Time  a  person 
might  be  regenerate  &  yet  not  in  a  State  of  Salvation.  This  at 
least  is  a  part  of  M''  Blairs  Train  of  Reasoning,  tho'  he  has  not 
pursued  it  so  far  as  this. 

He  is  clearly  &  fully  for  Sinners  using  the  Means  of  Grace  in 
order  for  obtaining  Grace  :  tho'  he  thinks  there  are  no  promises  to 
the  Unregenerate.  And  does  not  think  that  Enmity  against  Gd 
increases  with  Conviction  :  &  that  a  soul  under  a  conviction  of  the 
Evil  of  Sin  &  its  Punishment,  &  without  a  sight  of  the  ExcelP' 
of  Holiness,  may  be  brought  to  desire  of  Gd  that  he  would  make 

him  holy  &  save  him which  desire,  in  these  Circumstances  (& 

tho'  on  no  higher  Principle)  far  from  rendering  the  Sinner  more 
odious,  is  acceptable  to  God. 

Attended  M'  Hopk.  Lect.  he  preached  on  2  Cor.  iv,  18.  This 
Afternoon  M""  W"'  Rogers  jun.  a  Baptist  Candidate  preached  at 
M'  Thurstons  Meeting.  He  was  educated  at  Rhode  Isld  College. 
This  the  first  Time  he  preached  publickly.' 

^Born  in  Newport,  1751,  graduated  at  Brown  Univ.  1769.  See  Sprague's 
Annals  of  the  Ainer.  Pulpit,  vi,  145-48. 


I40 


DIARY   OF   EZRA   vSTlLES 


1 6.  Secretary  Ward  having  signed  &  affixed  the  colony  Seal  to 
the  Charter  of  my  Congregation,  three  Gentlemen  of  the  Congreg^ 
viz  M""  Rob.  Stevens,  Major  Otis  &  D'  Bartlett  waited  upon  Gov. 
Wanton  with  it  this  Morning,  who  immediately  signed  it,  &  made 
Delivery  of  it  according  to  Act  of  Assembly. 

[Among  Dr.  Stiles' s  unbound  memoranda  is  found  the  following 
list  :— 


Persons  of  Adult  years  in  m 
(Those  dead  or  removed, 

Tinioth}-  Ailing 
Philip  Ackland 
Job  Bissel 
Joseph  Belcher 
Joseph  Belcher,  jun. 
William  Belcher 
William  Bennet     dead 
William  Bently 
John  Bartlett 
Nathan  Beebee 
James  Brown     dead 
Joseph  Brown 
William  Barbut     dead 

Bebee     rem. 

Tho.  Brenton     dead 

David  Chesebrough 

Benj"  Church 

Peleg  Gary     removed 

John  Gary 

Jno.  Coit     dead 

James  Glark     rem. 

Samuel  Grandal 

Lemuel  Grandal 

Robert  Carter 

James  Garter 

W' "  Garter 

W'»  Cole 

Sam'l  Cole 

John  Ghanning,  son  of  Jn"  DeC^ 

Walter  Ghanning     rem. 

W"'  Grandal     rem. 

Tho.  Gourtane     rem. 

Tho.  Grandal     rem. 

Abraham  Dennis     rem. 

Abm.  Dennis,  jun.     rem. 

Ezekiel  Dennis     rem. 

Benj"  Doubleday     rem. 


y  Congregation  Aug.  i6,  1771 
Oct.  1775,  are  so  marked.) 

Eben'  Davenport,  sen.     ren 
Eben''  Davenport,  jun. 
Isaac  Dayton 
Benedict  Dayton    rem. 
Hez.  Dayton     rem. 
Isaac  Dayton,  jun.  left  us 
Charles  Davins 
Charles  Davenport 
Benjamin  Ellery     rem. 
William  Ellery 
William  Finch 
Jno.  Fryers,  jun.     abs. 
John  Finch     rem. 
Adam  Ferguson 
Thos.  Finch     rem. 
Wm.       Do.,  jun.     abs. 
Caleb  Gardner 
Rob.  Gibbs     dead 
W°'  Guyse  Haggar 
Nassau  Hastie     dead 

Fred.  Hamilton     dead 

Pollipus  Hammond     dead 

Stephen  Hammond,     abs. 

Hatch     abs. 

John  Howland     rem. 

Howland     left  us 

Joseph  Hammand 

Thos.  Hamand 

Payne  Hamand     rem. 

Saml.  Henshaw     dead 

W""  Howard     abs. 

Jno.  Hamand     abs. 

Benj*      Do.        abs. 

Benj''  Ingraham 

John  Ingraham 

Nathan  Ingraham 

Benj*  King     rem. 


AUGUST    1 6,    1 77 1 


141 


Samuel  King     rem. 
W"  Kennicott     dead 
Nathan  Luther     left  us 
Henry  Marchant     rem. 
G  Miller 

Miller     rem. 
George  Mowatt     abs. 
Edward  Mtirphy     left  us 
Philip  Moss 

Malcomb     rem . 
W"  Merriss 

W™  Merriss,  jun.     dead 
Simon  Newton 
John  Newton 
Kendal  Nichols     dead 
Jonathan  Otis     rem. 
Nathaniel  Otis     rem. 
Joseph  Otis     rem. 
W"  Augustus  Peck     rem. 
Benj.  Peck     abs. 
John  Pitman 
Benj"  Pitman     rem. 
James  Pitman     rem. 
W°'  Pitman     abs. 
Joseph  Pitman 
Peter  Parker     rem. 
Philip  Peckham     rem. 
Eben''  Richardson 
Thomas  Richardson 
Eben'  Richardson,  jun.     dead 
Jacob  Richardson 
Daniel  Russel 
Ezra  Stiles 
Joshua  Sayer     rem. 
Benj"  Sayer,  jun.     rem. 
Joshua  Sayer,  jun.     rem. 
Lewis  Sayer     rem. 
Robert  Stevens     rem. 
Robert  Stevens,  jun.     rem. 
W"  Stevens     rem. 
John  Stevens 
John  Stevens,  jun. 
Jn"  Simson,  sen.     dead 
Richard  Simson 

Simson 

Jacob  Stockman 


Jon"  Stoddard     fam.  rem. 

Jos.  vSmith 

Nath'l  Sowle 

Samuel  Simson 

Edward  Simands 

Jonathan  Simmands,  son  of  Edw"* 

Nathan  Do. 

Benj-^  Sherburn     dead 

Henry  Sherburn     in  Army 

Ben  Do.  do. 

W"  Symnies  do. 

Eleazar  Trevett 

Eleazar  Trevett,  jun.     left  us 

Constant    ^  ^bs, 

John  I  D'^ 

Benjamin  J  ^^s. 

Samuel  Treby     rem. 

Treb)-,  son  of  Sam'     rem. 

Peter  Treby    abs. 
Wilkin  s  Treby     left  us 
John  Topham     Army 
W°>        Do.  abs. 

William  Tripp     fam.  rem. 
Elijah  Tompkins     left  us 

Tabor  Do. 

Jno.  Treby,  son  of  Jno. 

Samuel  Vernon 

Samuel  Vernon,  jun. 

W"  Ward  Vernon,     dead 

William  Vernon 

Sam'  Vernon,  son  of  Wm. 

W""  Vernon,  son  of  W" 

Ebenezer  Vose 

Eben'r  Vose,  jun.     abs.  Army 

W™  Do.     dead 

Edward  Do. 

William  Whitwell 

Richard  Ward     left  us 

James  Way  D" 

Jn"  Young  D" 

Sam'  Weedon,  jun. 

John  Wood 

Jno.  Bartlett,  jun.     abs. 

Thos.  Newton     abs. 

Pitman 
Jno.  Pitman,  son  of  W"  Abigail 


142 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


rem. 
rem. 


Women  Adults  in 

Man-,  Wife  of  Phil.  Ackland 

Lucretia,  W.  of  Dr.  Bartlett 

Hannah,  W.  of  Capt.  Belcher 

Betsy  Belcher     rem. 

Hannah  Bennet,  W"     rem. 

Hannah,  W.  of  W'"  Bentley 

Hannah  Bebee,  W"     rem. 

Mary,  W.  of  Nathan  Bebee 

Hannah  Beebe,  jnn.     R. 

Eliza  Bennet     R. 

Martha,  W.  Job  Bissel 

Sarah  Bissel 

Susanna  Bissel     R 

Sally  Bennet     R 

Eliza,  W.  Tho.  Brown 

Sarah,  W.  James  Brown 

W.  Brown     R 

Mary,  W.  Tho.  Brown  (Pitman) 

Katherine,  W.  of  Tho.  Brenton     R 

]\Iary  Bebee     R 

Bebee     R 

Abigail,  W.  of  W"  Cornell     R 

Ann  Carr,  W° 

Ann  Clark,  W" 

Bathsheba,  W.  Capt.  Church 

Hannah,  W.  Jno.  Car}' 

Mary  Channing,  W"     rem. 

Ann  Channing 

Ann  Channing,  daughter  of  Mary  R 

Betsy  Channing     R 

Eliza  Cary     R 

Abigail  Cary     R 

Aged  W°  Cary     dead 

W"  Chambers     dead 

W"  Carter 

Mary,  W.  James  Carter 

Mary  Carter 

jNIargaret,  W.  Sam.  Crandal 

Rebecca  Crandal 

Abigail  Crandal,  W.  Joseph 

Patience     Do.     Daugh.  of  Do. 

Jean,  W.  of  Crandal 

Susanna,  W.  Lemuel  Crandal 

Eliza  ) 

■r^  ,        1     ^   Crandal — Lem. 

Deborah    \ 

Eliza,  W.  Tho.  Courtane     dead 

Hannah,  W.  James  Clark    rem. 


my  Congregation 

Miriam  Cole 

Hannah  Cole     dead 

Peace  Clark     rem. 

IMadam  Eliza  Coggeshall,  \V°     R 

Patience  Church 

Margaret    Cheeseborough,    W. 

David     R 
Alice  Car}' 
Widow  Davenport 
Susanna  Dyre     R 
Mercy  Dennis     R 
Rebecca  Dennis     R 
Hannah,  W.  Eben'r  Davenp't.,  jun. 
Rhoda  Davenp't. 
Suse  Davenport 
Mary  Davis,  W« 
Mary  Doubleday,  W^.  of        R 
j\Iary  Dayton,  W.  Isaac     R 
Deborah  Dayton,  W.  Benedict     R 
Ruth  Dayton,  W.  Hezek.     R 
Eliza  Dayton 
Lydia  Dayton 

Dorothy  Davins,  W.  of  Charles 
Rachel  Downer,  W.  of 
Abigail,  W.  William  Ellery 
Elizabeth  Ellery     R 
Lucy  Ellery 
Almy  Ellery 

Elizabeth  Ellery,  Relict  of  Gov.     R 
Mrs.  Fryers,  W.  Jno.     R 
Susanna  Fryers     R 
Rhoda  Fryers     R 
Margaret  Finch,  W.  W'" 
Eleanor  Gardner,  W.  Caleb 
Betsy  Gardner     R 
Eleanor  Gardner,  jun. 
Anstis  Godfrey,  W.  Capt.  James    R 
Ann  Gardner,  W.  W'" 
Charity  Gibbs,  W.  Rob. 
Eleanor  Gibbs 
Abiel  Gibbs 

Sally  Gardner,  D.  of  Geo.      R 
Sarah  Graves 
Abigail  Hanunond 
Ann  Hammond     R 
Eliza  Hamand,  W.  Jos. 
Ann  Howland,  W.  of        R 


Kennecott     R 


AUGUST    1 6, 

Sarah  Howland,  W.  of        R 

Abigail  Hamilton,  \V.  Fred.     R 

Thankful  Hunt,  W 

Sarah  Howard,  W.  of        abs. 

INIercy  Hamand     R 

Jeanette  Heatly  -v 

Polly  Heatly        -      left  us 

Teinpe  Heatl}^    J 

Eliza  House 

Anstis  lugrahani,  W" 

Ann  Ingraham 

Eliza  Ingraham 

Eliza  Jones 

Polly  Jones 

Mary  King,  W.  Benja.     R 

Amy  King,  W.  Sam'l     R 

Mehitabel  King     R 

Polly  King     R 

Honorah  Kennecott,  W"     R 

Anstis  ^ 

Phebe 

Eliza 

Lydia   -^ 

Judith  Luther,  W.  Nathan 

Eliza  More,  \V.  David      R 

Rebecca  Mowatt,  W.  of        dead 

Mrs.  Malcom     R 

Malcom     R 

Miller,  W.     dead 

Miller 

Mary  Merriss,  W.  W™ 

Isabella  Merriss 

W»  Murphy  )      ^^^^  ^^^ 

Murphy,  W.  i 

Agnes  Moss,  W. 

Ann  Newton,  W°     dead 

Mary  Newton,  W.  Sim. 

Patty  Newton     R 

Betsy  Newton     R 

Mary  Newton     R 

Sarah  Nicols,  W.  Kendal     abs. 

Ann  Nicols,  W.  Geo.     R 

Abigail  Newton,  W.  Jno. 

Abigail  Nicols     R 

Katherine  Otis,  W.  Jona.     R 

Polly  Otis 

Susanna  Otis     R 


1771 

Sarah  Oldham 

Mary  Peck,  \V.  Aug.     R 

Polly  Peck      R 

Mary  Pitman,  W.  Jno.  Jvsq. 

Eliza  Pitman 

Polly  Pitman 

Hannah  Price,  \V. 

Abigail  Potter,  W.     R 

Eliza  Parker,  W.     R 

Mary  Peckham,  W-     R 

Mary  Peckham,  jun. 

Abigail  Pitman,  W.  Benj.     R 

Abigail  Pitman,  W  ,  R 

Susanna  Pitman 

Rebecca  Petteface 

Esther  Phyllips 

Eliza  Pratt 

Hannah  Preston 

Pitman,  D.  Sam. 

Rebecca  Ryder,  W" 
Rebecca   ^ 


143 


Patience        ^  dead 

Mary  ^ 

Kate         J 

Eliza  Richardson,  W.  Tho. 

Abigail  Richardson,  W.  Jacob 

Mary  Robinson,  W 

Sarah  Rumrill,  W     R 

Sarah  Roland,  W.  Barthol. 

Desire  Robinson     R 

Hanna  Richardson,  \V.  Eben.,  jun. 

Anstis  Sayer,  W.  Deacon     R 

Betsy  Sayer     R 

Sarah  Sayer,  W.  Benj.     R 

Rebecca  Sayer,  W.  Joshua     R 

Eliza  Anstis  Stevens,  W.  Rob.     R 

Abigail  Stevens     R 

Luc)-  Sherburn,  W.  Benj     R 

Hannah  Sherb.     R 

Eleanor  Sherb.     R 

Mary  Searing,  Relict  of  Pastor 

Sarah  Searing 

Bathsheba  Searing 

Eliza  Stiles,  W.  of  Pastor     dead 

Eliza  Stiles,  jun. 

Pyliza  Stevens,  W.  Jno. 

Mary  Simonds,  W.  Edw. 


144  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLEvS 

Mercy  Sylvester,  W°  Wife  Jno.  Wood 

Abigail  Sowle,  W.  Do.  Satn'l  Treby     R 

Mary  Symes,  W.  W"  Anstis  Treby 

Mary  Simson  Wife  Wilk.  Do. 

Eliza  Simson 

Mary  Spinney,  W°  A1)out  200  Women 

Mary  Stoddard,  W.  Jon"     R  164  Men 

Suse  vSylvester  

Penelope  Stelle,  W"     R  364 

vStockman,  W.  Jacob 

Martha  Smith,  W.  Jos.      R  Deft  at  the  Flight,  22  Oct.,  1775 

W°  Sherman  about  60  Men 

W°  Bethiah  Bennet     R  90  Women 

D.  of  Stockman  

W"  Townsend  150     ] 
Betsy  Vernon     left  us 

18.  lydsdy.  I  preached  all  day  on  Job  xiv,  12.  And  communi- 
cated a  Letter  Missive  inviting  this  Chh  to  sit  in  Council  at  Wind- 
ham. 

19.  This  Afternoon  my  Wife  sat  to  M""  King  for  her  Picture.* 
M''  Ellis  of  Compton  "  here.  He  told  me  a  story  of  an  Event 
formerly  on  the  Cape,  I  think  at  Barnstable.  Two  Brethren  of  the 
Chh  had  unhappily  got  into  a  Lawsuit,  &  in  prosecuting  it  had 
become  guilty  of  such  Indiscretions  &  broken  peace,  as  that  it 
came  into  the  Chh — &  seemed  impossible  to  reconcile.  Two  other 
Brethren  of  that  or  another  Chh  observing  it,  marvelled  that  such 
irreconcileable  Enmity  should  arise  among  Christs  Disciples  for  a 
Lawsuit — &  were  confident  they  could  go  to  Law^  &  not  quarrel. 
They  make  the  wicked  Attempt :  &  for  sake  of  Trial  commenced 
a  Lawsuit  one  with  another.  But  they  soon  embroiled  their 
Spirits,  and  the  Thing  proceded  &  ended  in  total  Breach  of  Friend- 
ship and  most  irreconcileable  Enmity.  Dangerous  to  tempt  Satan, 
&  try  our  own  strength  ! 

20.  The  Medea  of  Seneca  gives  ace"  of  the  Voyage  to  Colchis 
after  the  Golden  Fleece  :  in  a  Chorus  is  sung  a  hymn  in  celebration 
of  the  Benefits  of  Navigation,  especially  in  exploring  Countries  & 
transplating  Colonies  :  so  that  the  Indian  is  transplanted  to  the 
Araxis,  &  the  Persian  upon  the  Elb  &  Rhine.  Then  the  hymn 
closes  with  this  prediction  : 

^  Now  in  possession  of  her  great-granddaughter,   Mrs.   Charles  C.  Foote,   of 
New  Haven. 
'  Rev.  Jonathan  Ellis  (Harvard  1737),  of  Little  Compton. 


Mrs.   Elizabeth  (Hubbard)  Stiles 
From  a  Portrait  pai)!tcd  bv  Samuel  King  in  lyji 


AUGUST    18-23,    1 77 1  145 


venient  Annis 


Secula  seris,  quibus  Oceaniis 
Vincula  Rerum  laxet,  &  ingens 
Pateat  Tellus,  Tiphj'sque  novos 
Detcgat  orbes,  iiec  sit  Terris 
Ultima  Thule. 
This  daj'  Daught.  Ruth  six  3^ears  old. 

21.  Our  Savior  seems  to  forbid  Divorce  in  all  Cases  but  one,  viz, 
Fornication  or  Adultery.  But  the  apostle  Paul  i  Cor.  vii,  25, 
gives  another  Case  wherein  a  Separation  is  right.  Bid  if  the  un- 
believing depart,  let  Mni  depart.  A  B'  or  S'  is  not  under  Bondage  in 
stick  Cases.     Idolatry. 

In  Evening  monthly  Meeting  of  the  Chh  at  B''  Hammonds.  I  dis- 
coursed on  Isai.  v,  i. — My  Beloved  hath  a  Vine3^ard  in  a  very 
fruitful  Hill.  Next  at  Sister  Peckhams  last  Wednesd}^  of  Sep- 
tember. There  were  57  B'  &  Sisters  present  at  this  Meet^'  it  being 
a  pleasant  Evening.  I  think  we  never  had  so  many  before  at  a 
monthly  meeting.  We  seemed  to  have  the  presence  of  Christ  with 
us  in  our  Solemnit3\  Gd  grant  we  may  improve  in  the  divine  Life 
under  all  his  Cultivations.  I  again  read  to  the  Brethren  &  Sisters 
the  Letter  missive  from  five  Aggrieved  Brethren  of  the  second  Chh 
in  Windham  calling  an  ecclesiastical  Council  there  on  last  Tuesday 
of  this  Month.  There  were  14  Brethren  present — of  which  two 
spake  against  sending,  &  seven  spake  for  sending,  I  myself  discov- 
ering a  Disinclination,  but  told  the  Chh  I  would  acquiesce  in  what 
they  tho't  best.  On  putting  the  Vote  to  send,  all  voted  but  two  ; 
on  putting  th.e  Negative  they  did  not  Vote — so  the  Vote  passed 
Nem.  con.  The  second  vote  was  that  B""  Bartlett  &  B""  Peleg  Cary 
accompany  the  Pastor  as  Delegates.  Voted  unanimously — the  two 
Brethren  joyning  the  others  in  this  Vote.  The  Sisters  were  pres- 
ent &  one  of  them  spake  once  :  but  the  Brethren  only  voted. 

22.  Attended  M'"  Hopk.  Lect.  he  preached  on  Ps.  66.  18.  If  I 
regard  Iniq^  in  m}^  heart  &c.  The  Discourse  was  designed  to  lay 
a  found'*  for  every  one  to  make  this  Conclusion  that  no  praying 
antecedent  to  Conversion  can  be  acceptable  to  God.  This  I  don't 
believe. 

23.  This  Afternoon  visited  by  Deacon  James  Barker  of  Baptist 
Chh  in  this  T"  under  Elder  Gardner  Thurston.  He  tells  me  of 
the  Members  of  their  Chh  the  Men  are  about  one  Third  &  the 
Women  Two  Thirds  : — that  the  thursdy  Meet^'  before  the  sacram' 


146  DIARY    OF   EZRA   STILEvS 

is  for  Business  &  Discipline  ;  when  the  Elder  &  six  Brethren,  or 
seven  Brethren  &  more  may  transact  Business.  vSome  have  lately- 
objected  &  said  that  they  ought  not  to  proceed  without  a  Majority 
of  the  Chh  present — and  that  this  Majority  should  include  the 
Sisters.  On  which  has  arisen  the  Question  whether  Sisters  have  a 
rio-ht  to  vote  in  the  Chh.  Now  the  Deacon  says  they  alledge  that 
in  a  memorable  Controversy  of  2  or  3  Brethren  with  Elder  Eyres  in 
this  Chh  perhaps  about  1750  or  1747,  on  a  vote  whether  Elder 
Eyres'  should  be  dismissed,  the  Sisters  generally  voted  &  it  was 
carried  that  he  should  not  be  dismissed.  M'  Green  &c  &c.  urged 
or  objected,  it  was  done  by  the  Sisters  vote  ;  &  it  was  replied  there 
was  also  a  Majority  of  the  Brethren  in  the  Vote.  The  Deacon 
(w^ho  was  Elected  &  ordained  1769  or  1770)'  says  the  Sisters  Voted 
at  the  Election  of  Deacons — three  chosen  at  the  same  Time.  Far- 
ther, that  the  Sisters  as  well  as  the  Brethren  are  present  at  the 
Examination  of  persons  offering  themselves  for  Baptism  &  Com- 
munion :  &  the  Sisters  ask  any  Questions  as  well  as  the  Brethren. 
There  is  no  vote  by  uplifted  hands  in  Admissions — but  the  Elder 
turns  to  all  &  asks,  whether  they  are  satisfied  ?  and  if  there  is  no 
objection,  the  Time  of  Baptism  is  appointed.  But  this  is  conducted 
in  such  a  manner  as  not  to  settle  the  Question  of  the  Sisters  Vote  : 
tho'  in  this  Case  they  vote  as  much  as  the  Brethren.  But  another 
Instance  is  this,  M'  Manning  upon  leaving  Warren  &  settling  with 
the  College  at  Providence,  desired  to  be  admitted  a  Member  in  the 
Baptist  Chh  there.  It  was  not  agreeable  to  Elder  Windsor  who 
foresee  &c.'  However  the  Vote  was  put  in  the  Chh  &  carried  for 
his  admission  :  but  the  Sisters  generally  voted  in  it.  Elder  Windsor 
asked  the  Opinion  of  the  next  Baptist  Association,  ivhether  the 
Sisters  had  a  right  to  vote  in  Chh  Meetings  f  But  the  Association 
declined  considering  the  Question,  because  they  said  they  would 
leave  every  Chh  to  its  own  usages  as  to  Admissions.  On  the 
whole  : — it  appears  plaine  to  me  that  it  is  a  Usage  &  practiced 
Principle  among  the  Baptists  of  this  Colony,  (especially  the  two 
antient  Chhs  of  Newport  &  Providence  under  Hands)  to  admit  the 
Sisters  to  equal  \'otes  in  the  Chh  meetings,  &  this  by  Lifting  up  of 

*  Nicholas  Eyres,  born  in  Wiltshire,  England,  1691,  came  to  New  York  City 
in  1715,  and  to  Newport  in  1741.  He  died  in  office  here  in  1759.  Dr.  Thomas 
Ej'res  (Yale  1754)  was  his  son. 

-  See  this  Diary,  April  28,  1769. 

■'  Cf.  this  Diary,  May  3,  1770. 


AUGUST    25-27,    1771  147 

Hands.  In  the  fifth-day  Meetings  before  Sacrament,  the  Sisters 
stay  &  hear — &  Deacon  Barker,  says,  sometimes  ask  Questions ;  «& 
frequently  when  a  Vote  is  called,  some  few  of  the  Aged  Sisters 
Lift  up  Hands  with  the  Brethren,  or  walk  with  them  one  side  or 
the  other,  when  they  shew  their  Minds  by  Division.  This  he  has 
seen.  But  the  younger  sisters  keep  their  places  and  say  nothing. 
And  as  votes  are  not  frequent — so  there  is  usually  an  appearance 
as  if  the  sisters  only  sat  &  heard,  but  had  no  Voice  :  &  probably 
their  Voting  is  growing  into  Disuetude — so  that  the  usage  may  be 
intirely  dropt  in  another  Generation  in  these  old  as  well  as  in  the 
new  Churches. 

As  to  the  Congregationall  Chhs  I  never  knew  or  read  of  the 
Sisters  voting  :  they  often  stay  with  the  Brethren  &  see  &  hear 
what  is  transacted,  but  dont  even  speak  in  the  Church.  Nor  in 
admissions  is  their  Consentment  to  be  taken,  when  the  Vote  is  put. 
But  upon  the  principle  that  there  can  be  no  vote  unless  every 
Brother  consented,  the  Consent  of  every  Sister  may  be  required. 
It  is  said  by  some  no  person  ought  to  be  rec'^  to  sit  down  at  the 
Table,  unless  every  Member  could  have  true  Fellowship  with  him  r 
This  is  said  even  by  some  who  would  not  allow  the  sisterhood  to 
vote  :  but  inconsistently. 

25.  lyordsday  A  M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  cxii,  i,  and  P  M.  2  Thess, 
ii,  16,  17,  and  notified  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lords  Supper  the  next 
Ldsday  ;  but  the  sacramental  Lecture  to  be  omitted  as  I  expect  to 
be  absent  on  an  Ecclesiastical  Council.  This  day  my  Daughter 
Mary  is  four  years  old. 

26.  This  day  M""  Hopkins  &  I  sat  out  on  a  Journey  for  Wind- 
ham, accompanied  with  D''  Bartlet  a  Delegate  from  my  Chh  & 
Mess'^  Antony  &  Dennison  Delegates  from  M"'  Hop.  Chh. 

27.  [This  day  Rev.  M'  Kelly  &  Wife  arrived  here  from  Phila- 
delphia.] Assembled  in  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  at  Kennedy  ' 
consisting  of  the  Elders  &  Messengers  of  four  Chhs.  The  Council 
consisted  of  Eleven  members  present,  i.  e,  four  Pastors  &  7  Mes- 
sengers. We  formed  this  day,  &  chose  M''  Hopk.  Moderator  & 
M'"  Leonard  Scribe  :  &  appointed  the  next  day  for  hearing.  This 
Council  was  called  not  by  the  Pastor  &  Chh,  but  by  five  aggrieved 
Brethren  of  the  Chh,  to  consider  Accusations  against  the  Pastor. 
We  found  that  the  Chh  was  neither  on  Saybrook  nor  Camb.  plat- 
forms, yet  considered  itself  Congregational.     It  was  gathered  June 

'  See  above,  June  16,  1771. 


148  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

5,  1723  when  Rev.  W"  Billings'  its  first  Pastor  was  ordained 

&  it  was  considered  as  being  then  on  vSaj-b.  platform,  the  Pastor 
early  claim^  a  Negative  in  Chh.  \'otes.  This  produced  an  early 
•opposition.  And  the  Pastor  was  obliged  to  lead  the  Chh  in  1724, 
to  vote  "that  the  sacred  Scriptures  was  their  onh'  Rule  of  Chh 
Discipline  &  Gov' "  or  to  this  Effect.  M'' Billgs  died  1733  :  and 
Rev.  M''  Mosely"  the  present  pastor  was  ord.  May  15  1734.  He 
early  claimed  this  Exercise  of  negative  ;  for  by  Copy  of  a  Chh 
Vote  in  1736  certified  by  him  it  appears  that  he  then  entered  his 
iieg.  or  Concurrence.  About  1743  he  was  disgusted  with  Consoci- 
ation Power,  &  upon  find^'  the  above  Vote  of  1724,  he  expressed  a 
satisfact.  to  some  Brethren  that  the  Chh  was  not  on  Sayb.  plat- 
form, add*''  he  thot  God  was  eminentl}-  with  that  Chh  in  lead*''  them 
to  that  Vote.  A  few  j'ears  after  he  altered  his  Sentiments  & 
resumed  the  Negative  ever  since.  The  Chh  consists  of  between  50 
&  60  B^  most  displea.sed  with  this  negative  3^et  esteem^'  their 
pastor  an  eminentl}'  holy  &  godly  minister  acquiesced  in  it.  Half 
a  dozen  or  more  openl}'  opposed  it  but  in  vain.  At  length  they 
meditated  an  Expedient  viz,  Clausing  a  Ruling  Elder  or  Elders  as 
a  Ballance  to  the  power  of  the  Teaching  Elder.  At  the  same 
Time  enter^  into  Articles  of  Complaint  to  the  Chh  ag'  the  Pastor 
for  sundr}^  Exercises  of  this  Negative,  &  for  suddenly  dissolv^ 
Chh  meet^'%  &  for  not  call-  Chh  meet-''  upon  Request  of  a  number 
of  B'.  &c.  &c.  &c.  The  Pastor  would  not  suffer  these  complaints 
to  come  to  the  Chh.  The  aggrieved  called  a  Council  in  1769  who 
advised  to  apply  for  a  mutual  Council.  The  pastor  &  Chh  (exclu- 
sive of  the  aggrieved)  thereupon  called  (not  the  Consociation)  but 
a  Council  of  the  Chhs  of  Uxbridge,  Woodstock,  (Leon*'')  Eebanon 
first,  Preston  second,  &c.,  &  in  the  Letters  missive  limited  the 
Council  to  consider  onh-  the  Accus^.  brot  by  the  Pastor  against  the 
aggrieved,  but  not  their  Accus''  ag'  the  Pastor.  The  Pastors 
Accus*  was  founded  on  a  Paper  of  Complaint  &  Accus''  ag'  him- 
self laid  into  the  Chh  by  the  aggrieved,  w*^  he  said  was  scandalous, 
contemptuous  &  censurable.  N.  B.  P'or  this  paper  he  had  led  the 
Chh  to  lay  the  aggrieved  B"  under  Censure.  The  Council  cleared 
the  B"  &  advised  the  Chh  to  withdraw  the  censure  :  w'  they  did. 
Perhaps  here  the  aggrieved  ought  to  have  rested,  especially  the 
Judg'  of  the  Council  must  have  been  founded  on  a  Decision  of  the 

'  Yale  1720. 

*  Samuel  Moseley  (Harvard  1729),  died  in  office  1791. 


AUGUST    30-31,    1 77 1  149 

Justness  of  their  Accusations.  However  they  insisted  to  have 
their  Accusations  considered  by  Council  &  called  us.  We  could 
upon  the  same  principles  have  cleared  them  again,  &  adjudged 
them  to  have  supported  their  Accusations.  But  we  defered  it. 
We  disapproved  of  the  severe  &  bitter  Expressions  against  the 
pastor  in  the  Brethrens  papers  of  Charge  &c  which  they  might 
have  calmly  supported  without.  One  of  the  aggrived  is  removed 
to  an  adjoyn'^  parish  of  Westminster  in  Cant-'  where  a  Chh  was 
gathered  last  year,  &  intended  to  have  been  embodied  in  this 
Chh.  But  Mr  Mosely  hastily  brought  on  a  Trial  of  him  in  the 
Chh  :  the  Brother  offered  to  submit  to  a  Trial  by  the  Chh  unsub- 
jected  to  the  pastors  negative,  and  delivered  in  his  Accusations 
ag'  the  pastor  with  severe  Expressions  but  all  amount^-'  to  a  bold 
&  firm  Denial  of  &  Protestation  against  this  pastoral  Negative  : 
the  Chh  voted  to  proceed  with  their  Pastor.  Upon  which  s" 
Brother  left  the  Meet-  refusing  Trial.  Immediately  on  w*^^  the 
pastor  led  the  Chh  to  vote  him  guilty  of  Contempt  of  that  auth-' 
w'^  Christ  had  placed  in  the  Chh,  &  voted  the  paper  scanda- 
lous, &  thereupon  Excommunicated  him.  This  was  I  think  in 
the  Fall  of  1770.  The  day  before  our  Council  met  the  Pastor 
went  out  of  the  Parish,  leaving  a  letter  for  us.  We  advised  a 
mutual  Council,  &  adjourned  to  last  Tuesdy  Oct"  to  be  dissolved 
of  Course  if  s'*  council  met. 

30.  Returned  to  Newport. 

31.  I  find  by  the  Western  prints  that  the  Number  of  Regulators 
in  N"  Car "  to  whom  have  been  tendered  &  who  have  taken  the 
Oath  of  Allegiance  amounts  to  above  Six  Thousand.  Now  the 
number  of  Taxables  in  1764  were  about  24  Thousand  inclusive  of 
Negroes,  &  the  Souls  not  quite  four  Times  as  many.'  Suppose 
24,000  men  Whites,  it  seems  the  Regulators  one  Quarter  at  least. 
In  Truth  all  the  Province  except  the  Crown  officers  &  Connexions, 
are  in  heart  Regulators. 

An  Ordin^  Council  convened  at  Abington  in  Massach.  the  begin- 
ning of  June  last,  for  ord°  M''  Niles.  A  Charge  of  29  Articles  was 
bro't  against  him,  chiefly  the  Errors  of  the  new  Divinity  as  tis 
called.     The  Council  refused  to  ordain  him." 

^  The  population  of  North  CaroHna  in  1764  was  really  about  147,000  ;  in  1771 
about  218,000. 

-  The  Rev.  Samuel  Niles  (Princeton  Coll.  1769)  was  finally  ordained  at 
Abington  on  Sept.  25,  1771,  and  died  in  office  in  1814. 


I50  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

This  day  I  conversed  with  Widow  Penfield  of  Bristol  who  told 
me  she  was  aet.  94.  She  was  not  born  in  Bristol,  but  came  there 
84  years  ago  being  set.  10.  when  with  the  rest  of  her  fathers  Fam- 
ily, she  was  baptized  by  the  Rev''  Samuel  Lee,  whom  she  well 
remembers.  She  is  a  Communicant  in  the  Chh  of  Bristol.  M"" 
Hopkins  told  me  in  Coming  from  the  Council  that  he  should  be 
fifty  3^ears  old  about  a  Month  hence. 

Sept. 

I.  lyordsday  A  M.  I  published  El}^  Evans  and  Eliza.  Cranston, 
&  preached  on  Cant,  ii,  3.  Then  administered  the  Lords  Supper 
to  65  Communicants.  P  M.  1  preached  on  2d  Cor.  v,  14,  15 — bap- 
tized two  Infants — &  notified  catechis^'  the  Children  &  Negroes 
next  Tuesday  at  V""  P  M. 

3.  Memoir  of  the  Family  oi  Pabodie  as  I  received  it  from  Deacon 
Pabod}'  of  Newport. 

William  Pabodie  &  Elizabeth  Alden  [one  of  the  first  Child,  born 
at  Plymouth,]  were  married  Dec''  26,  1644.  He  came  out  of  Eng- 
land &  settled  first  at  Plymouth  ;  afterwards  removed  &  was  among 
the  first  Settlers  of  Saconet  or  Little  Compton  perhaps  about  1680. 
For  many  years  he  kept  up  the  Lordsday  Worship  in  his  house 
w^here  most  of  the  settlers  attended — by  praying  Reading  &  sing- 
ing :  till  about  1700  when  the}^  got  a  preacher.  He  was  a  ver}^ 
pious  &  exemplary  Man  :  became  Deacon  of  the  Chh.  He  always 
sat  with  the  Minister  in  the  pulpit  (tho'  not  as  Elder).  He  was 
with  his  Son  W"  in  the  Foundation  of  the  Chh  in  Saconet  at  its 
Gathering  in  1704.  Of  which  Chh  he  him.self  &  afterwards  his  Son 
William  Pabodie — &  afterwards  his  Grandson  W"  Pabodie  (&  I 
think  another  Grandson,  viz.  Joseph  Pabodie)  were  Deacons. 
These  are  all  dead.  But  another  of  his  Grandsons,  viz.  Benjamin 
Pabodie,  born  1717  is  now  living  an  exemplary  Deacon  of  the  first 
Congregational  Chh  in  Newport  Rh.  Island  :  from  whom  I  have 
this  Account.  The  Children  of  William  I.  who  died  Dec.  13,  1707, 
set.  about  84.  [His  Wife  died  tet.  92  circa.  M'  Eben.  Davenp"  an 
aged  Member  of  my  Chh  knew  them  both.] 

2  Elizabeth  Pabodie  was  born  Apr.  24,  1647 

I  John  Pal)odie  was  born  Oct.  4,  1645,  died  without  Issue 

Mary  Pabodie       D"  Aug.  12,  1648 

'  Ebenezer  Davenport,  son  of  Jonathan,  born  in  Dorchester,  Mass.,  Sept.  2, 
1691. 


SEPTEMBER    1-5,    1 77 1 


I  SI 


Marcy  Pabodie 
Martha  Pabodie 
Priscilla  Pabodie 
Priscilla  Pabodie  2 
Sarah  Pabodie 
Ruth  Pabodie 
Rebecca  Pabodie 
Hannah  Pabodie 
William  Pabodie 
13  Ruth  Pabodie 


Janry.  21,   1649 
Febry.  24,  1650 
Nov.  16,  1652 
Janry.  15,  1653 
Aug.  7,  1656 
Jany  27,  1658 
Oct.  10,  1660 
Oct  16,  1662 
Nov.  24,  1664 
Apr.  3,  1667 


William   Pabodie   II    &  Judith   Tilden'  married  June  27,  1693. 
Their  Children 


Elizabeth  Pabodie 
John  Pabodie 
William  Pabodie 
Rebecca  Pab. 
Priscilla  Pab. 
Judith  Pabodie 
Joseph  Pabodie 
Mary  Pabodie 


born     Apr.  10,  1698 
Feb.  2,  1699 
Feb.  21,  1701 
Feb.  29,  1703 
March  14,  1705 
Jany.  23,  1707 
July  26,  1709 
Apr.  14,   1 7 12 


William  Pabodie  II.  &  Elizabeth  Peck  Widow  of  Jon^'  Peck  were 
married  March  20,  17 jj  of  whom  was  born 

Benjamin  Pabodie  b.  Nov.  25,  1717.  Deacon  at  New^port.  His 
Mother  died  14  of  Dec.  following. 

This  day  I  finished  Transcribing  M'*  Hutchinsons  Trial  before 
Boston  Chh  1638,  from  an  original  MS.'  And  at  V^  P  M.  I  cate- 
chised 70  Children  &  Negroes. 

4.  Reviewing  MSS.  of  Rev.  Rich^'  Mather.  [This  day  Com- 
mencm'  at  Providence.] 

5.  I  was  told  last  week  that  M'  Hayes,  a  Jew  of  Philad^  was 
lately  converted  to  Christianity,  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Morgan 
Edwards  &  beconie  a  member  of  the  Baptist  Chh  at  Philadelphia. 
M'  Hays  Brother  lives  here  in  Newport.  Two  days  ago  I  asked 
him  about  it.  He  said  he  knew^  nothing  of  it,  &  did  not  believe  it : 
&  added,  if  his  B'  had  become  a  Xtian  it  was  only  to  answer  his 
Ends,  he  was  not  sincere,  for  he  never  knew  one  sincere  in  chang- 
ing his   Religion   and  becoming  Christian — &   added   there   were 

'  Daughter  of  Stephen  and  Hannah  (Little)  Tilden,  of  Marshfield,  born  1670. 
^  This  is  printed  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Massachusetts  Historical  Societ)-, 
2d  series,  iv,  159-91. 


152  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILEvS 

many  covert  Xtian  Jews  in  Spain  &  Portugal — &  that  the  Jew 
blood  was  spread  among  them  all — &  that  it  could  be  proved  that 
the  King  of  Spain  or  Portugal  was  of  Jew  Extract.  But  I  suppose 
the  Thing  is  true,  for  M'  Edwards  is  now  here  at  Commencm'  at 
Providence,  and  told  this  story  in  Town  last  Week.  It  is  said  that 
the  Mother  of  M""  Hays  (the  Family  lived  in  N.  York )  once  became 
a  Xtian  but  afterwards  renounced  Xtianity  for  Judaism. 

A  third  Congreg-'  Chh  was  gathered  this  Summer  in  Roxbury' 
near  Boston,  &  D""  Pemberton  administered  the  Lds  Supper  to  it. 
Here  the  Rev.  W"  Gordon  late  from  L,ondon  officiates— the  pple 
having  agreed  with  him  for  one  j^ear.  I  attended  M'  Hopk.  Ev^ 
I^ct.  Ps.  Ixii,  8. 

6.  M'' Jabez  Dennison  now  Schoolmaster  here  is  just  returned 
from  a  Visit  to  his  Father  in  Killingl3^  I  desired  him  to  inquire 
of  his  Father  &c.       He  tells  me  his  Father  gave  him  this  Account'^ 

'  Now  the  First  Church  in  Jamaica  Plain,  Unitarian  :  organized  Dec.  ii,  1770. 

■^  Dr.  Stiles  siibsequently  received  the  following  letter.  The  writer  of  it  died 
in  Pomfret,  Conn.,  in  1787. 

KiLUNGLY  Sept:  25"'  1 77 1 

Dear  Son,  I  Receivd  j'ours  Dated  Sept.  14:  1771  in  the  which  5^ou  informe  me: 
that  3-011  are  in  helth  it  is  Like  wise  So  with  us  at  present:  thanks  be  Given  to 
God  therefor:  you  informe  me  that  it  is  the  Desire  of  Doct.  Stiles  that  I  should 
Give  some  Short  acco':  of  ni}-  nativity:  and  Life.  I  shall  therefore  first  Speak 
Something  about  my  anchasters.  Edward  Denison  my  Great  Grandfathers 
Father  Lived  in  the  town  of  hartford  in  England:  he  moved  into  New  England 
I  think  A:  D  1638.  Brought  3  Sons  with  him  (viz.)  Edward,  George,  &  Daniel: 
he  Dwelt  in  Rocksbury  there  he  Setled.  Edward:  George  at  New  London: 
Daniel  at  Ipswich:  George  was  my  Great  Grand  Father  he  Returned  to  England 
in  the  year  1647:  and  when  the  war  Brok  out  in  the  Regin  of  Charles  the  first: 
between  the  king  &  parlement  he  was  Comander  in  one  of  Crumels  troops: 
after  the  war  was  over  he  Returned  to  New  England  and  Setled  at  Stoning- 
town:  had  3  Sons  born  John  William  and  George:  he  was  a  Congrega':  man  by 
profession,  his  Eldest  Son  John  was  my  Grandfather,  he  Setled  at  Stoningtown 
about  the  year  1676.  this  Capt  George  Denison  and  Capt  Avery  in  the  time  of 
the  Indine  war  made  Several  Expeditions  in  all  which  at  those  Severall  times 
they  killed  and  took  two  hundred  and  Eighty  of  the  Enemy:  these  Expeditions 
were  within  the  Space  of  one  j-ear:  in  all  which  time  thej^  Lost  none  neither  by 
Sword  or  Sickness:  his  Son  my  Grandfather  afore  mentioned  had  vSix  Sons 
(viz. )  John  George  Robert  Will'"  Daniel  &  Samuel.  Robert  was  my  Father: 
he  was  Setled  at  vStoningtown.  I  was  born  in  the  year  1709,  and  was  (as  my 
Father  informed  me)  Baptized  that  year  by  the  Rev"*  INIr.  James  Noyes  who  was 
then  minister  of  that  place.  I  was  brought  up  or  taught  in  the  Congrega' 
principels  the  which  I  made  Choi.se  of  to  be  my  own  and  (as  I  thought)  Jo3'ned 
to  Such  a  Chh  untill  I  found  to  the  Contrary.  For  in  the  year  1742  those  Laws 
in  Connecticut  were  in  force  Conserning  any  persons  preaching  or  Exhorting  in 


SEPTEMBER   6,    I  77  I  I -J 

— that  he  was  originally  a  Member  or  Comniuiiicant  in  M'  Jewits 
Chh  in  New  London,'  which  is  psedobaptist :  that  he  was  settled  in 
the  Edge  of  Colchester,  &  yet  attended  M'' Jewits  Ministry.  It  so 
happened  that  he  had  not  procured  his  two  oldest  Children  to  be  bap- 
tized. I^atter  Knd  of  1740  he  had  another  born,  this  Schoolmaster. 
This  was  at  the  Beginng  of  the  religious  stir,  with  w"''  M''  Denison 
was  much  carried  away,  &  became  awaked  to  his  duty  to  get  his 
Children  baptized.  In  1741  or  1742  there  was  a  Law  in  Connecti- 
cut prohibit*^'  any  Minister  from  preach*-'  or  performing  any  part  of 
the  min.  office  out  of  his  own  parish,  on  penalty  of  loosing  a  legal 
right  to  his  Salary.  M""  Little  the  pastor  of  the  parish  in  Colches- 
ter where  M"^  Dennison  was  an  Opposer  &c  &  so  M'  Denison  could 
not  in  Conscience  apply  to  him  to  baptize  his  Children.  But  he 
applied  to  M''  Jewit,  M'  Pumroy  of  Hebron,  &  M'  Wheelock  of 
Lebanon,  all  in  neighbor^'  parishes,  &  whom  M'  Denison  accounted 

Publick  w-ithout  the  Consent  of  the  minister  of  the  parish  and  niajior  part  of  the 
Chh:  and  the  Setled  ministers  if  found  Breaking  Said  Law  were  to  forfit  their 
Saleries.  So  that  they  were  bound  by  parish  Lines:  and  I  DwclHng  Remote 
from  the  Chh  where  I  Belonged  in  a  nother  parish  and  when  I  Desired  Ba])tism 
for  my  Children  I  was  Disappointed:  the  parish  Line  was  in  the  ministers  way 
and  when  I  tould  how  Large  the  Commition  was  that  Christ  Gave  to  his  min- 
ister the  Great  thing  was  the  Loss  of  the  Salery  if  the  Laws  were  Broken:  that 
when  I  was  Denied  Baptism  for  my  Children  I  Began  to  Question  whether  the 
minister  himself  Believed  he  had  any  warrant  from  the  word  of  God  to  Baptize 
Infants  and  So  I  tould  him  and  I  came  to  this  Conclution  mj-  Self:  that  if  I 
Could  find  no  Command:  in  the  word  of  God  for  it  I  would  not  have  my  Chil- 
dren Baptized  and  upon  the  whole  I  made  profession  of  Believers  Baptism  in  the 
year  1743  being  by  Denomination  a  five  principle  Bap:  and  I  Differd  in  nothing 
from  the  Congregational  But  only  in  the  mode  &  vSubject  of  Baptism.  I  was 
Called  on  probation  to  a  peopel  at  ashford  and  after  I  had  improved  with  them 
to  thire  Satisfaction  I  was  Called  to  be  thire  pastor  and  Did  answer  the  Call  in 
the  affermitive  and  was  ordained  over  Said  Chh  by  Eben""  Molton  Elder  of  a 
Chh  at  brimfeild  and  Docf  Green  Elder  of  a  Chh  at  Lister:  and  tho:  I  thought 
my  principels  were  according  to  Scripture:  yet  I  was  ferefull  that  I  omitted  my 
Duty  to  my  Children  which  Caused  me  oft  to  Serch  the  word  of  God  and  to 
Beg  of  him  that  he  would  Lead  me  into  all  and  the  whole  of  my  Duty:  and 
after  I  had  passed  through  many  tryals  about  my  Children:  I  Began  to  think 
whether  the  Infints  of  Beleiving  parents  were  in  fact  Debared  fromc  the  Exter- 
nal Seal  of  Baptism:  I  thought  with  my  Self  if  that  was  the  Case  our  Children 
in  this  Day  of  Gospel  Light  was  in  a  more  Sad  Condition  than  the  Children 
under  the  Law  :  they  were  Surcumsised  :  and  was  this  a  priviledge  thought  I  ? 
and  one  part  of  the  Blessing  of  Abraham:  how  was  it  Come  on  those  Gentiles 

'  Rev.  David  Jewett  (Harvard  1736)  was  ordained  over  the  North  Church  in 
New  London,  now  the  church  in  Montville,  1739,  and  died  in  office  in  1783. 


154  DIARY   OF   EZRA    vSTILES 

regenerate  &  converted.  But  Ihey  declined  to  baptize  &c,  About 
this  Time  he  fell  into  Acquaint''  with  Baptists  &  examined  the 
Scriptures  &  concluded  against  Infant  Baptism.  He  had  begun 
to  exhort  «&  preach  before  this :  &  soon  became  a  Baptist,  & 
preached  to  a  small  Baptist  Chh  in  &  about  Ashford.  Over  this 
Chh  lie  zvas  ordained  Pastor^  by  the  Laying  on  of  the  Hands  of  Elder 
Moidton  of  Brimfield  &  others  ;  which  Elder  Moulton  had  first  bap- 
tized M''  Denison  by  Immersion.  It  is  said  Elder  Moulton  was 
ordained  by  a  Baptist  Elder  from  Boston.  M'  Denison  had  removed 
&  settled  his  Fam^'  at  Mansfield,  (a  main  Collection  of  New  Light 
Separates  being  there),  &  thence  itinerated  &  went  to  Ashford 
adjoining.  He  continued  a  Baptist  but  a  little  while,  a  year  or 
two  or  so  ;  &  upon  further  Inquiry  judged  himself  mistaken  & 
renounced  his  Baptist  Principles.  But  continued  to  itinerate  & 
preach  round  about  among  the  separate  Meetings  which  began  to 
be  formed  1744  or  sooner. 

The  one  half  of  the  paedob.  Chh  of  Canterbury  became  a  separate 
Chh,  at  the  Ordin"'  of  Rev.  M""  Cogswell   1744  over  the  other  half. 

that  Deny  Infant  Baptism?  and  while  I  was  Contemplating  on  these  things  that 
pasage  of  Scripture  Came  into  my  mind  in  Gal  :  4  :  28  :  now  we  Brethren  as 
Isaac  was  are  the  Children  of  Promise:  I  now  Concluded  from  what  I  understood 
by  this  text  that  the  Blessing  of  Abraham  was  Come  on  the  Gentiles  in  the 
whole  of  it  internal  &  external  and  if  I  Being  a  Beleiver  was  become  Abrahams 
Son  What  had  I  Done  to  testifj-  by  my  practice  that  I  was  Such  a  one.  Abra- 
hams Son  Isaac  Dedicated  his  Children  to  God  in  an  ordinance  But  I  had  Done 
Quite  the  Reverse:  it  would  be  to  Lengthy  to  tell  Here  what  I  went  through 
about  the  affair  But  I  have  thus  much  to  Say  that  it  was  Gods  word  that  Con- 
vinced me  of  my  Error  and  L,ed  me  into  the  truth:  I  went  to  my  friends  the 
Baptis  and  informed  them  what  Light  I  had  Received  from  the  word  they  tould 
me  that  it  was  not  a  bar  to  hinder  our  Communion  But  that  I  Could  not  prop- 
erly be  acounted  a  Baptis  Elder  unless  I  would  rebaptize  persons — But  the}' 
were  willing  I  should  Injoy  the  Liberty  of  ni}'  own  faith  and  I  was  Dismist. 
octo  9  1745  the  Congre  Chh  at  mansfield  began  I  was  chosen  by  the  Chh  to 
Assist  in  the  ordaining  thire  Elder  vStrong  gave  him  his  Charge  in  the  Same 
Year  the  Elders  and  Deacons  were  ordained.  Sept  10  1746  I  was  Sent  from  the 
Chh  at  mansfield  to  assist  in  the  ordanation  of  Solomon  Pain  of  Cauterbur}-  & 
Thos  Stevens  of  Plainfield  and  Did  Give  Each  of  them  their  Charge  M''  Pain 
was  ordained  the  loth  Day  and  M'  Stevens  the  nth  Day  of  the  X  month  .  .  . 
Rev'*  and  Dear  Sr  I  have  answered  a  few  Quest  in  the  things  you  Sent  to  me 
for  But  meny  of  them  I  Could  not  answer.   .   .   . 

So  I  am  Yours  to  Serve 

Tho*  Denison 

^  In  November,  1743. 


SEPTEMBER   6.    1 77 1  155 

A  second  separate  Chh  in  those  parts  was  gathered  at  Mansfiehl 
Oct  9.  1745:  And  this  Chh  chose  John  Hovey  Teaching  Elder, 
who  Feb.  174V6  was  ordained  by  prayer  &  laying  on  of  the  Hands 
of  Thomas  Denison  formerly  Baptist  Elder,  Jn"  Austin  &  Matthew 
Smith  Laymen  ;  at  the  Same  Time  said  Smith  &  Denison  were 
made  Ruling  Elders,  &s'' Austin  &  Shubeal  Dimick  made  Deacons 
of  s^  Chh  at  Mansfield.  There  were  eight  Ordin"  of  this  kind 
among  the  Separates  this  year  1746  at  most  of  which  M'  Denison 
assisted. 

At  length  a  sep.  Chh  was  formed  at  Newint,'  which  called  M' 
Denison  to  the  Office  of  Teacher.  Some  Doubt  as  to  his  Ordin" 
when  a  Baptist — whereupon  he  was  reordained  by  Mess'*  Hovey 
&c  &c  persons  whom  he  himself  had  ordained.  This  was  about 
1747.  M'  Denison  hereupon  immediately  baptized  his  Children  of 
which  he  had  four  living  or  more  :  s''  Scholm^  one,  who  thinks  he 
was  about  six  years  old,  &  the  oldest  child  about  four  year  older 
than  himself.  He  remembers  his  Baptism,  &  that  his  Father  per- 
formed it  by  Sprinkling.  M'  Denison  after  some  years  left  this  Chh, 
which  afterwards  coalescing  with  their  old  Light  Neighbors  united 
in  calling  Rev.  Jesse  Ives  of  Academic  Education  their  present 
Pastor,  unless  latel}'  dismissed.^  Since  this  M''  Denison  removed 
— &  is  now  settled  at  Killingly  &  preaches  to  a  paedobaptist  sepa- 
rate Chh  there. 

I  find  an  Acco*  I  had  from  the  mouth  of  Rev"  Samuel  Maxwell 
formerly  a  Baptist  Elder,  but  for  about  18  years  past  or  since  1753 
a  paedobaptist.  He  was  born  1688  &  is  now  living.  Among 
other  Baptist  Ordinations  of  which  he  gave  me  an  account  last 
Spring,  I  find  he  gave  me  this  Ace"  of  Elder  Moultons  ordin*  at 
which  Elder  Maxwell  himself  assisted.  Elder  Ebenezer  Moulton 
was  ordained  Elder  of  the  Baptist  Chh  in  Brimfield  on  the  4'"  Day 
of  Nov.  1 74 1  by  the  Laying  on  of  the  Hands  of 

Elder  Jn°  Callender  of  Newport,  preached  2  Tim.  2.2. 

Elder  Sam'  Maxwell  of  Newport. 

Elder  Benj^'  Marsh  of  Sutton. 

Elder  Jeremy  Condy  of  Boston. 
M'  Jn"  Callender   of  Newport   was    ordained   about   1731    by  his 
Uncle  Elder  Elisha  Callender  of  Boston  &  M'  Sam'   Maxwell  then 

^  Newent,  a  parish  in  the  present  town  of  Lisbon,  Conn. 

-  Mr.  Ives  (Yale  1758)  was  called  in  1766  to  a  parish  contained  principally  in 
the  present  town  of  Sprague  (formerly  part  of  Lisbon ) . 


1^6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Deacon  &  no  others  &  M'  Maxwell  told  me.  Elder  Elisha  Callen- 
der  was  ordained  Pastor  a  Bapt.  Chh  in  B"  by  3  paedobaptist  Elders 
yii—B'  Increase  &  D""  Cotton  Mathers  &  Rev  M''  Webb  of  Boston, 
no  baptist  Elder  or  Lay  Brother  assisting  in  Ordination.  [I  have 
this  Ordin'  Sermon  by  D'  Mather  in  print.]  So  that  Elder  Moul- 
tons  ord.  may  be  traced  thro'  M'  Callender  to  Presb.  Ordination. 
M'  Maxwell'  was  ordained  Teaching  Elder  of  a  Baptist  Chh  at 
Swanzy  by  £/di-r  W/waton  Teacher  of  the  same  Chh,  Elder  Comer  of 
the  Bapt  Chh  in  Rehoboth  &  Deacon  Kingsly  Apr.  18.  1733.  In 
1739  he  was  dismissed  from  that  Chh  partly  for  some  scruples 
about  the  Sabbath  &  partly  for  being  too  charitable  to  the  Presby- 
terians. From  1739  to  1745  he  lived  chief!}'-  at  Newport,  & 
preached  both  at  the  Sabb.  &  other  Chhs  Bapt.  &  Presb.  in  New- 
port. Westerly  (S:c  &c  &c  and  in  his  Travels  he  constantly  preached 
&  baptized,  particuP'  in  1741  1742  1743  I  find  in  his  MS.  a  Eist  of 
15  or  more  Baptisms  by  him.  So  tho'  he  had  not  a  pastoral 
Charge  of  a  Chh  in  1741  yet  he  considered  himself  &  acted  as  a  Min- 
ister of  X,  &  was  received  as  an  Elder  by  the  Elders  that  joyned 
with  him  in  Elder  Moultons  ord.  in  1741.  The  M''  Callenders  & 
M'  Condy  were  educated  at  Harvard  College  &  in  great  Reputation 
with  the  Congregational  psedobaptist  Ministers.  Elder  Wheaton 
was  probably  ordained  by  Elder  Euther  Teacher  of  the  same  Chh. 
Elder  Luther  was  ordained  July  22.  1685  by  Elder  Hull  of  Beverly 
and  Elder  Emblin  of  Boston,  &  died  1717.  aet  80. 

7.  In  1670  [or  Feb  16.  i66yj  Rev.  Tho'  Thatcher  late  Pastor  of 
Weymouth,  was  Reordaincd  Pastor  of  3''  Chh  in  Boston,  by  the 
Laying  on  of  the  hands  of  Rev.  Me.ss"  Allen  of  Dedham,  Shephard 
of  Chariest"  cS:  Torrey  of  Weymoth.  The  Chh  of  Cambridge  had 
no  Pastor  at  this  Time,  but  sent  3  Delegates  to  this  Ordin^'  Coun- 
cil, one  of  which  was  president  Chauncy  who  began  the  Ordination 
with  prayer  at  the  Meetinghouse.  He  had  been  ord.  by  a  Bp  in 
Engld  &  .silenced  for  Puritanism,  came  to  N.  E.  &  was  a  dozen 
years  Pastor  of  the  Chh  at  Scituate,  where  he  preached,  baptized  &c 
till  1 65 1  circa  when  he  was  chosen  presd'  of  Harv.  Coll.  &  was 
such  at  this  Ordination  of  his  Pupil  M"'  Thatcher.'  He  w^as  a 
njL-mber  of  Chh  of  Cambridge,  not  Pastor  nor  Elder.  The  Rev" 
Josiah   Flint  was  ord.    Pastor  or  Teacher  of  Dorchester   Dec'   27, 

'  Sec  also  this  Diary,  May  28,  1769. 

'  For  Uiis  ordination,   see  Hill's  Hist,  of  the  Old  South   C/itirch,  Boston,  i, 
1 22-25,  «59-6f). 


SEPTEMBER   7,    1 771  157 

1671.  President  Chaiincy  was  again  sent  by  the  Chh  of  Camb.  to 
this  Ordin '  and  acted  officially — he  gave  the  Right  Hand  of  Fel- 
lowship to  M'  Flint — as  M''  Bowman  the  present  pastor  of  Dorch. 
informs  me  by  Letter  this  year.  Now  the  Felloivship  at  ordinations 
is  twofold  in  the  constant  understand*^  of  the  Congregationalists  — 
Fellowship  of  the  Chhs — &  Fellowship  in  the  ministerial  office. 
So  far  as  Presid^  Chauncy  acted  by  way  of  address  to  the  Brethren 
•of  the  Chh,  declaring  the  Fellowship  with  them,  he  may  be  consid- 
ered as  empowered  by  &  acting  in  the  Name  of  the  Delegates  of 
the  Chhs : — but  in  address^  the  ministerial  Fellowship  to  the 
ordained  Pastor  or  receiv^  him  into  the  Number  of  Flders  &  Fel- 
low lyaborers  in  the  Vinyard  of  Christ,  he  assumed  the  ministerial 
Character  Or  acted  as  an  Elder  a  Felloio  Laborer  himself.  I  suppose 
he  considered  himself  as  invested  with  Power  to  ordain  Elders  in 
any  Chhs  to  his  Death,  whether  he  himself  had  the  Pastorate  of  a 
Chh  or  not :  and  that  he  had  power  to  baptize,  &  administer  the 
lyds  Supper  at  any  Time  if  desired  thereto.  The  Chh  of  Dedham 
refused  to  send  to  M";'  Thatchers  Ordination  1670  :  yet  their  pastor 
Rev.  M''  Allin  went  to  it  tho'  not  sent  by  his  Chh.  At  the  Desire 
of  B "  3"  Chh  M""  Allin  sat  in  the  Ord.  Council  &  laid  on  hands,  & 
gave  the  Charge  to  M'  Thatcher.  There  were  but  four  Ministers 
present  viz  Presid"^  Chauncy,  Mess''^  Allin,  Shephd,  &  Torry — the 
three  last  at  the  Desire  of  the  Chh  laid  on  Hands — Presid'  Chauncy 
did  not  lay  on  hands  ;  tho'  he  began  the  Ordination  by  public 
Prayer.  I  conclude  it  was  a  little  doubtful  how  far  the  president 
should  be  considered  as  retaining  his  presbyterial  or  Official  Char- 
acter as  an  Officer  in  the  Chh  of  Gd  ;  tho  I  believe  he  himself  was 
clear.  But  at  M''  Danforths'  ordin^  next  year  he  acted  more  offic- 
ially in  a  part  which  has  never  been  performed  in  the  N.  E.  Chhs 
by  a  Eay  Delegate,  that  I  know  of. 

In  1642  M''  Tho^  Carter'^  was  ordained  Pastor  of  the  new  gathered 
Chh  in  Woburn,  by  Eaying  on  of  the  hands  of  two  Eay  Brethren 
of  the  Chh  not  Elders,  in  the  presence  of  Mess'^^  Wilson,  Cotton, 
Shephard,  Eliot,  Mather  &c  &  under  their  Direction,  one  of  s'' 
Ministers  continuing  in  prayer  after  s^  Brethren  had  laid  on  hands. 
That  Chh  had  no  Elders,  nor  Brethren  very  suitable  for  such  an 
action.     It  was   deliberated  by  the  Council  whether  some  of  their 

^  Error  for  (Rev.  Josiah)  Flynt. 
-See  also  this  Diary,  March  6,  1781. 


1-8  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILES 

Ministers  should  lay  on  Hands,   &  determined  not  to  be  expedient 
as  it  would  seem  to  introduce  a  Dependency  of  Chhs. 

8.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  pub.  Banns  of  Ely  Evans  &c.  preached  Jo" 
XV,  24.  P.M.  Eccles.  xi,  9,  10,  at  the  Desire  of  vSally  Crandal 
let.  16.  under  Imprisonment  for  a  capital  Crime.  She  was  present 
in  the  Congregation  attended  with  an  officer.  Tho'  so  young  has 
had  2  Children  illegitimate  &  at  different  times — both  at  full 
Maturit\ — but  dead  :  yet  under  such  Circumstances  of  Violence  as 

rai.sed  Suspicions  of  Murder This  day  M'  Hopkins 

administered  the  Lds  Supper  to  his  Church. 

9.  Reading  Rev.  Richd  Mathers  MSS.  This  Even^'  went  to  the 
Synagogue,  New  Years  Eve. 

10.  This  is  Newyears  Day  with  the  Jews.  The  first  Ldsdy  this 
month.  Rev.  M'  Rowland  of  Providence  at  the  vSacram^  told  his 
Chh  that  he  did  suppose  this  was  the  last  Time  he  should  admin- 
ister the  Lords  vSupper  to  them — as  he  was  necessitated  to  meditate 
a  Removal  for  want  of  Subsistence.  The  Chh  &  their  pastor  were 
mutually  &  deeply  affected.  He  sat  out  the  day  after  Commencem*^ 
on  a  Journey  to  visit  his  Friends  in  Connecticut  &  took  himself 
another  Situation,  expecting  to  be  absent  three  sabbaths  at  least  : 
&  sent  to  me  to  endeavor  supply *''  his  pulpit  one  of  them.  Last 
Ldsday,  two  Baptist  Ministers  preached  in  his  pulpit  at  the  De.sire 
of  the  Committee  viz.  Young  M'  Rogers  of  Newport,  &  Rev.  M'' 
Ganoe'  of  New  York.  A  Gentleman  of  the  Congreg''  tells  me 
that  the  Congreg"  have  met  &  come  into  such  agreem*^"  about  sup- 
port- their  pastor  that  tis  hoped  he  will  continue.  This  pa.dobap- 
tist  Congregation,  in  the  beginning  of  the  year  1770,  consisted  of 
fifty  whole  Families  or  more,  and  13  half  fam.  or  more,  besides  a 
number  of  single  young  Men  &  Women  scattering  :  as  I  took  a 
List  from  ^.V  Rowlds  mouth  upon  a  cursory  Recollection.  From 
which  tS:  from  my  own  Observ''  when  occasionally  preaching  in 
it.  I  judge  the  Congregation  to  be  equal  to  sixty  five  or  70  Families 
at  least.  They  are  able,  if  Gd  gives  them  a  heart,  to  maintain  the 
Ministry.  They  agreed  to  give  M""  Rowld  /lOo.  L  M.  per  ann. 
<S:  Hou.se  to  live  in.  He  has  received  but  about  ;/;'50.  per  ann. 
About  a  dozen  Men  give  liberally- as  D''.  Jabez  Bowen  Z^).  L.M. 
D.  Gov.  vSe.ssions  /s.  D'  Eph.  Bowen  ^5.  Judge  Nightingale  & 
.son   jCs.    Mr.   Whitman  jT^.   W   Kean  ^3.   Mess"  Atwell,    Green 

'JohiiGano,  of  Huguenot  extraclion,  ordained  1754;  see  vSprague's  Annals 
of  the  Amrr.  I'lilpil,  vi,  62-67. 


SHPTHMBKR  8-1 6,    1 77 1  159 

cSi  Hacker  £2.  each.  Mess".  Checkly,  Arnold,  Stirl'-'  &c  &c 
20  &  24/ — others  two  Dollars  per  aim  &c.  But  the  first  6 
give  ^,25.  or  near  half  he  receives  yearly.  At  the  same  Time  he 
named  29  Communicants,  &  said  his  Chh  consisted  of  30  or  thirty 
two  Members.  M'  Checkly  tells  me  they  have  agreed  to  mark  & 
put  in  their  vSubscription  weekly  at  the  Contriliution  :  and  that 
this  renewed  Subscription  was  already  signed  by  thirty  hands,  D'' 
Jab.  liowen  2/4  L.M.  a  vSabb.  his  Father  2/  &c.  &c.  &  had  arisen 
to  about  20/  a  Sabbath  already,  &  was  going  on  further.  However 
I  fear  not  eno'  to  encourage  M'  Rowland  to  tarry.  When  the  Chh 
was  32  Members,  only  Ten  of  them  were  Brethren. 

11.  By  the  B".  Prints  I  find  "  on  Wednesday  the  28th  of  August, 
was  held  W\&  first  Commencement  at  DARTMOUTH  College." 

12.  M'  Hopkins  omitted  his  Lecture.  At  M'  Thurston's  Bapt. 
Meet"  an  Even'''  Lecture  was  preached  by  Rev.  M'  Ganoe  a  Baptist 
Minister  in  New  York  Acts  xiii,  43 — persuaded  them  to  cotitinue  in 
the  Grace  of  God.  The  Meetinghouse  was  full  :  it  held  a  Thousd 
persons  when  M""  Whitfield  preached  there. 

13.  At  Bap'.  Meetg  last  Eveng  they  sang  first  a  Psalm  from  D' 
Watts  &  closed  with  a  Hymn  of  Watts.  Singing  began  in  this 
Congreg''.  ])ut  a  few  perhaps  5  or  6  years  ago.  I  think  they  smg  a 
Collection  from  Tate,  Stennet,  &  Watts.  Rev.  D''  Dana  of  Wal- 
lingford'  came  here  with  Sister  Hubbard,  wife  of  Rev.  Jii"  Hub- 
bard of  Meriden. 

14.  Went  to  the  Synagogue  &  the  Moravian  School. 

15.  Ld.sdy.  D'  Dana  preached  for  me  all  day,  I  perform*''  the 
prayers  as  he  is  infirm.  A  M.  Phil,  iii,  13th.  P  M.  Jii"  ix,  23. 
Notified  A.ssociation  Lecture  here  next  Wednesday. 

16.  D'  Dana  tells  me  that  M'  Baldwin^  was  ordained  at  Danbury 
by  the  Consociation  last  Fall  : — that  the  Consoc.  examined  him  all 
day,  and  he  openly  declared  himself  for  the  Positions  of  the  New 
Divinity  to  the  last,  to  which  the  Consoc.  was  very  vigorousl}^ 
opposed.  Yet  in  the  End  the  Consoc.  ordained  him  just  at  night, 
saying  they  found  the  pple  unanimous  iS:  so  many  valual)le  (jualifi- 
cations  in  M'  Baldwin. 

'James  Dana  (Harvard  Coll.  1753)-  Though  now  only  36  yc='ars  old,  his 
iK-allh  was  delicate,  and  a  colleague  was  settled  in  17S5  ;  l)ut  in  1789  he  was 
able  to  take  a  new  charge,  in  New  Haven. 

•'  ICl)enezer  Baldwin  (Yale  1763)  :  a  favorite  theological  pupil  of  President 
Daggett. 


j(3q  1)1, \KN     <>1''     1'',/.K  a     S'lMl.l'.S 

AK:iiii  tl"-'  ■^"'■■l^'i'  ^•-■'l'^  ""■'•  "'■'•  '••"'*^'  C;iii(li<l;itcs  wiTc  lali'ly 
examiiR-d  I'V  one  of  \hv  N  London  Associations  w  liicli  lindinj^ 
them  in  tin.-  new  l^iv'  which  they  judged  erroneous,  tliey  relnsed 
to  license  to  i)reach.  Upon  which  the  Candi(hdes  went  to  the 
Assoc,  in  the  Western  Tarts  of  Massach.  where  Rev'  M'  West  of 
vStockbridKe  hves  cS:  that  Association  licensed  them.-  'iMiis  iCveniiij; 
five  ministers  of  tlie  Rh.  Isld.  Assoc,  met  at  my  House,  viz,  Mess'" 
Torre>',  I'ark,  Caniphell,   Mllis,   Hopkins. 

17.  'Pliis  day  lanu'  Rev.  Mess"  'l\)wn.send,  Burt,  RoKcrson, 
lliile.  So  we  are  now  ten  I'astors  ]iresi'ut,  M'  Rowland  only  absent. 
We  formed  by  choos''  Mod'  ^v  Sc-ribe,  M;  then  admilttd  M'  Hopkins 
as  a  Mend)er.  'iMuie  was  much  eon\eis'  with  M'  Hopkins  about 
his  ]K'culiar  jMiiuiples,  but  not  as  a  Term  of  Adnnssion— because 
we  dei-laied  tlial  liis  Adnnssion  did  not  impl\  an  .Approbation  of 
his  peculiaritii'S,  least  of  ;dl  that  an\'  ol'  us  btliexed  tlu  in  :  but 
th.it  while  we  were  a.^ietd  in  bein.i;  oi  tlu'  same  Denomination,  we 
coidil  walk  toi;ether  in  llie.se  iViendl>-  Meetiuj^s  under  an  Indnl- 
geuee  of  each  om.'  his  resjxct  i\e  ]>teidiarities.  M'  I'arks,  Camp- 
bell, iV  Isllis  contesl(.(l  the  priutipK'  of  ])assi\'e  Re.i.;i.'neratiou  by  the 
Spirit  witlioiii  I,i,!;hl.  M'  Hopkins  did  not  sa\-  it  was  witiionl 
Lij.;ht,  but  ascribed  all  I'Mncacy  to  the  vSj)'  ^S:  denied  any  iCflicacy  to 
'i'ruth.  The  others  coirsidered  this  Cousc'cpience  as  flowinj;  vi/, 
that  a  man  mi,L;lil  be  rej;enerated  <S:  yet,  durinj;  the  inler\-enini; 
'I'ime  between  rej^ener"  cS:  h'aitli,  hv  in  a  slate  of  Damnation -he 
mij^lit  be  rei^enerated,  a  jiartaker  of  the  divine  Nature  \'  so  a  ihild 
of  Od,  (S:  yet  at  the  same  time  a  child  of  tlie  l)e\il  vv  unret-omiled 
to  Od.  M'  Hopk.  did  not  deny  iheCouseq.  (indeed  I  suppose  he 
nu-ans  to  .admit  it)  nor  did  lie  endevor  to  shew  its  Consistency 
with  .Seri])lui  e  ;  but  a  Transition  to  somethim;  ilsi'  di\-erled  the 
])ursuit  ol  iliis  point.  The  Simile  of  ki.uht  entia''  tliion.uh  an 
opened  window  was  i-onsidered  :  whether  the  I,i.L;bl  o])ened  the 
window?  OI'  if  not  -yit  when  it  taitered  llie  Room,  the  I.iK'it  had 
I-'fllcaey  or  not?  So  in  Conversion,  tlie  ,S|i'  (i])i.ns  tlu'  he.ul  of 
Lydia,  (>\k-us  tlie  Doors  6c  lets  in  the  Ijelit  ol'  l^aiii;.  Truth, 
but  the  Truth  regenerates  6cc.  (.d  opeiu'd  tlie  heart  ol  I,>(lia 
to  receive  the  Truth,  the  Truth  converted  iur.  On  these  Mela 
phors  M'  Hojjk.  eriticisi-d  1.  He  did  uoi  suppose-  the  only  o])ei  '  of 
the  Sp'  was  in  t)])eng  the  Windows  and  letting  in  I,ight— nor  if  the 
]A^h\  cctuld  be  supi)ose<l  to  be  .so  let  in,  would  it  rcKenerate  us. 
2.    He  criticised    upon   this  receiv"  the 'i'ruth  i\:  being  changed   by 


SEPTRIMlUiR    17-18,    1771  161 

it  : — he  s"'  pcnrivino-  the  Truth  was  receiv^'  it.  Now  there  was 
something  in  evangelical  Truth  w"'  could  not  be  pcrcieved  without 
an  internal  Change  in  the  soul.  So  that  twas  improper  to  talk  of 
open"^  the  Window  ^:  letting  in  Light  into  the  dark  Room— there 
must  be  a  change  in  the  very  Room  itself:  otherwise  the  Light 
might  shine  into  the  Darkness  indeed,  but  the  Darkness  would  not 
compiehend  it.  And  this  bro't  him  to  a  3''  Distinction,  viz,  that 
Regener'  itself  is  an  inward  Work  within  the  soul,  &  creation  of 
a  new  Taste  :  this  is  previous  to  the  possibiT  of  perceiv^  Truth  ; 
is  not  etVected  by  Truth,  but  solely  by  the  Spirit  of  God. 

He  was  full  &  open  in  this.  But  when  any  thing  was  sd  on  the 
Use  of  Means,  a  preparatory  Work,  the  divine  inteutioual  Efficienc)'" 
in  creating  Sin  being  the  same  as  in  creating  Holiness,  &  so  on  Gds 
being"  really  6c  intentionally  the  Author  of  Sin  : —he  replied  with 
great  Caution — passing  things  in  silence — or  rather  evading  or 
seeking  other  Branches  of  Discourse. 

18.  The  Convention  sat  at  my  House  being  Ten  Pastors.  At  X^^s'' 
A  ]NL  we  attended  the  Lecture  in  my  INIeet'house  when  M'  Ellis 
made  the  first  prayer — &  M'"  Townsend  preached  from  Jn''  xvii,  6 
— a)id  tluy  hair  kept  thy  li'ord.  It  was  proposed  to  print  the  Ser- 
mon ,S:  a  Subscription  was  begun  for  it.'  The  Association  broke 
up  after  Dinner. 

In  the  Kven^'  I  was  visited  by  M'  Maccleuer'^  a  young  Gentlemau 
directly  from  Dartmouth  College.  He  was  graduated  at  Yale  Col- 
lege 1769:  is  Master  of  More  School  at  Hanover  annexed  to  the 
College,  .S:  had  Tuition  of  the  Freshman  Class  under  D''  Wheelock. 
He  says,  there  are  I  think  10  or  lughteen  Undergraduates  in  that 
College.  He  gave  me  Ace"  of  Commencm'  there.  There  was  not 
a  Quorum  of  the  Trustees  present :  so  the  President  did  not  confer 
Degrees,  but  gave  Certificates  that  the  Candidates  were  qualified 
for  it.  A  young  Gentleman  of  the  College  was  lateh*  dismissed 
from  it,  having  first  been  laid  under  Chh  Censure.  D'"  Wheelock 
has  gathered  a  College  Church  of  Students  signing  a  Chh  Covenant 
as  M""  Maccluer  told  me.  The  College  as  yet  has  no  Laws,  but  the 
Gov*  is  declared  paroital  at  present,  D"  Wheelock  being  parent. 
lie  had  taken  this  Gent,  to  educate:  but  judged  it  best  he  should 
spend  his  Summers  or  at  least  this  Summer  in  Husbandry,  & 
study  in  winters.     But  he  declined  this — cS:  the  Chh  declared  by 

'  See  below,  Oct.  :!5  and  Nov.  8. 

•  Afterwards  the  Rev.  l>r.  David  McCluic.  of  Kasl  Wiudsor,  Comi. 
II 


1 62  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

\'ote  that  this  was  disobed.  to  parental  Gov*  &  so  a  Breach  of  a 
moral  Rule  ;  &  thereupon  D'  Wheelock  censured  &  dismissed  him 
from  the  College.  Rev.  M'  Forbes  of  Brookfield  is  imployed  by 
the  Boston  Commissioners  to  look  out  for  Ind.  Mission^'.  He 
recommended  this  young  Man  :  &  the  B"  Commissioners  took  him 
into  their  provision,  &  put  him  to  study  at  Harvard  College — 
where  he  entered  this  year. 

yV  M'Cluer  was  half  a  year  among  the  Onoydas  near  L,ake 
Ontario.  He  says  Missionary  Kirtland  inquired  after,  &  he  thinks 
visited  a  large  Rock  in  the  Seneca  Country  between  Erie  &  Ontario, 
charged  with  antient  strange  Characters  on  a  horizontal  Surface  or 
Top  of  a  Rock — the  Rock  being  about  as  big  as  a  common  Dw^ell*'' 
Room.     The  Indians  could  give  no  Ace"  of  it. 

19.  The  Ministers  went  home.  I  attended  M''  Hopkins  Lect.  at 
VII''.  He  preached  on  Mat.  xii,  30. — He  had  been  this  Aft.  to 
hear  M''  Edwards  of  Philad"  at  the  Bapt.  Meet"^  who  asserted  that 
Christs  loving  us  was  the  primary  Reason  of  our  lovin^  him,  as 
M'  Hopkins  told  me.  M''  Hopk.  shewed  that  being  for  Christ 
implied  disinterested  Love  to  him  primarily  for  his  own  ExcelP'^  & 
not  because  he  first  loved  us.  Yesterday  S.  C  was  indicted  for 
Murder^  &c  &  plead  not  Guilt}'. 

20.  The  B"  Thursd)'  paper  gives  the  London  Account  of  the 
Return  of  the  Ship  Endeavor  from  the  East  Indies  July  ult.  She 
was  sent  thither  with  three  Astronomers  to  observe  the  Transit  of 
Venus — of  which  the}'  had  an  excellent  Observation.  "  T/in'  dis- 
covered a  Southern  Continent  in  the  Latitude  of  the  DuteJi  Spice 
Islands — the  people  were  hospitable  ingenious  &  civil,  of  a  copper 
Complexion  but  handsome  «&  well  made " 

Remark,  i.  In  Lat.  5°.  S' far  beyond  Java,  the  Philippine  Isles 
&c,  and  on  the  East  side  of  a  large  Isld  called  New  Britain  is  a 
place  called  C.  George.     I  suppose  this  the  place  of  Observation. 

2.  As  to  Discov-  of  a  new  Continent,  I  conceive  it  onl}'  designed 
to  procure  a  new  Voyage  from  the  Admiralty.  For  tho'  I  doubt 
not  a  southern  Continent,  yet  I  don't  conceive  that  this  Frigate 
was  near  it :  &  that  the  Lands  &  Islands  they  toutched  at,  are  only 
new  Guinea  &c  already  often  visited  by  Dampier  &  other  Voyagers.'^ 

3.  However  one  thing  is  worthy  of  Attention,    viz  the    Copper 

'  See  a))ove,   Se])t.  8. 

'  Cajitain  Cook  in  the  Endeavor  explored  the  eastern  coast  of  Australia  for 
the  first  time  with  accuracy. 


SEPTEMBER    19-20,    1771  163 

Color  of  the  Inhabitants  of  these  numerous  Islands.  The  Chinese 
are  fair — the  southern  part  of  India  have  Blacks  \vith  curled  hair, 
the  rest  of  India  White  : — The  American  Indians  I  suppose  sprang 
from  the  Canaanites  or  Phoenicians  (as  did  the  Spaniards  in  part 
and  all  the  punic  &  mauritanian  population)  and  so  did  some 
Hordas  of  Tartars :  but  whence  the  Copper  Complexion  of  the 
Inhabitants  of  the  Oriental  Islands  ?  And  are  those  of  Java, 
Sumatra,  &c  twaunj^  also  ?  Have  they  sprung  from  the  Phoen. 
Navigators  sent  by  Solomon  to  the  East  from  Kziongeber  ? 

Sept.  II.  Inst,  the  Rev.  M"'  Manasseh  Cutler'  was  ord.  Pastor  of 
the  third  Chh  of  X  in  Ipswitch.  The  Solemnity  was  introduced 
hy  singing  an  Anthem.  The  Rev  W  Brown  of  Killingly  made 
the  first  prayer,  the  Rev  M"'  Balch  of  Dedham  preached  a  Sermon 
suitable  to  the  Occasion.  The  Rev  M"'  Parsons  of  By  field  in  New- 
bury prayed  before  the  Charge,  the  Rev  M''  Rogers  of  Ip.swich 
gave  the  Charge,  the  Rev.  M''  Leslie  of  Ipswich  gave  the  Rt.  hand 
of  Fellowship,  the  Rev  M''  Payson  of  Walpole  made  the  conclude' 
prayer.  A  Psalm  was  sung  &  the  Bless-  given.  Then  an  Anthem 
concluded  the  Solemnity." 

The  Rev  M""  Hide  of  Rehoboth  gave  me  an  ace "  of  a  Separate 
Bapt.  Ordination  4th  Inst  (or  Commencm*  daj-)  at  Rehoboth. 
One  Winchester, "^  of  a  Separate  Congregation  about  Brooklyn  near 
Boston,  had  been  guilty  of  an  antenuptial  Fornication — &  after- 
ward became  a  Preacher  in  the  vociferous  &  blustering  wa}-.  A 
number  of  the  same  Wa}^  were  formed  into  a  Bapt.  Chh  in  Rehob. 
&  called  him  :  but  insisted  he  shd  make  up  with  the  Chh  at  Brook- 
lin,  of  w"^  his  father  was  Deacon.  He  went  there  &  delivered  them 
a  paper  in  which  he  justified  himself  as  married  in  the  sight  of 
Gd,  tho'  not  in  sight  of  men.  His  Father  gave  him  a  Certifi- 
cate signed  by  him  in  Name  of  the  Chh,  "that  tho'  the  son  had 
not  asked  Forgiv.  of  the  Chh  yet  the  Chh  forgave  him."  A  New 
Light  Bapt.  Elder  from  about  Pomfret  was  the  only  Elder  present 
&  performed  the  Ordination  in  a  boisterous  if  not  blasphemous 
manner.  He  preached  or  raved  from  "feed  my  Lambs": — & 
begun  by  say-  he  shd  say  noth'''  about  the  stand^  Ministers  &  Chs 
(meaning  Presbyterian) — then  at  length  he  brok   out— now  I   am 

'  A  graduate  of  Yale  in  1765  and  a  native  of  Killingly,  Conn.,  where  he  was 
prepared  for  College  by  the  Rev.  Aaron  Brown  (Yale  1749). 

^  Elhanan  Winchester,  afterwards  a  Universalist.  See  also  this  Diary,  July 
II,  1781,  and  April  13,  1790. 


1 64  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

going  to  fire  a  Canon  !  a  Canon  !  a  Canon  !  &  hollood  &  yelled 
so  that  he  was  heard  a  Mile  &  half.  A  Canon  !  against  the 
stand-  Chhs  &  Ministers— &  described  them  as  antiXtian  ;  Wolves, 
Hirelings  &c  &c  &c.  Then  he  would  shew  how  Christ  was  with 
his  true  Chh — "  aye  &  he  will  be  here  by  &  bye" — " //<?  hasri' t 
been  here  yet — but  he"s  coming,  coming,  coming — ay  there  he  comes 
— he  is  come — he's  here  now  in  the  midst."  And  called  upon  & 
addres.sed  Christ  in  a  bold,  familiar,  indecent,  if  not  impious  & 
blasphemous  manner.  M'  Winchester  handed  him  the  Confession 
or  Certificate  or  both  to  read — but  he  handed  it  back  &  ordered 
Winchester  to  read  it — &  this  was  accepted.  And  then  he  laid  on 
his  hand  &  ordained  him  an  Elder.  Alas  !  what  occasion  is  there 
for  reading  &  well  consid-  that  of  the  Apostle,  Lay  hands  suddenly 
on  no  Man.  The.se  New  Light  Bapti.st  Teachers  go  about  ordain- 
ing many  that  are  by  no  means  fit  for  the  sacred  Office,  .some  that 
are  fitter  for  Confinement  in  a  Madhouse  a  few  months,  than  for 
the  pulpit.  What  shall  we  say  ;  the  Bps  in  Engld  ordain  half 
their  inferior  Clergy  of  less  knowledge  <&  baser  Morals  than  the 
New  Light  preachers  are :  &  in  Spain  &c  the  Clergy  are  pro- 
foundly ignorant  &  licentious.  The  Papas  of  the  Russian  Chh 
are  of  low  &  very  indifferent  drunken  Characters  as  M''  Rusmeyer 
tells  me,  who  was  acquainted  with  some  in  the  Ducal  Prussia. 
After  all,  it  is  a  Grief  &  ought  to  be  for  a  Lament^  that  the  power 
of  Ordin*  should  be  so  abused  thro' out  Christendom.  In  the 
Romish  Chh  one  in  fifty  souls  are  Ecclesiastics  :  that  body  consists 
of  sixty  million  souls,  imply^  six  mil/ion  Clergy.  The  Clergy  of 
the  oriental  Chhs  are  not  so  numerous  in  proportion,  however  per- 
haps half  as  numerous.  Suppose  in  all  Xtendom  Teji  Million 
Clergy,  or  Shepherds  under  the  great  Shephd  :  it  is  to  be  feared 
the  Office  is  prostituted  as  to  three  Quarters  of  these. 

O  JK.SU.S  !  How  is  thy  Bride,  the  CHURCH,  the  Lambs  Wife, 
p<jlluted  &;  profaned  ?  How  many  at  last  will  say,  have  we  not 
preached  in  thy  name,  in  thy  name  governed  in  the  Chh,  have  we 
not  only  sat  &  eat  bread  at  thy  Table,  but  in  thy  name  baptized  & 
admin''  the  holy  Supper  &c  &c  to  whom  X  will  say,  I  know  you 
not  !  O  Shephds — who  however  unfit  have  stolen  the  Office,  lit  up 
their  Lights  at  the  sacred  Fire  or  which  is  the  same  obtained  it  by 
simony  or  a  wanton  enthusiasm — &  in  the  exercise  of  the  Keyes, 
open  the  Doors  wide  to  receive  in  Wolves  with  the  sheep,  embosom  in 
the  Chh  the  undistinguished  multitude  of  unregenerate  unchanged 


SEPTEMBER   22-24,    1771  165 

Children  of  Satan  among  the  Saints  of  the  Most  High  !  And  thro' 
the  lyove  of  Gain,  Dominion  &  Error,  pronounce  Pardon  &  Absolu- 
tion upon  &  deceive  Millions  of  every  age  to  their  Eternal  Dam- 
nation !  Cavete  Pastores  Jesu  Christi  !  Judicij  supremi  mementote  ! 

22.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  all  day  on  Euke  xii,  40,  41,  adapted  to 
the  Case  of  the  Criminal  present.  Read  in  Dr.  Henry  More's  Life 
.   .   Also  in  Szegedini  Loc.  com.  theol. 

23.  Rev.  M''  Torry'  now  of  S"  Kingst'^  his  present  Wife  was 
descended  from  the  Hobart  Family  of  Hingham — her  Mother 
(Wife  of  Rev  M''  Fisk  of  Killingly")  being  Daughter  of  Rev.  Neh. 
Hobart  of  Newtown  Son  of  Rev.  Peter  Hobart  of  Hingham  first 
Pastor  there  1636.  Now  the  Family  Tradition  is  that  one  of 
Peters  Sons  went  home  to  Engl'^  &  travelled  into  foreign  Parts, 
renounced  his  Religion,  &  became  a  Romanist,  &  died  a  Cardinal 
or  some  great  Dignitary  in  the  Chh  of  Rome.  Last  Week  I  asked 
M''  Torrey,  what  was  this  Sons  Name?  he  said,  Japhet.  Now  I 
find  that  Japhet  Hobart,  was  one  of  three  Brothers  that  graduated 
1667  at  Harvard  College.' 

24 This    day    came  on  the    Trial    of    S.    C*   for   the 

Murder  of  a  Bastard  Child.  The  Trial  continued  from  Nine  o'clock 
in  the  Morn^  to  11)4^^  P  M,  when  Judge  Hopkins  &  Judge  Helme' 
delivered  their  Opinions,  the  other  Judges  silent,  &  then  Judge 
Hopkins  committed  the  Case  to  the  Jury,  who  agreed  on  a  Verdict 
in  less  than  an  hour.  At  V  P  M.  the  Jury  brought  in  their  Ver- 
dict, not  Guilty — &  so  she  was  discharged.  At  the  same  time 
Judg^  was  given  upon  Pofid  for  Theft  viz  to  pay  ^150.  L  M.  Dam- 
ages to  M""  Pease,  ^100  fine,  stand  in  the  Pillory  with  a  rope 
round  his  neck  two  hours,  &  be  whipped  39  Stripes,  &  sold  for  not 
exceeding  the  Term  of  seven  years. 

^Joseph  Torrey  (Harvard  1728). 

^  John  Fiske  (Harvard  1702),  first  pastor  of  the  Congregational  Church  now 
known  as  the  First  Church  in  Putnam,  Conn. 

^Nothing  definite  is  known  of  Japhet  Hobart's  history  after  graduation  ;  but 
a  passage  in  Chief  Justice  Sewall's  Diary,  dated  March,  1679,  implies  that  he 
was  then  living  in  Boston,  and  married. 

In  September,  1772,  Dr.  Stiles,  on  a  visit  to  the  Rev.  Noah  Hobart,  of  Fair- 
field. Conn.,  notes  in  his  Itinerary  a  "Letter  dated  Cambridge  6,  11,  1667, 
Jonas  Clark  to  Mr.  Peter  Hobart  :  acC  of  s"^  Peter's  son  Japhet  just  grad.  at 
Coll.  being  in  Love  with  s<*  Clark's  Daughter ;  &  asking  Mr.  Hobart's  Counsel 
on  the  Matter." 

*  See  above,  Sept.  S  and  20. 

^  Ex-Gov.  Stephen  Hopkins  and  James  Helme. 


1 66  DIARY   OF   EZRA   STILES 

25.  [This  day  Commencm*  at  Nassau  Hall  Jersey  College.]  .  .  . 
This  Day  was  the  annual  Meeting  of  the  Redwood  Library  Company, 
when  they  elected  me  Librarian  again.'  The  Rev  M'  Kelly  Bapt 
Minister  has  set  up  a  weekly  Wednesdy  Lecture,  which  he  began 
this  Afternoon  for  the  first  Time.  In  the  Even^  was  my  Monthly 
Meeting  of  my  Chh  at  Sister  Peckhams. 

26.  Yesterday  Rev.  Albertus  Ludolphus  Rusmeyer  the  Moravian 
Minister  here,  &  Rev.  Erasmus  Kelly  were  admitted  honorary 
members  of  the  Redwood  Library  Company.  I  attended  Mr. 
Hopk.  Even^  Lecture,  he  preached  upon  Mat.  xii,  30,  a  second 
Sermon  on  that  Text. 

27.  Digesting  &  sorting  Materials  for  Histor}^ 

28.  Reviewing  &  digesting  Materials  &c.  And  reading  Memoirs 
of  M""  Jn"  Gordon  :  also  D""  Chauncys  View  of  the  Fathers, — Igna- 
tian  Epistles.  Made  Sermon  as  usual.  Commonly  write  two  ser- 
mons a  Week  ;  tho'  some  are  only  Heads,  &  leading  Sentiments. 

29.  Ldsday.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Ephes.  iv,  17-24,  &  P  M 
Titus  iii,  7.  Notified  Catechising  the  Children  &  Servants  to 
Morrow  at  V"  P.M. 

30.  Went  to  the  Jews  Tabernacle  being  the  last  day  of  the  Feast, 

r3pn  jn . 

Oct. 

1 .  Readg  Perin  Hist,  of  the  Waldeuses  &  Albigenses  :   &  Dr. 
Chandler's  Appeal  Defended  farther. 

2.  This  Day  M'  vSteward  a  Candidate  preach"  at  Dighton  visited 
me.     He  is  an  ingenious  sensible  man. 

'  This  Compain'  was  incorporated  in  August,  1747,  to  administer  a  gift  from 
Abraham  Redwood.     Dr.  Stiles  writes  in  January,  1773,  of  the  Library  : — 

This  set  out  as  a  Quaker  affair ;  Mr.  Redwood  being  a  Friend  ;  advised  & 
influenced  by  his  B^  in  law  Tho»  Ward  Esq.  a  Deistical  Baptist ;  both  the  Gent, 
really  designed  it  shd.  be  catholic  &  without  respect  of  Sects.  Thro'  the  Blind- 
ness of  Mr.  Redw'  &  Ward  &  Callender  (the  2  last  Men  of  great  Learn-  & 
Penetration)  the  Episcopalians  slyly  got  into  it  &  obtained  a  Majority  w"  they 
are  careful  to  keep.  At  first  of  46  but  18  were  Episc".  In  2  yrs  of  91  mem- 
bers 43.  were  Episc".  Since  this  they  are  become  a  Majority.  But  no  body 
observes  it  but  the  Founder.  They  have  ever  since  the  Charter  carried  the 
\'otes.  The  l-"ounder  has  often  told  me  of  it,  &  said  it  was  contrary  to  his 
Intention  ;  &  that  this  was  one  Reason  of  his  refus*-'  to  sit  in  the  Directors 
Meetings. 

Dr.  Stiles  was  the  Librarian  from  1756  until  his  removal  from  the  town. 


SEPTEMBER   25-OCTOBER   3,    1771  167 

By  the  Prints  I  find  that  on  Wednesdy  25*''  ult.  there  were  three 
Ordinations.  At  the  Old  South  in  Boston  late  D'"  Sewalls,  the  Rev. 
Jn"  Hunt  was  ordained,  &  Rev  Jn'-  Bacon  was  installed  CoUegue 
Pastors.  Rev  M'"  Hooker  of  N "  Hampton  began  with  prayer,  Rev 
M'  Hunt  pastor  Elect  preached  on  2  Tim.  ii,  15.  Rev.  D''  Chauncy 
prayed  &  gave  the  Charge,  Rev  M''  Mather  prayed,  &  Rev"*  D' 
Eliot  gave  the  R*  Hand  of  Fellowship. 

On  the  same  Day  Rev.  M^  Niles'  was  ordained  Pastor  of  the  Chh 
at  Abington. 

On  the  same  day  Rev.  Samuel  Shepard  was  ord.  Pastor  of  a 
newly  gathered  Baptist  Chh  at  Stratham  in  New  Hampshire. 
Rev  Hez.  Smith  of  Haverhil  began  with  prayer  &  gave  the 
Charge  :  Rev  Sam'  Stilman  of  Boston  preached  on  Acts  xiii,  2. 
Rev  Benj'^  Coles  prayed  after  Sermon,  Rev  James  Manning  Presi- 
dent &c  gave  the  R'  Hand  of  Fellow^ship.  N  B.  M''  Manning  is 
not  now  in  Office  in  any  Church. 

News  of  Agent  Marchants  Arrival  in  Eondon  ly*""  August. 
3.  The  Rev.  M''  Goss'  is  Pastor  of  a  Chh  at  Bolton  in  C  Wor- 
cester Massach.  where  he  has  been  in  the  Min^  30  years.  Rev"  M'' 
Wheeler'  of  Harvard  adjoyn^  Bolton  of  good  Character,  after  ten 
years  Min''  fell  into  Infirmities  &  ill  Health.  M'  Johnson'  a  young 
boisterous  Preacher  (of  doubtful  morals  at  Harv.  Coll)  com^  to 
Harvard  engaged  their  Affections,  so  that  the  pple  were  desirous 
of  dropp"^  M'"  Wheeler  for  M''  Johnson.  A  Council  was  called — no 
Objection  ag*^  M'  Wheelers  Eife  or  Doctrine — yet  the  Chh  insisted 
to  dismiss  him.  It  was  done  &  M''  Johnson  ordained  in  his  stead 
1769.  Bolton  catched  the  Spirit,  tired  out  of  a  worthy  pastor,  want 
a  new  &  more  boisterous  one.  They  have  had  I  think  3  Councils 
— one  ex  parte — two  mutual : — all  cleared  M"'  Goss  of  the  trifling 
Accusations  &  declared  him  to  be  a  worthy  pastor.  The  Chh 
refused  to  receive  the  Advice — and  have  voted  him  dismissed,  con- 
trary to  his  Desire  &c.  And  all  on  this  principle,  that  tho'  they 
had  little  or  noth^  ag*  him,  yet  they  could  not  profit  b}-  him,  & 
had   &  would  exercise  the  Right  of  seeking  a  Minister  to  their 

'  See  above,  Aug.  31,  1771. 

^  Thomas  Goss  (Harvard  1737),  ordained  1741,  died  in  office  17S0.  He  was  a 
stern  Puritan,  and  took  sides  with  the  Tories  in  the  Revolution.  See  this 
Diary,  May  14  and  Sept.  8,  1773. 

^  Joseph  Wheeler  (Harvard  1757). 

■•  Daniel  Johnson  (Harvard  1767). 


l68  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Taste  &  Liking.  Is  it  the  will  of  Christ  that  the  Brethren  have 
the  power  of  Electing  &  Rejecting  their  Pastors  at  pleasure  ?  If  the 
power  was  lodged  in  Bps,  Synods,  Councils  in  short  any  where 
extra  Ecclesiam,  these  Questions  arise  i.  Whether  the  pastors  pos- 
session or  hold"'  of  his  Chh  would  be  more  secure  than  &c.  A  Synod 
&c  might  remove  him  ag*  his  will :  when  old  he  would  stand  a 
chance  to  be  left  to  some  small  living — the  young  enterprizing 
Clergy  mak^'  no  difficulty  of  shoving  aside  the  old  ones,  if  they  can 
find  who  has  the  power  of  Removal.  Again  every  one  would  not 
have  an  equal  Chance  to  get  into  the  Chhs,  if  the  Election  &c  was 
taken  from  them.  2.  Whether  a  few  Instances  of  the  Chhs  abus^ 
their  power  in  rejecting  a  worthy  pastor,  should  incline  the  Body 
of  the  pastors  to  desire  &  endeavor  such  an  alteration  of  the  Eccl. 
Policy  in  N.  E.  as  that  a  Chh  of  itself  shd  not  be  able  to  turn  out 
its  pastor  without  the  Concurrence  of  some  Tribunal,  or  Jurisdic- 
tion exterior  of  the  Chh,  as  an  Eccl.  Council  with  decisive  Author- 
ity. If  we  once  depart  from  the  plenary  power  of  Chhs  over  their 
officers — we  may  adopt  a  principle  w*^  will  justify  the  Pontificate. 
3.  Does  the  Scripture  suggest  that  Christ  has  erected  any  Jurisd. 
or  Tribunal  out  of  a  Church  ?  It  is  hard  for  the  faithful  Pastor  to 
be  ejected  by  his  Chh — or  by  a  Presby. — or  by  a  Synod — or  a 
Bishop — or  by  Act  of  Parliament — or  by  the  King.  Here  is  the 
Patience  of  the  Saints. 

In  the  Even*''  I  attended  M''  Hopkins'  Even^'  Eect.  when  M'' 
Steward  preached  on  i  Kings  x,  8. 

5.  Wife  sat  for  Picture. 

6.  Edsday.  I  preached  A  M  Gal.  vi,  4.  P  M.  Ps.  cxix,  5,  & 
notified  a  Funeral  in  Absence  of  Sexton.  At  IVjs''  Elder  Dawson 
preached  abroad  on  the  Parade  from  Euke  xiv,  23. 

8.  Wife  sat  again  for  her  Picture.  In  Lond.  Chronicle  July  27 
ult.  I  find  "Conductors  are  ordered  to  be  fixed  to  the  Royal 
Exchange  to  prevent  its  receiving  any  Damage  from  Lightning. ' ' 
Thus  Dr.  Franklins  Electrical  pointed  Rods  begin  to  be  erected  in 
Europe 

At  V'  I  attended  M'  Kellys  Even"  Lect.  at  the  first  Baptist  Meef^ 
here.     He  preached  on  Jn"  v,  6.    "  Wilt  thou  be  made  whole  ?  " 

Dr  Chandler  in  his  Appeal  further  defended  p.  145  says  "a 
writer  in  Favor  of  the  Baptists  in  New  Engl'^  who  is  supposed  to 
express  the  general  Sentiments  of  that  Denomination  of  Christians, 
says,  with  a  Tartness  that  seems  to  have  been  excited  by  an  opinion 


OCTOBER    5-8,    1771  169 

of  their  Oppression  :  "The  Fraternity"  (mean^  the  presb.  &  Cong. 
"  Ministers)  last  year  have  sent  Letters  to  Baptist  Ministers  in 
"  New  England,  requesting  their  Aid  against  the  Chh  of  Kngld. 
' '  But  truly  it  is  the  Interest  of  the  Baptists  that  the  Chh  of  Engld 
"should  multiply  in  Massachusetts  &  Connecticutt,  so  far  as  to 
"  form  a  Ballance  of  Ecclesiastical  power  there,  as  in  other  Colo- 
"  nies.  And  as  for  Bishops  they  are  welcome  there  :  their  coming 
"  thither  is  an  Object  zvorthy  of  Petitions :  we  cannot  be  worse  off; 
"  we  may  be  better :  they  are  Gentlemen  at  least,  &  have  some 
' '  Generosity  for  vanquished  Enemies.  But  the  New-Engld  People 
"  (of  a  certain  Denomination)  are  supercilious  in  Power,  and  mean 
"in  Conquest.  I  will  venture  to  say,  that  all  the  Bishops  in  Old 
"  England  have  not  done  the  Baptists  there  so  much  Despite  for 
^^  eighty  years  past,  as  the  Presbyterians  have  done  this  year  to 
"the  Baptists  of  New  England"  —  "There  are  thirty  seven  con- 
"  gregations  of  them  in  Massachusetts"  only,  to  say  nothing  of 
Rhode  Island,  where  they  are  more  numerous  and  much  more 
powerful  than  in  any  of  the  other  Colonies."  Thus  far  D""  Chand- 
lers Quotation.  Remark  i.  This  is  taken  from  Goddard's  PhiP 
Chronicle  Nov.  26.  1770,  where  I  read  it  before.  2.  The  Author 
of  it  was  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards  of  Phil''  a  Baptist  Elder,  who  fore- 
told the  day  of  his  own  Death,  which  day  he  has  outlived.  Born 
in  Wales,  educated  at  a  Baptist  Acad-'  in  Bristol,  originally  an 
Episcopalian  &  now  always  says  Amcii  aloud  at  the  End  of  a 
prayer  made  by  any  one,  of  inveterate  Malice  against  the  Congre- 
gationalists.  3.  In  1767  a  plan  was  concerted  &  addressed  to  all 
the  Non-episcopal  Chhs,  i.  e.  to  the  Presb.,  Cong.,  Consoc,  Bapt., 
Dutch  &  French  Calvinists,  to  form  an  annual  Assembly  of  Dele- 
gates from  this  united  Body  for  several  purposes,  one  of  which  was 
to  remove  the  A.spersions  cast  upon  us  all  bj^  the  Episcopalians,  as 
Traitors,  disloyal,  Enemies  to  Monarchy,  &c  &c  &c.  This  Union 
took  place  between  the  Consoc.  Chhs  in  Connecticut  &  the  Synods: 
— but  the  Cong,  in  general,  the  Baptists,  the  Reformed  Dutch  &c, 
did  not  come  into  it.  The  Episc"  used  every  Art  to  detatch  them 
from  this  Junction.  The  Congreg'^  were  not  influenced  by  these 
Arts,  but  by  solid  Reasons.  In  New  Jersey  Gov.  Franklin  gave 
the  Dutch  Reformed  a  Charter  for  a  College  I  think  that  year  or 
then  assured  it.  And  the  Courtiers  at  N  York  dissuaded  the  Dutch 
there.  Ld  Hillsboro'  Sec-'  for  America  had  used  the  Opp"  of  M' 
Edwards   being  in  London    1769  &  1770  collect^   College   Benefac- 


I-O  DIARY    OF   EZRA   STILES 

tions.  So  his  Ldshp  took  notice  of  him,  duped  him  to  be  a  Tool 
to  the  Ministn-  by  Prospect  &  Assur^'  of  Redress  of  Baptist  Griev- 
ances in  America,  part-'  in  N  Engld.  He  came  home  &  fired 
the  Baptists  in  America.  Hence  this  violent  Piece.  4.  The  Suf- 
ferings he  refers  to  last  year  or  1769  were  at  Ashfield,  where  the 
Lands  of  Baptists  were  vendued  by  the  Sheriff  or  Officer  to  the 
amount  of  perhaps  20  or  ^30  sterling,  perhaps  not  half  so  much, 
towards  a  Tax  for  Build"  a  Cong.  Meetghouse  : — together  with 
some  vile  insulting  Language  said  to  be  given  to  the  Baptists  b}^ 
one  Wells  at  the  Time  of  the  vSale.  The  Insult  was  highly  con- 
demned by  all  Congregationalists.  Admit  the  Tax  oppressive  and 
unjust.  How  much  in  Ecclesiastical  Revenues  do  the  Bps  in  Engld 
raise  on  the  250  Baptist  Congregations  in  Engld  not  one  year  only 
but  yearly  &  ever)'  year.  I  think  the  Quakers  compute  their 
yearly  sufferings  of  this  kind  at  2  or  ^3000.  Sterl-  per  ann.  in 
Engld.  Are  not  the  Baptists  more  numerous  than  they  ?  At  least 
do  they  not  suifer  ^1000.  ster.  yearly  to  the  Bps?  5.  As  the 
Baptists  have  in  noway  privately  or  publickly  disapproved  this 
\\'elcome  of  Bps  to  America,  to  N  Engld  in  particular ;  I  consider 
them  as  adopting  it.     Poor  deceived  &  duped  Denomination  ! 

9.  Wednesday.  At  X''  A  M.  went  to  M""  Kellys  Meeting  to 
see  his  Ordination,  which  was  performed  by  Two  Elders,  viz,  M'" 
Maxsen  Elder  of  the  Sabbatarian  or  Seventh  day  Chh,  &  M' 
Thurston  Elder  of  the  Bapt.  Chh  under  hands  &  of  six  principles. 
These  two  Elders  only  sat  with  M""  Kelly  in  the  pulpit.  M""  Maxen 
began  with  prayer  of  about  ten  minutes.  Then  M""  Thurston 
named  &  read  the  Psalm  cxxxiii  in  Tate  &  Bradys  Version, 
which  being  sung  M""  Thurston  preached  on  2  Tim.  i,  14,  That 
good  Thing  which  was  &c.  He  preached  without  Notes  as  he  always 
does.  Then  M''  Maxsen  stood  up  &  said  this  Chh  had  given  a 
Call  to  M'  Kelly  &  had  desired  himself  &  Elder  Thurston  to  ordain 
him  to  the  office  of  an  Elder  :  and  thereupon,  turning  round  both 
Elders  laid  on,  each  both  their  Hands  upon  M''  Kellys  Head,  and 
during  such  Imposition  M''  Maxsen  prayed  :  then  they  took  off 
their  Hands  &  immediately  laying  them  on  again  M'  Thurston 
prayed.  Tlien  tlie  hands  taken  off,  and  Elder  Maxsen  delivered  a 
Charge  (\\  seemed  to  be  from  Writing)  to  M'  Kelly.  It  was  much 
the  same  as  usually  given  by  the  Congregationalists,  &  very  much 
selected  out  (jf  the  Epi.stles  to  Timothy.  Mr.  Max-sen  then  left 
the  Desk  :  and  Sv  Thurston  stept  into  it,   &  said  a  few  words  to 


OCTOBER   9,    1771  171 

the  Congreg-'  on  the  Usage  of  giv^'  the  Rt  Hand  of  Fellowship,  & 
turning  about  gave  his  Rt.  Hand  to  M'  Kelly  with  a  short  Speech. 
Then  M''  Maxen  stept  into  the  Desk  &  made  the  concluding  Prayer. 
Then  IVP  Thurston  appointed  &  read  the  2  last  Staves  in  cxxxii^ 
Psalm  :  which  being  sung  he  gave  the  Blessing  and  so  dismissed 
the  Congregation,  before  Twelve  o'clock :  the  Exercise  nearlj^ 
Two  Hours. 

There  were  present   no  ordained  Ministers  but  M'  Thompson  a 

Baptist  Elder,  Elder  Dawson   «&  Elder and  myself;  neither 

of  whom  were  concerned  in  this  Affair.  The  Meetgh.  was  full 
and  contained  scarcely  Three  Hundred  Persons  in  24  pews  below 
&  the  Galler}^ :  there  were  some  abroad  perhaps  20  or  30  persons. 
It  had  been  rain}-  &  stormj^  in  the  Morn^.  It  is  usual  with 
the  Congreg"^  to  call  Ordination  Councils  viz.  Councils  of  Chhs,  i.  e. 
Pastors  &  Messengers :  &  there  seems  to  be  a  Mixture  of  the 
powers,  especialh'  in  giving  the  R*^  Hand  of  Fellowship,  w*^  is  done 
in  the  name  &  denot^  the  Fellowship  «&  Commun.  of  the  Chhs,  as 
well  as  Ministerial  Office.  The  Baptist  call  only  Elders  of  other 
Chhs  to  ordain  &  the  Ordin'^  is  performed  by  them  in  their  presby- 
terial  capacity.  There  is  however  a  Variety  :  some  Baptists,  as 
M''  Backus,  are  for  the  Sufficiency  &  Validity  of  Eay  Ordinations. 
In  the  Presb.  or  Cong.  Ordinations  the  Pastors  only  lay  on  hands, 
pra}^  &  give  the  Charge  in  the  Name  of  Christ — the  Rt  Hand  in 
their  own  Names  &  in  Name  of  the  Churches.  It  would  be  better 
if  Ord.  Councils  consisted  of  Pastors  only. 

M''  Kelly  is  about  22  aet.  educated  at  Philad''^  College,  a  young 
Gentleman  of  apparent  Sobrietj^  of  Fluency  &  good  Address. 
May  he  be  made  a  Blessing.  Elder  Thurston  was  ordained  1760 
by  three  Baptist  Elders  viz  Elder  Holden  of  Warwick,  &  the  two 
Elder  Masons  at  Swanzey.  Elder  Job  Mason  was  ord.  1738  by 
Elders  Joseph  Mason,  Sam'  Windsor  of  Provid.  &  Nicolas  Eyres 
of  Newport :  Elder  Russel  Mason  ord.  1752  by  s'^  Windsor,  Ej'res, 
&  Job  Mason.— Now  s'^  Joseph  Mason  was  ord.  1709. 

This  day  came  here  Brother  Hubbard  of  Meriden.  He  tells  me 
that  M""  Judson'  is  ordained  at  Chelsea  in  Norwich  last  week. 
Rev.  M''  Benj  Eord  of  Norwich  assisted  in  ordain^ — but  first  closely 
examined  him.  M""  Judson  is  full  in  the  new  Divinity — M""  Eord 
very  opposite.  Accordingly  M""  Eord  wrote  down  the  Questions  he 
intended  to  ask,  &  added  M'  Judsons  Answers.     And  on  the  whole 

'  Ephraim  Judson  (Yale  1763). 


1-2  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

declares  M'  Judson  has  renounced  &c.  Rev  W  Sherman'  of 
Carmel  was  lately  dismissed  by  the  Consociation  ;  where  there 
happened  a  critical  Vote.  All  the  Messengers  were  for  Dismission 
&  just  half  the  Elders  :  the  question  arose  whether  it  was  for  a 
Vote  for  Dismission.  The  Elders  at  first  declared  it  was  not, 
because  by  Say  brook  Platform  there  must  be  a  Majority  of  the 
Elders  &  so  many  of  the  INIessengers  as  make  a  Majority  of  the 
Consoc.  to  create  a  \^ote.  In  this  Case  the  Messengers  shewed 
Resentment  and  withdrew,  declar-  they  would  never  go  to  a  Consoc. 
again  tho'  voted  by  their  Chhs,  if  this  must  be  the  Construction 
of  the  Platform  :  at  least  M''  Joshua  Chandler  «&  sundry  other 
Messengers  declared  this,  &  all  acquiesced,  non  of  them  contra- 
dict- it.  Upon  this  Rev  M""  Goodrich,  &  Rev''  M'  Waterman  & 
Rev  M""  Woodbridge  declared  for  the  Messengers,  that  it  was  their 
Opinion  that  the  Chhs  had  as  much  powder  in  Councils  as  Pastors. 
And  either  these  or  some  few  other  Elders  came  over  to  the  side  of 
Dismission  and  so  the  Vote  finally  passed  for  Dismission,  agreeable 
to  the  Messengers.  Yet  in  such  manner  as  leaves  the  Question 
undecided,  whether  the  Elders  in  Council  have  any  more  weight 
than  the  Messengers.  [I  heard  M""  Thompson  at  an  Ev^  Lect.  M'^ 
Thurst.  Mai.  3,  17.] 

10.  Deacon  Tanner  of  the  Sabb.  Chh  tells  me  that  Elder  Jn° 
Maxsen  now  of  Newport  was  ordained  here  by  Elder  Tho  Hiscox^ 
now  living  &  Elder  Clark  dec'',  both  Elders  in  the  Sabb.  Chh  at 
Westerh'.  He  sd  that  Elder  Tho.  Hiscox  was  ord.  at  Newport 
tho'  liv-  at  Westerly,  not  to  any  particular  Church,  but  as  an  Itin- 
erant : — that  he  baptized  &  adm.  Eds  Supper  occasionally  any- 
where— at  length  very  Constantly  &  statedly  preached  at  Westerly, 
but  had  not  the  Care  of  the  Chh  as  a  Pastor :  that  in  the  Vacancy 
before  M""  Maxsens  Call,  Elder  Hiscox  by  vote  &  desire  of  the 
Sabb  Chh  in  Newp*^  admin'  Lds  Supper  therein  once  a  Month  : — 
that  at  length  M'  Clark  of  Westerly  was  ord.  Elder  of  the  Sabb. 
Chh  there,  &  the  Chh  was  put  under  his  Care.  Yet  he  seldom 
preached.  Elder  Hiscox  constantly  preaching  :  but  again  Hiscox 
never  or  rarely  adm''  the  Eds  Supper,  while  Elder  Clark  usually 
both  baptized  &  adm''  the  Supper  :   &  yet  they  seemed  to  consider 

'  Nathaniel  Sherman  (Princeton  1753),  a  brother  of  the  Hon.  Roger  Sherman. 
He  was  installed  at  Mount  Carmel  on  May  18,  1768,  with  an  annual  salary  of 
^85  L.  M.  and  50  cord.s  of  wood. 

'  See  this  Diary,  June  8,  1773. 


OCTOBER    lO-II,    1771  173 

him  more  than  a  Ruling  Elder.  Deacon  Tanner  also  tells  me, 
there  is  in  the  possession  of  one  M''  Clark  of  Stonington  near  West^ 
an  antient  MS.  very  large  of  M'  Sam'  Hubbard'  the  first  or  one  of 
the  first  Bapt.  Elders  in  Newport,  who  baptized  here  1648.  This 
M''  Clark  is  set  40.  the  Son  of  M''  Clark  who  died  aet.  90.  or 
upwards  :  now  one  of  Sam'  Hubbards  Daughters  married  a  Clark  :* 
&  the  Deacon  says  this  present  M''  Clark  calls  him.self  Grandson  of 
s''  Hubb'',  &  received  this  MS  from  his  aged  Father.  But  I 
believe  him  his  Great  Grandson. 

No  Lect.  at  M'  Hopk.     A  storm. 

II.  M'  Checklej^  of  Providence  tells  me  that  they  have  settled 
Things  so  that  M''  Rowld  will  tarr}-.  But  they  have  had  an  open 
Rupture  with  the  Baptists  :  the  latter  hav^  aspersed  M""  Rowld  and 
the  Presb.  as  Enemies  to  the  College  ;  Deacon  Nightingale  chas- 
tized Pres'  Man^  for  saying  that  M''  Rowld  had  hindered  sundry 
Scholars  &c  :  adding  that  if  what  he  was  informed  was  true  viz, 
that  sundry  principal  Baptists  had  given  out  that  now  they  had  got 
a  College,  they  were  determined  to  root  out  the  Presbyterians  out 
of  Providence  &  convert  the  whole  Town  to  the  Baptists — if  this 
was  so,  he  (the  Deacon)  would  become  an  Enemy,  &  take  all  pains 
that  the  Congregationalists  should  universally  become  Enemies  to 
the  College.  There  was  a  vigorous  Clash"^. — Afterwards  M''  Man- 
ning &  the  Baptists  treated  our  pple  with  affected  Complaisance. 
M"^  Checkly  also  told  me,  that  on  one  of  the  Sabbaths  last  month  in 
M'  Rowlds  Absence,  they  desired  M''  Graves^  the  Episc°  Minister 
in  Town  of  Provid. — &  he  came  with  his  whole  Cong.  &  performed 
pub.  Worship  in  M''  Rowlds  Meef^,  the  two  Congregations,  (Presb. 
&  Episc")  worship*^  together.  M'  Graves  used  the  Liturgy — then 
set  cxxxiii  Psalm  &  read  the  Lines — then  preached — then  the 
Deacons  (not  Wardens)  carried  the  Contrib.  Box  ; — he  did  not 
iise  the  Surplice.  Another  Sabb.  being  destitute,  Pres^  Manu"  or 
some  of  his  Friends  wrote  a  Note  to  M''  Nightingale  inform^  of  his 
Readiness  to  supply  the  pulpit — but  the  offer  was  refused.  All 
these  things  are  unusual  &  extraordinary. 

'  At  a  later  period  Dr.  Stiles  seems  to  have  liad  access  to  this  MS.,  and  gives 
in  his  Itinerary  some  abstracts  from  it  ;  Backns  also  used  it  for  his  History. 

See  also  this  Diary,  Aug.  6,  17S3. 

-  Bethia  Hubbard  married  Joseph  Clark,  Jr.,  in  November,  1664;  and  had 
five  sons,  born  from  1670  to  1688. 

■''  John  Graves.     See  Sabine's  Amer.  Loyalists,  i,  4S7. 


174  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILEvS 

12.  Sept.  29,  1 77 1,  died  at  N  York,  Rev.  Jn'  Thomas  Pastor  &c 
Chariest"  S"  Car".' 

I".  Ldsday.  Brother  Hubbard  (Pastor  of  the  Chh  in  Meriden) 
preach'd  for  me  all  day:  A.M.  from  Gal.  vi,  14.  P  M.  Isai.  Ivii, 
IS.  Began  the  Aft.  Services  at  Two  o'clock.  There  is  one  or 
more  foreign  Friends  in  Town.  At  noon  it  was  given  out  that 
something  would  be  said  to  the  Negroes — upon  which  they  flocked 
to  the  Quaker  Meeting,  which  held  to  within  a  quarter  of  Five. 
The  Friends,  at  least  some  public  Friends  have  borne  Testimony 
against  the  Slave  Trade  for  several  years.  There  was  an  Evening 
Meet-  at  the  Friends  Meetgh.  the  first  known  in  Newport. 

14.  M'  Hubbard  &  his  Wife  sat  out  on  their  Return  for  Connecti- 
cutt.     I  weighed  128"'.     M''  W"'  Vernon  i99'\ 

15.  Yesterday  the  Vestry  &c  Chh  Engld  here  met  to  consider 
whether  they  should  invite  Rev.  M''  Wheeler'  to  be  Assistant  Minis- 
ter &  Schoolmaster  in  Key's  School.  This  M'  Wheeler  sprung 
from  a  plain  honest  Family  in  Massachuset — educated  at  Harvard 
College  &  observed  to  be  so  much  uplifted  with  it  as  to  betray 
Symptoms  of  contempt  for  his  Family.  He  was  a  Congregation- 
list.  But  the  Chh  Gentry  at  Cambridge  invited  him  to  dine  &  told 
him  such  fine  grand  Stories,  that  he  became  a  Chliman  &  took 
Orders  about  176S  or  later.  This  Ace"  I  had  of  him  from  a  Gentle- 
man intimate  with  him,  with  whom  I  happened  in  Journe}'  in  Mas- 
sach.  perhaps  1768.     M"'  Wheeler  is  stationed  at  Kennebec. 

At  V"  P  M.  I  attended  M''  Kellys  Tecture.  M''  Stillman  was  to 
have  preached  :  but  M''  Kelly  preached  on  Cant,  i,  15,  and  M' 
Stillman  concluded  with  prayer. 

16.  Yesterday  M""  Hopkins  sat  out  for  Connecticutt.  By  the 
Records  of  the  Sabb.  Chh  Newport  &  Convers''  with  Deacon  Tan- 
ner I  find  that  Chh'  was  formed  this  year  one  hundred  j-ears  ago, 
under  the  Leading  of  Elder  William  Hiscox  who  died  Maj^  24, 
1704,  aet.  66,  Father  of  Elder  Thomas  Hiscox  of  Westerly  now 
living  aet  85  :  That  William  Gibson  Elder  of  this  Chh  died 
March  12,  17 17  aet.  79.  giving  a  Hebrew  Bible  &  Greek  Test''' 
to  the  Chh  : — Joseph  Crandal  from  West^'  preached  here  with 
Elder  Gibson   from    1708   till   May  8   17 15   when   he  was  oj^dained 

'  A  native  of  Waits,  and  Minister  of  the  Independent  or  Congregational 
Church  in  Charleston  from  1767.     He  died  of  consumption,  in  his  26th  year. 

'Wm.  Willard  Wheeler  (Harvard  1755).  He  seems  to  have  conic  to  Newport 
in  June,  1772,  and  remained  in  office  until  1776. 

'Otherwise  known  as  the  Third  Baptist  Church  in  Newport. 


OCTOBER    12-16,    1771  175 

by  "  our  antient  Elder  Brotlicr  Gibson  accord"  to  that  Script,  i  Pett. 
5.  the  Elders  which  are  among  you  &c."  Elder  Craiidal  died 
September  13  1737.  M''  Tho*  Hiscox  of  West-  (son  of  late  Elder 
W"'  Hiscox  of  Newport  first  Elder  of  the  first  Sal^b.  Chh  in  America) 
and  M'  Joseph  Maxson  of  West^  were,  on  Oct.  8.  1732,  ordained  at 
Newp'  by  aged  Elder  Crandal,  "  Evangelists  or  Travell^  Ministers  " 
wdth  power  to  ' '  administer  the  ordinances  of  the  Gospel  as  they 
shall  be  occasionally  called  by  either  of  the  Chhs,"  i  e  Chh  of 
Newp*  or  West^'.  Elder  Crandal  was  disabled  before  his  Death,  & 
his  Chh  voted  to  desire  Elder  Hiscox,  who  accordgly  came  & 
admin*^  the  Eds  supp.  ever}^  month,  &  thus  officiated  in  the  Chh  of 
Newport  before  the  Death  of  Elder  1737  «&  thence  thro'  the  long 
space  in  w*^  they  had  no  particular  Elder  to  1754.  M''  John  Maxson 
was  at  length  Nov.  24.  1754  ordained  Elder  of  the  Newp'  Sabb. 
Chh  b}^  prayer  &  lay^  on  Hands  of  Elder  Tho''  Hiscox  &  Elder 
Tho'  Clark  both  of  the  Sabb.  Chh  of  Westerly.  N  B.  M''  Callen- 
der  says  Gibson  &  Crandal  had  been  ordained  before. 

This  Aft.  I  was  visited  by  Rev.  M"'  Kenne'  of  Groton  &  M'' 
Morgan"  a  young  Candidate  for  the  Min^'  preaching  at  Voluntown. 
M'  Kenne  tells  me  he  was  one  of  the  Council  &  assisted  at  the 
Ordin^  of  M''  Judson  last  [beginn"  of  this]  month — that  the  Coun- 
cil consisted  of  Rev.  Mess'*  Benj''  Eord  &  Wight  of  Norwich, 
Rosseter  &  Hart  of  Preston,  Benedict  of  Woodbury,  Benedict  of 
Newint,  &  sd  M''  Kenne,  with  Delegates  from  their  Chhs  : — That 
the  Exam,  was  public  in  the  Meetgh.  when  M''  Eord  put  a  number 
of  written  Questions  to  the  pastor  Elect,  to  which  he  gave  satisfac- 
tory Answers.  Then  the  Council  retired  &  concluded  to  proceed. 
Then  the  Assembly  met  again  at  the  Meetgh.  the  same  da}',  &  the 
Ordin'^  was  there  performed — M'  Benedict  of  Woodbury  preached — 
M'  Eord  gave  the  Charge— and  M"'  Hart  the  Rt  Hand  of  Fellow- 
ship. 

Mr.  Kenne  also  told  me,  that  Rev''  M'  Cogswell's'  Congreg-'  at 
Cant-'  lately  had  a  Society  Meeting,  when  M''  Cogswell  went  to  it  & 
requested  either — that  the}'  would  give  him  a  decent  Support — or 
dismiss  him.  The  Mod''  put  the  Vote  for  increas"^  the  Salars',  which 
did  not  pass  : — then  he  put  the  Question  for  Dismission,  when  about 
Two  Thirds  voted  for  &  one  Third  against  Dismission.     Mr.  Cogs- 

'  Aaron  Kinne  (Yale  1765). 
^  See  below,  April  23,  1772. 
^James  Cogswell  (Yale   1742)  was  dismissed  from  Canterbury,   Nov.  5,  1771. 


1-6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

\Yell  intended  to  lay  it  before  the  Assoc,  which  met  in  Course  at  his 
house  last  Week,  but  he  did  not.  It  is  sd  he  proposes  shortly  to 
call  a  Council.     M'  Kenne  says  he  has  about  Eighty  Members  in 

his  Chh  at  Groton,  half  Males M'  Kenne  tells  me  he  saw 

M""  Patten'  installed  at  Hartford,  when  the  Ministers  used  Imposi- 
tion of  Hands.  M'"  Morgan  says  he  saw  two  Instalm''  at  Groton, 
viz  M'  Kirtlands  &  M""  Barbers,"  &  in  both  the  Ministers  used 
Imposition  of  hands.  M'  Hart^  of  Saybrook  once  told  me  that  he 
assisted  in  M'  Masons*  Installm^  in  Saybrook  &  the}-  used  Imposi- 
tion of  Hands.  In  all  these  Instances  the  persons  had  been  ordained 
before.      Not  usual. 

17.  Reading  Roger  Williams  Answer  to  M""  Cotton  on  the  blood)' 
Tenent — printed  in  Lond.  1652,  a  Quarto  of  320  pages.  Died  at  Pom- 
fret  in  Connecticut  Sep.  25.  1771,  M""  N'athaniel  Sessw?is  in  the 
Ninety  first  year  of  his  age,  Father  of  the  Hon.  Darius  Sessions  of 
Provid.  now  Dep.  Gov.  of  the  Colony  of  Rh.  Isld.  He  was  one  of  the 
first  settlers  of  Pomfret  1704.'  The  first  that  opened  a  Cart  Road  thro' 
the  Woods  from  Connect,  to  Provid.  AD.  1721,  &  transported  the 
first  cartload  of  W.  India  Goods  from  Provid.  to  Connect.  About  3 
months  before  him  died  his  Wife  set  86.  with  whom  he  had  lived  65 
years — their  Children  Nine  Sons  &  3  Daughters  continued  hus- 
bandry on  a  little  Farm  till  about  three  years  before  his  Death. 
His  Intellectuals  but  little  impaired.  "  His  Memory  was  so  tena- 
"  cious  that  he  could  repeat  without  "  Book  the  A^<?z£^  Testament,  the 
' '  Psalms  of  David,  &  most  of  the  moral  &  practical  Writings  of 
' '  the  Old  Testament ;  the  greatest  part  of  which  he  committed  to 
' '  Memory  after  he  was  Eighty  years  old,  occasioned  from  a  strong 
' '  Persuasion  that  he  shd  be  deprived  of  his  Eyesight  before  the  End 
"of  Life,  which  accordingly  happened  about  two  j^ears  previous  to 
"  his  Decease." — "  He  ahvays  bore  among  his  Neighbors  the  Char- 
acter of  a  sober  man,  &  an  useful  Member  of  Society."     Provid. 

'  William  Patten  (Harvard  1754)  was  installed  over  the  South  Church,  Hart- 
ford, in  July,  1767. 

^Daniel  Kirtland  (Yale  1720)  was  installed  in  Groton,  December,  1754;  and 
Jonathan  Barber  (Yale  1730)  in  November,  1758.  Mr.  Kinne  succeeded  the 
latter. 

'  Rev.  William  Hart  (Vale  1732.) 

*  Rev.  I-Uijah  Mason  (Yale  1744)  was  installed  over  the  parish  (now  the  town) 
of  Chester,  in  May,  1767. 

'  Emiijrating  from  Wantage,  England,  with  his  father,  Samuel  Sessions,  in 
1702,  to  Aiidover,  Mass. 


OCTOBER    17-21,    1 77 1 


177 


Gazette  Oct  5.  1771.  At  VI><"  this  Even-  I  preached  M"- Hopk. 
Lect.     Rom.  vi,  23. 

18.  On  25"^  ult.  arrived  at  N  York  Hon.  W""  Samuel  Johnson 
Esq  LL.D.  special  Agent  for  the  Colony  of  Connecticut  (upon  the 
Mason  Case')  before  the  Court  of  Great  Britain,  whither  he  went 
in  the  Fall  of  1766  :  so  has  been  absent  near  five  j-ears.  He  left 
the  Mason  Case  undetermined. 

This  day  Rev.  Sol"  Townsend  of  Barrington  here.  A^arious  occur- 
rences.     A  most  melancholly  Event.     The  good  Ed  sanctify  it  &c. 

20.  Edsdaj'.  A  M.  I  published  Josiah  Tory  &  Susan.  Turner  at 
my  Meet^  a  second  Time  :  they  had  been  published  at  M''  Hop. 
Meet^  once.     I  preached  on  Mat.  v,  4.     P.M.  Isai.  xxvi,  8. 

21.  Spent  the  day  in  Reviewing  ni}- Fathers  Manuscript  Sermons, 
with  some  view  of  selecting  enough  to  form  a  printed  Volume.  In 
a  Thanksgivs  Sermon  about  1739  I  find  he  speaks  of  his  Congrega- 
tion being  "  near  Ninety  Families  or  upwards."  At  his  death  1760 
he  left  it  increased  to  above  iSo  Families,  besides  a  dozen  Episcopal 
Families.^  His  Parish  (North  Haven)  was  50  or  60  Families  when 
he  was  ordained  Nov.  1724. 

'  Respecting  the  title  of  Connecticut  to  a  large  tract  of  land  belonging  to  the 
Mohegan  Indians,  deeded  to  Major  John  Mason  (for  the  Colony)  in  1640. 
-  The  following  list  is  found  in  Dr.  Stiles's  papers  : — 


Families  in  N'^  Haven  A  D  1760 


Jude  Cooper 
Enos  Grannis 
Tim"  Barnes 
Seth  Barnes 
Wid.  Utter 

Scales 

Dan  Barnes 
Dan  D" 
Abel  Brocket 
Rich'i  Brocket 
Josh.  Barnes 
Wid.  Barnes 
Sam'  Brocket 
Jn"  Brocket 
Moses  D" 
Steph  D° 
Enos  D° 
Jn°  Brocket 
Jn°  Pardy 
Ben  Barnes 


Ben  D" 

D" 

Dan  Finch 
Dan  Finch  Jun 
Caleb  Hitchcock 
Lieut  Blacksly 
Jon''  D" 
W"  Rogers 
Abel  Smith 
James  Smith 
Henrj-  Barnes 
Jn°  Barnes 
Wid.  Jacobs 
Wid.  Barnes 
Mr.  Winston 
Deacon  Cooper 
Jn-  D" 

James  Pierpont 
Jos.  Pierpont 
Ben  Pierpont 


Jn»  Jacob 
Jos  Jacob 
David  Jacob 
Thos.  Humeston 
James  D" 
Joy  D" 
Jn°  Sanford 
Theop.  Keaton 
Dan  Eaton 
Moses  Sanford 
Cap'  Sanford 
James  Heaton 
Jn"  Frost 
Wid.  Frost 
W"  Sanford 
Sam.  Brocket 
Seth  Heaton 
Tho^  Beach 
Ben  Beach 
Eliph.  Pardy 


Obad.  Hill 
Jn»  Hill 
Cap  Sacket 
Tho'  Ray 
Jos  Hull 
Ben  D " 
Dan  D» 
Sam'  Pierpont 
Ruben  Bachelor 
Wid.  Sanford 
Christ"  Todd 
Hez.  Todd 
James  Todd 
Eben.  Todd 
IVrat.  Blachly 
Abr.  D" 
Zophar  D" 
Tho.  Munson 
Laurens  Clinton 
Moses  Bradlj' 


7S 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


22.  This  is  my  Ordin^  Da}-.  I  have  tliis  day  been  sixteen  years 
Pastor  of  this  Flock.  I  have  been  ttventy  two  years  a  preacher  of  the 
Qospel — was  licensed  by  New  Haven  C"  Association  May  30.  1749  : 
— preached  at  West  Haven  my  first  Sermon  June  18  follow^',  being 
the  memorable  hot  Ldsday  thro'  New  Engld  &c.  In  1752  being  in 
an  infirm  state  of  Health  I  purposed  to  lay  aside  preach^'  &  the 
Thots  of  the  Ministry-,  studied  the  Law  three  years  &  qualified  my- 
self for  the  Bar,  taking  the  Attorneys  Oath  1753,  &  practiced  at  the 
Bar  until  1755.  I  expected  to  have  done  preach^  after  I  became  an 
Attorney  ;  but  such  were  the  Calls  for  supply^  vacant  pulpits,  win- 
ter &  other  occasional  preaching  in  neighbor^  Parishes,  that  I  con- 
tinued preaching,  if  any  thing  more  constantly  than  before  ;  my 
health  growing  better.  It  pleased  Gd  so  to  order,  that  I  beheld  it 
mv  duty  to  accept  a  Call  at  Newport,  where  I  was  ordained  Oct.  22. 
1755.  M"'  Burt  has  said  the  year  1755  was  remarkable  for  three 
Men  leaving  the  Bar  for  the  Pulpit — one  was  Rev''  Tho^  Barnard  of 


-3''  Rev.   M''  Turner  at  Duxbury  ordained 


Salem — another  myself- 

July  21.  1 755-' 

Sam'  Thorp  Wid.  Todd  Sam'  Tuttle 

Jn"  Blachly  Tuttle  Step.  Hill 

Eben  Blachly  Abel  Basset  Jn"  Hill 

Joel  D"  Titus  Todd  Ens.  Eaton 

James  Bradly  Bishop  Caleb  Turner 

D°  Bishop  Jos  Turner 

Dan'  Basset  Aaron  Tuttle  Jo}-  Bishop 

Sam'  Basset  W"  Tuttle  Wid.  Gilbert 

Allen  Ezra  Tuttle  —  Dolbear 

Jesse  Wolcott  \Vid.  Tuttle  Phiu.  Clark 

Isaac  Thorp  Jun  Deac.  Tuttle  D°  D» 

Jn°  Parker  Jac.  Brocket  Sam'  Mix 

Wid.  Thorp  Jon"  Tuttle  Joel  Cooper 

James  Bishop  Wid.  Todd  Jos.  Do 

David  Thorp  Gide  Todd  Wid.  Smith 

Moses  Thorp  D°  Jos.  Bradly 

Isaac  Thorp  D"  Ab'"  Bradly 

Gershom  Barnes  Giles  Dayton  Dan  Mansfield 

Serg'  Humeston  Jon"  Dayton  W'id.  Ives 

Eph.  D"  Ja*  Payn  Sam'  Ives 

Tho.  Mansfield  Elihu  Sperry  Capt  Ives 

Eben  Blachly  Tho'  Walter 

//  'est  Side  River  Ja'  Bishop  Eleazar  Todd 

Aaron  Blachly  David  D"  Eben.  Bradly 

'  Thomas  Barnard  (Harvard  1732)  was  settled  over  the  2d  Church  in  Newbury 

from  1739  lo  175'-  Charles  Turner  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1752. 


D" 

:\I'-  Little 
Jehiel  Tuttle 

—  Todd 

—  Todd 
Dan'  Tuttle 
Jos.  Basset 

Spencer 

Jas  Turner 
James  Todd 
Serj.  Ives 
Wid.  Ives 
Geo.  Mix 
Jn°  Gilbert 
Simon  Tuttle 
Wid.  W^olcott 
Isaac  Blachly 
Joesph  Basset  Jun. 
Joel  D° 

Noah  Ives 
Ben  Curtiss 
Ashbel  Stiles 
Doctor  Munson 
Ben  Bishop 


OCTOBER    22-28,    1 771  179 

23.  Review^'  my  Fathers  MSS.  Sermons  &  selected  100  with  some 
View  of  forming  a  Volume  for  the  press.' 

24.  I  preached  M''  Hopk.  Lect.  Amos  iv,  12. 

25.  Examined  first  sheet  proof  of  M''  Townsends  Sermon  in  the 
press.  The  Printer  has  a  Journeyman  one  Theophilus  Cossart^ 
born  in  Berlin  : — travelled  to  Genoa — thence  to  Egypt,  1751  cir. 
where  he  lived  two  years  in  Grand  Cairo.  He  never  was  at  the 
Cophti  Worship  :  but  has  been  present  at  the  Greek  Chhs  &  saw 
the  Sacram'  given  therein  :  the  Communicants  receive  standing  of 
the  Greek  Priest,  who  gives  it  in  a  spoon — the  Bread  &  Wine  mixt 
together  like  Pap — of  which  the  priest  feeds  the  Comniun.  with  a 
spoon.  He  tells  me  the  Copti  Language  has  been  lost  now  about 
eighty  years— the  Arabic  having  become  vernacular  in  its  stead.  He 
was  at  Yale  College  twelve  years  ago  : — has  lived  in  Chariest"  S" 
Carol. — Philad'',  Boston  &c.  He  appears  to  be  a  Freethinker  & 
Philosopher  but,  as  he  says,  not  licentious.  He  thinks  the  Morals 
of  the  Mahometans  superior  to  those  of   the   Christians  in  general. 

26.  Reading  the  Jews  Heb.  Prayer-Book. 

27.  I  published  the  Bans  for  two  Couple  ;  &  preached  i  Tim°  iv, 
4,  5.  P  M.  I  Jn"  iv,  19,  &  propounded  two  persons,  Rob''  Gibbs  for 
owning  the  Cov',  W"  Abig.  Pitman  for  full  Communion  :  notified 
Eds  Supper  next  Sabbath  &  sacramental  Eecture  Friday  IV"  P  M. 
Also  at  the  Desire  of  the  Committee  I  notified  a  Society  Meeting  of ' 
the  Men  of  the  Congreg'^  next  Wednesday  III''  P  M. 

28.  East  Even^'  by  Cap'  Shand  I  received  two  Letters  from 
London  one  from  M''  Agent  Marchant  Sept  5.  the  other  from  M" 
Grant^  Sept.  i.  M''  March'  sa3"s  "  D""  Price  told  me  that  America 
might  rest  assured,  that  no  Application  would  soon  prevail  for  an 
American  Bishop."  Read  largely  in  Justinians  Inst.  Jur.  Civ. — and 
Budaei  Philosophia.  Also  read  out  Voltaire's  Ignorant  Philosopher. 
This  Da}'  the  Episcopalians  in  Town  rec''  Letters  from  the  Society 
for  propagaf  the  Gospel,  whom  they  had  requested  to  continue  the 
Salary  &c.  The  Society'  wrote  them,  that  the\-  discontinued  it ; 
but  made  a  present  of  ^25  to  the  son  of  the  late  Rev''  M'"  Brown. 
The  Society  have  supported  the  Minister  of  this  Chh  near  70  years, 
or  from  before   1706.     The  Chh  met  this  da)^  to  consider  &  raise  a 

'  This  plan  was  not  carried  ont. 

-  A  long  letter  from  him,  dated  at  Providence,  May  4,  1773,  is  among  the 
Stiles  papers. 

^  See  above,  Jan.  9  and  May  29,  1770. 


I  So  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Salary  for  the  Rev  M'  Bisset,  whom  the)'  before  chose  the  Minister 
of  the  Congregation. 

29.  This  Aft.  visited  by  \r  Theophihis  Cossart  a  German  cet.  42; 
bom  at  Berhn  1729  :  came  to  London  1750,  where  he  was  acquainted 
with  Rev  M'  vStackhouse  Author  of  Hist.  Bible  &  Body  Div^'  in  3 
Fol.  \'olumes — whom  he  knew  to  have  kept  a  Concubine  at  his 
Country  Seat  or  Living  near  Reading,'  &  at  the  same  Time  had  a 
Wife  in  London.  From  Lond.  M'  Cossart  sailed  up  the  Mediter- 
ranean 1 75 1 — was  at  Genoa,  Italy,  Alexandria,  Grand  Cairo  in 
Egypt,  where  he  lived  two  years.  Came  to  America  12  or  15  years 
ago  :  has  lived  at  Chariest"  S"  Car",  in  \'irginia,  Philad^",  N  York, 
Boston,  Newport,  Quebec.  Has  been  in  the  W.  Indies.  Under- 
stands Hebrew,  Greek,  Latin.  French,  Engli.sh,  &  a  little  Arabic. 
He  is  a  Printer.  He  .says  he  is  happy  &  contented,  never  was  or 
felt  himself  in  Danger  by  sea  or  Land,  enjoys  perfect  Health  ;  loves 
&.  praises  Gd,  &  is  ready  to  die  having  no  doubt  he  shall  be  happy 
after  Death.  He  wants  for  nothing  in  this  World,  &  yet  is  not 
rich,  subsisting  on  dail\-  Labour.  He  believes  in  the  Communion 
with  unseen  .spirits  good  &  evil — says  he  himself  is  constantly 
guided  by  his  Guardian  Angel,  who  admonishes  him  in  Dreams, 
when  &  where  to  go  next.  That  he  now  knows  it  is  the  Will  of 
his  Guardian  Angel  that  he  .slid  go  to  Carolina — biit  ivhen,  he  don't 
know.  He  asked  me  what  I  thot  of  Socrates'  Genius  ?  He  is 
steadily  observing  ;  but  dont  want  to  make  any  Noise  or  to  be 
much  taken  notice  of,  chuses  to  live  disconnected  from  the  World, 
of  which  he  .says  he  is  general  Inhabitant — all  Countries  &  Cities 
being  alike  to  him.  He  neither  appears  to  be,  nor  alTects  to  be 
taken  as  a  Man  of  any  great  Learning.  He  tells  me  Paederasty  is 
o])enly  practised  in  Egypt — all  women  there  are  veiled  except 
whores.  A  few  naked  Santons,  G^'mnosophists  ;  he  .saw'  one  there 
art.  40,  a  fat,  strong  man,  who  always  lived  &  lodged  abroad,  went 
vitircly  naked,  not  even  modesty  covered  ;  he  had  a  grave,  demure 
look,  did  no  work,  provided  himself  no  victuals,  but  W'as  plentifull}^ 
sup])lied  as  every  body  thot  it  the  greatest  honor  &  priviledge  to 
give  him  food  :  he  was  full  of  Contemplation.  When  men  had  bar- 
ren wives,  they  got  this  vSanton  to  favor  their  vSpou.ses,  &  accounted 
highly  of  the  Issue.  He  .says  the  common  pple.  in  Egypt  are 
numerous  &.seem  contented  &easy,  tho'  oppres.sed  with  Exactions: 
they  live  in  a  jilain  manner,  their  few  wants  easily  supplied  in  a 
'  A  gross  libel  ;  in  1750  Mr.  vStackhouse  was  73  years  old. 


OCTOBER    29-31,    177I  181 

fertile  country,  so  marry  soon,  &c.  The}'  want  for  noth'''  so  much 
as  Wood,  of  which  they  have  little  or  none — firing  commonl)'  of  Straw 
&  Dung — the}^  bake  cakes  on  this  fire.  They  sit  on  the  floor,  & 
eat  with  their  fingers  in  the  dish,  using  no  knives  in  eating — retain 
many  antient  usages. 

30.  Finished  reading  &  review^  Voltaire's  Philosophical  Dic- 
tionary. .  .  In  Kven'^  I  attended  the  monthl}^  meet^  of  my  Chh. 
at  Sister  Trevetts  &  preached  on  2  Thess.  i,  11,  12. 

31.  At  XI  A  M.  attended  the  Funeral  of  Cap"^  Holmes  aged  96 
or  nearer  100.  He  was  born  in  Middlet"  on  this  Isld.'  He  was 
carried  to  the  Friends  Meeting,  where  we  sat  awhile,  till  at  length 
Mary  Hull  arose  &  spoke  about  ten  Minutes  ;  then  the  corps  was 
carried  forth  &  buried  near  the  Meetinghouse.  He  was  carried  on 
the  Shoulders  of  Frie?ids,  who  put  him  into  the  Grave — &  covered 
him  with  the  Earth  themselves,  tho'  hav^  filled  the  Grave  they  left 
the  Sexton  of  a  Presb.  Meet*''  to  finish  it.  There  were  about  150 
persons  at  Meeting. 

By  B°  Prints  yesterday. — At  Dartmouth  College  died  Rev.  John 
Maltby  A  M.  He  was  born  at  New  Haven.  D''  Wheelock  marry- 
ing his  Widow  Mother,  educated  him  at  Yale  College  where  in  1745 
he  was  my  Chambermate.  Afterwards  he  w^as  Tutor  in  Jersey  Col- 
lege. Then  was  ordained  by  the  Presby.  of  New  York  or  Bruns- 
wick, for  the  Presb.  Chh  in  Bermuda,  which  had  sent  thither  for  a 
Pastor.  M""  Maltby  was  Pastor  of  this  Chh  in  Bermuda  many  years. 
Two  or  3  years  ago,  he  resigned  the  Charge,  &  removed  to  the 
Continent  &  took  the  Charge  of  a  Presb.  Chh  at  Wilton  in  S° 
Carolina.  Here  he  buried  his  Wife — &  fell  into  a  low  state  of 
Health  :  for  Recover^'  of  which  he  now  came  on  a  visit  to  the  North- 
ward to  his  Father-in-I^aw  at  Dartm°  College — where  it  pleased  Gd 
he  should  die  set.  about  42.' 

Rev.  Nathan^  Cotton^  lately  died  at  Pensacola.  He  was  son  of  Rev. 
M^  Cotton  of  Newtown  in  Massach.  He  renounced  his  Fathers 
Religion,  become  a  jovial  Priest  in  the  Chh  of  Engld — &  died. 

This  Aft.  I  rode  out  to  Middlet°  &  married  Josiah  Tory  & 
Susanna  Turner.  In  Even^  I  preached  M""  Hopkins  Lecture  in  his 
Absence  on  Ps.  119,  40. 

'  Probably  a  son  of  Obadiah  Hohnes,  Jr. 

■^  He  had  just  entered  on  his  45th  year  :  graduated  at  Yale  in  1747,  the  year 
after  Dr.  Stiles. 

'Harvard  Coll.  1750,  son  of  the  Rev.  John  Cotton  (Harv.  1710),  of  Newton. 


l82  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Nov. 

1.  At  IV'  P.M.  ^ly  Sacramental  Lecture,  I  preached  upon  Luke 
xxiii,  46-48,  and  desiring  the  Brethren  of  the  Chh  to  stay  after  the 
Assembly  was  dismissed,  I  read  to  them  the  Confession  of  A.P. 
for  antenuptial  Fornication,  to  which  she  assented  :  then  the  Breth- 
ren accepted  it. 

3.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  preached  Luke  xxii,  29,  30  &  adm''  Lords 
Supi:)er  to  55  Communicants.  P  ^L  Jn"  xv,  5,  &  baptized  a  Child 
of  Tho'  Browns,  taking  it  in  my  Arms  as  there  was  no  Man  to  hold 
it  up.  M'  Hopkins  absent,  but  none  of  his  Chh  present  partook 
with  us.     The  Forenoon  Sermon  I  preached  without  Notes. 

4.  In  Eveng  I  read  20  pages  in  the  Heb.  Prayer  Book. 

5.  Powder  Plot. — Pope  &c  carried  about. 

6.  Wednesday  23"^  ult.  Rev.  Ephraim  Ward'  was  ordained  Pastor 
of  the  first  Chh  in  Brookfield  by 

Rev.  M'  Woodward  of  Weston  who  made  first  prayer 
Rev.  M'  Haven  of  Dedham,  who  preached  i  Thess.  v,  12,  13. 
Rev.  M""  Forbes  of  Brookfield,  praj^er  at  Imposition  of  hands 
Rev.  ISP  Jones  of  Western  who  gave  the  Charge 
Rev.  M'  Miriam  of  Newton,  prayer  after  Charge 
Rev.  M""  Cushing  of  Waltham,  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship 
The  14"'  Ins^  is  appointed  by  Gov.  Trumble  &  Assembly  a  Day 
of  public  anniversary-  Thanksgiv"  thro'  the  Colony  of  Connecticutt. 
And  21^'  Ins'  b}-  Gov''  Hutchinson  &  his  Council  is  appointed  for 
pub.  Thanks^'  thro'  Massachusetts.     The  Assoc,  of  the  Boston  pas- 
tors have  recommended  the  Congregational  Chh  in  Providence  to 
the  Charity  of  our  Presb.  Brethren  in  the  Western  united  S3'nods. 
A  Committee  of  the  Congreg'^  have  drawn  up  proper  Letters  Testi- 
monial, for  M'  Jonathan  Badger.     M''  Badger  was  born  in  Boston, 
removed  &  .settled  in  Chariest"  S"  Carol,  where  he  acquired  a  good 
Estate  ;  &  two  or  3  years  since  retired  from  business,   came  to  N 
Engld  &  settled  at  Providence  ;  where  he  became  a  Member  of  the 
Chh  under  M'  Snow,   which  is  a  mixture  of  Baptist  &  paedobap- 
tists — Mr.  Snow  the  Pastor  is  psedobaptist,  but  plunges  those  who 
desire  it.     The  other  Chh  was  truly  most  suitable  to  him,  but  he 
liad  been  informed  there  was  no  Religion  in  it.     But  upon  find^'  his 
mistake  he  has  been  very  friendly  and  assisting  to  that  Chh — &  put 
his  own  Organ  in  it  &  plays  upon  it  frequentl)^ — this  brings  him 
often  at  M'  Rowlands  Meeting.     Mr.  Badger  was  grieved  that  M"' 
'  A  graduate  of  Harvard  in  1763. 


NOVEMBER    I-I2,    1 77 1  183 

Rowld  was  so  illy  supplied,  &  proposed  the  form^'  the  benevolent 
Society.  This  proposal  he  had  made  for  M''  Snow  also  but  the  Con- 
greg'^  would  not  listen  to  it.  However  it  took  with  M''  Rowlands 
pple,  &  affords  a  good  prospect  of  a  Fund.  Thus  M''  Badger  tho' 
of  another  Chh,  has  kindly  afforded  his  kind  Offices  for  this.  And 
having  had  the  Small  pox,  he  kindly  offers  to  carrj-  to  N  York  & 
Philad''  an  Address  &  Applic^  of  the  B"  pastors  for  Benefactions 
for  M''  Rowlds  Chh.  This  Afternoon  he  waited  upon  me  with  all 
the  papers  &  Letters  Testimonial.  I  rec''  a  Letter  from  a  Gent,  of 
that  Congreg'^  desiring  me  to  write  to  N  Y.  &  Philad-'  in  Approba- 
tion &  Furtherance  of  this  Design. 

7.  Solar  Eclipse  yesterday  about  i  P  M.  invisible  at  Newport  by 
Reason  of  Clouds.  M''  Hopkins  returned  in  the  Ev^.  I  did  not 
preach  his  Eect.  being  unwell. 

8.  Mr.  Townsends  Convent"  Sermon  printed. 

10.  Edsday.  A  M.  I  preached  i  Jn"  i,  3.  P  M.  Acts  ii,  38,  39. 
admitted  Widow  Abigail  Pitman  into  the  Church.  Rob*  Gibbs 
owned  the  Cov*^  for  Baptism  of  his  Infant.  I  read  the  same  Cove- 
nent  to  both  :  Then  voted  in  the  Widow  by  a  silential  Vote  a  Mem- 
ber in  full  Communion  in  both  ordinances  :  but  passed  no  Vote  on 
M'  Gibbs.  Having  read  the  Cov*  I  turned  to  the  two  oldest  of 
M''^  Pitmans  Children  (set  15^^  &  13^  years)  &  said  to  this  Effect 
you  have  heard  the  holy  profession  &  Covenant  read  to  your  Mother, 
&  to  M'hich  she  has  consented — so  far  as  you  understand  it,  do  you 
also  give  your  Assent  to  the  same?  The}-  assented.  Then  I  bap- 
tized four  Children  of  M'"  Pitman  viz,  Jn",  Mary,  Tho'  Gilbert,  & 
Benjamin,  by  pouring  Water  upon  them  with  my  hand  &  washing 
their  Faces  in  the  Name  of  the  Trinity  : — then  I  baptized  Elizabeth 
an  Infant  of  Rob*  Gibbs  : — and  Charles  an  Infant  of  Brother  Zingo 
a  Negro. 

12.  M''  Hopkins  tells  me  that  not  long  time  since  a  Chh  was 
gathered  in  S.  W.  parish  in  Litchfield  in  Connecticutt.'  A  Con- 
troversy arose,  &  a  number  withdrew  &  gathered  another  Chh  in 
the  same  parish.  The  first  Chh  had  chosen  Rev  M''  Brinsmead  of 
Judea  stand*^'  Moderator,  till  thej^  should  have  a  Pastor.  By  him 
the  Chh  called  in  the  Consoc.  of  Litchfd  Co.  The  second  Chh 
chose  a  Brother  their  stand"  Moderator.  D'"  Bellamj^  was  Mod""  of 
the    Consociation.     In    the  daily  Adjournmt'    dur^  the  session  of 

'  The  church  in  Litchfield  South  Farms,  now  Morris,  was  gathered  in  176S. 
See  below,  Jan.  i,  1772. 


184  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

the  Council,  D""  Bell-'  adjourn 'd  the  Consoc. — M''  Brinsmead  the 
Chh — &  the  moderate  B'"  adj'd  the  new  Chh.  The  Question  was 
whether  this  second  Chh  was  a  true  Chh  ?  The  new  Chh  acceded 
to  some  Agreements — &  the  Consoc.  declared  the  first  the  true  Chh 
&  advised  the  other  to  dissolve  itself.  It  was  dissolved— but  since 
that,  the}"  regathered  &  still  subsist  two  Chhs.  The\'  talk  of  Call^' 
in  N  Haven  C°  Consoc.  to  joyn  Litchfd  Consociation. 

13.  This  day  I  was  visited  by  M""  Lewis  Delile  a  french  young 
Gent.  aet.  23.  born  at  Hispaniola — educated  eight  years  in  the 
Univ^'  in  Bourdeaux  Old  France — understands  &  writes  I^atin  well  : 
but  knows  not  Greek  or  Hebrew.  He  is  well  acquainted  with  the 
belles  Lettres,  and  has  studied  the  Politics  &  Constitutions  of  antient 
&  modern  Empires.  He  proposes  teach-  French  &  Fencing.  I 
find  b}'  the  Prints  that  the  Clause,  in  the  Proclam'*  for  public 
Thanksgiv"^  in  Mass.  thank^'  heaven  for  preser^dng  our  civil  &  relig. 
Liberties  inviolate,  is  very  offensive.  Only  D''  Pemb.  &  M""  Bacon 
read  the  Proclam^  in  B",  the  rest  of  the  B "  Ministers  did  not  read  it 
in  their  Congregations.'  Most  of  the  Pastors  in  the  Plym°  Assoc, 
at  their  Meet-  strongh"  excepted  ag'  it,  &  voted  either  not  to  read 
it,  or  to  omit  the  Clause — but  determined  each  in  their  Sermons  to 
discuss  that  Clause  &  every  part  of  the  Proclamation. 

14.  I  married  a  Couple  in  Ev-  :  So  did  not  attend  M''  Hopkins 
Lecture. 

16.  Rode  to  Providence. 

17.  Ldsd}'.  I  preached  in  M''  Rowlands  Congregation,  about  250 
or  300  persons  present.  The  Organ  did  not  play.  A  M.  i  Jn"  iv, 
19.  P  M.  Mat  xi,  28-30.  They  now  have  Weekly  Contributions 
in  all  the  Congregations  in  Town  viz,  M''  Rowlds,  M''  Snows,  the 
Chh  of  Engld  M""  Graves,  »&  the  Baptist  M""  Manning  or  Elder 
Windsor — not  in  the  Quakers.  The  T"  of  Providence  is  500  Dwell- 
Houses  &  about  4000  Inhab.  or  half  as  big  as  Newport.  There  is 
a  small  Congreg''  of  Sandemanians  of  3  or  4  families  which  meet 
ever}-  Ldsd}'  in  a  private  house.  On  Mondy,  I  went  to  view  the  Col- 
lege where  five  or  six  lower  Rooms  are  finish-  off  :  they  have  about 
twenty  Students,  tho'  none  yet  living  in  the  College  Edifice.  I 
visited  M'  Jn°  Angel,  who  told  me  he  was  born  in  Providence  Oct. 
4,  1 69 1,   vSon  of  James  Angel  vSon  of  Tho''  Angel  who  came  from 

^  Dr.  Pemberton  was  an  intimate  of  the  Governor's  ;  and  Mr.  Eacon  was  a 
comparative  stranger  and  not  posted  as  to  the  situation.  Cf.  Hill's  Hist.  0/ 
the  Old  South  Church,  ii.  146-48. 


NOVEMBER    13-17,    1 771  1S5 

Salem  with  Roger  Williams.  This  aged  Jn"  Angel  uses  the  thee  & 
thou  Language,  wears  the  Hat  &c  but  denies  or  refuses  to  be  called 
a  Quaker  or  Friend.  He  is  a  great  Admirer  of  the  famous  Samuel 
Gorton  of  Warwick  the  last  Century.  He  shewed  me  three  Quarto 
Volumes  in  Print,  of  M'  Sam'  Gorton,  entitled 

An  uncorruptible  Key  of  CX'*"  Psalm:  in  2  ])arts,  120  &  119 
pages  4'°     Printed  1647. 

Expo.sition  of  the  fifth  Chapter  of  James,  or  Saltmarsh  returnetl 
from  the  dead  :    198  pages  4'"  Printed  London  1655. 

Antidote  against  the  common  plague  of  the  World.  In  defence  of 
s*^  Exposition.  Dedicated  to  Oliver  Ld  Protector  &.c  dated  Warwick 
in  the  Naniganset  Bay  Oct.  20,  1656,  in  296  pages.     Printed  1657. 

These  Books  M'  Angel  told  me  were  written  in  Heaven,  &  no 
Man  could  read  &  understand  them  unless  he  was  in  Heaven.  He 
said  that  Geo.  Fox  the  Quaker  visited  Gorton,  but  that  Gorton  was 
far  above  him,  so  as  Fox  was  nothing  or  a  Babe  in  Comparison  with 
him.  I  askt  if  they  seemed  to  be  one,  or  agree  as  far  as  they  went  ; 
but  he  rather  chose  to  consider  them  as  having  no  Connexion,  &  in 
short,  he  would  not  account  Gorton  a  Quaker.'  AP  Angel  told  me 
an  Anecdote  which  he  had  from  his  Mother — that  Roger  Williams, 
on  his  death  bed  once  seeming  to  awake  out  of  a  Doze  or  Sleep, 
said  ' '  I  have  been  all  wrong  : ' '  [or  we  have  been  all  wrong]  without 
much  addition  or  Explanation  ;  &  so  died.  I  asked  M''  Angel  what 
it  was  supposed  W™*  meant  ?  whether  he  considered  M''  W"^  as 
dying  of  M''  Gortons  principles  ?  he  sd  no  :  Gorton  &  Williams  had 
no  great  Communication  together  in  Lifetime — nor  did  he  suppose 
he  died  of  Gortons  &c.     I   asked  if  W""  died  a  Quaker  ?  he  said 

'  From  other  memoranda  of  this  interview  (in  Dr.  Stiles's  Itinerary)  the  fol- 
lowing additional  sentences  are  taken  : 

Gorton  lives  now  only  in  him,  his  only  Disciple  left.  He  says  he  knows  of 
no  other  .  .  He  said  that  Gorton  preached  in  London  in  Olivers  Time  &  had 
a  Chh.  &  Liv?  of  ^500  a  year  offered  him  ;  but  he  believed  no  sum  could  have 
tempted  him  to  take  a  farth^?  for  preach?.  .  .  He  said  Gorton  was  a  holy  man, 
wept  day  &  night  for  the  Sins  &  Blindness  of  the  World,  his  Eyes  were  a 
fountain  of  Tears  &  always  full  of  Tears  :— a  man  full  of  Thot.  &  Study  ;— had 
a  long  walk  cut  thro'  the  Trees  or  Woods  by  his  house,  where  he  constantly 
walkt  Morns  &  Even?,  &  even  in  the  depth  of  Night  alone  by  himself  for  sacred 
Contemplation  &  Enjoyment  of  the  Dispens"  of  Eight.  He  was  universally 
beloved  by  all  his  Neighbors  &  the  Indians,  who  esteemed  him  not  only  as  a 
Friend  but  one  high  in  Communion  with  God  &  Heaven,  and  indeed  he  lived 
in  Heaven. 

Mr.  Angel  died  in  Providence  on  Dec.  23,  1774. 


lS6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

no.  I  added — if  he  died  in  the  Disbelief  of  Water  Bapt.  &  Lds  Sup- 
per as  understood  b}-  Presbyterians  i,  e  Ordinances  literally  (I  sup- 
pose he  died  a  baptist  as  to  Immersion) — M'  Angel  supposed  he 
held  Bapt.  &  Lds  Supper  to  the  Death,  tho'  he  sd  M''  Gorton  had 
demonstrated  that  those  ordinances  were  abolished,  by  Arg'"  impos- 
sible to  be  answered.  I  asked  whether  W'"^  by  being  wrong  did 
not  mean  that  he  had  been  wrong  in  disusing  these  Ordinances  till 
a  more  perfect  state  of  the  Chh,  &  in  beconr  a  vSeeker  &  waiting 
for  new  Apostles?  Angel  said,  he  believed  he  meant  so  ;  but  that 
nothing  certain  &  determinate  could  be  collected  from  the  little 
W""^  said  in  his  last  Moments  :  nothing  more  than  he  then  perceived 
he  had  been  mistaken  &  in  the  wrong,  in  some  Things  in  Religion. 
His  Grandfather  Tho^  Angel  he  sd  was  M"'  Williams'  hired  Man  at 
Salem,  &  came  away  with  him  ;  and  the  Angel  Family  preserve 
many  particulars  respecting  M''  Williams.  I  am  told  one  M'  Brown 
now  lives  about  13^  Mile  out  of  Providence  ver^-  aged  I  think  set. 
95.  whom  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards  Bapt.  Min.  in  Philad''  visited  this 
fall,  when  he  told  M'  Edwds  that  he  well  remembered  &  was  present 
at  M'  Roger  Williams'  Funeral  in  Providence — that  he  was  buried 
under  Arms  with  military  honors,  as  he  had  been  a  President  or 
Chief  Magistrate  in  this  Colony.  I  don't  find  when  he  died — he 
was  SoUicitoi-  of  the  Colon}'  1680,  not  .so  1681 — probably  he  died 
about  that  Time'      Gov.  Hutchinson  sa3-s  he  died  1682. 

Rev.  M""  Blacston"  an  Episc"  sold  the  Land  of  Boston  1631  and 
removed  to  Blaxton  River  &  settled  six  miles  north  of  Provid.  & 
Rehoboth.'  He  had  a  great  Library,  was  a  great  Student ;  there 
is  a  Hill  now  called  Study  Hill,  on  which  he  used  to  walk  for  Con- 
templation :  he  rode  his  Bull  for  want  of  a  Horse — to  Boston — to 
Provid. — to  vSmiths  in  Xarrag.  He  sometimes  came  to  Providence 
&  preached  there  :  the  first  Time  to  one  Man  two  Women  &  a 
number  of  Children,  whom  he  invited  &  collected  around  him  by 
throw^  Apples  to  them.     But  he  did  not  preach  often. 

D'  Jabe/.  Bowen  tells  me,  that  when  the  25  Acre  Men  came,  w*^ 
was  about  1645,  the}-  made  up  one  hinidred  &  one  or  two  Men  fit  to 
Ixfar  Arms  at  Providence  &  tho.se  parts.  It  is  .said  M'  Blacston  was 
living  1675  and  that  his  House  &  Library  were  burnt  in  K.  Phillips' 
War.     In  1644  Rev.  Sam'  Newman  removed  from  Weymouth  with 

'  Died  in  .April,  16S3. 

*  Sec  The  Memorial  Hist,  of  Bostou,  i,  S3-S5. 
Ill  the  presfiil  town  of  Cumberland. 


NOVEMBER    18-26,    177I  187 

part  of  his  Chh  &  settled  Rehoboth.  Here  he  wrote  his  Concord- 
ance using  in  his  Study  only  Pine  Knots  for  Light  to  study  by. 
He  died  1663  set  63.  Four  very  considerable  Men  W"'%  Blackston, 
Newman,  &  Gorton  lived  in  a  Vicinity  with  no  Connexion  tS:  little 
Acquaintance. 

18.  I  lodged  at  Rev.  M''  Hides'  in  Rehoboth.  He  cannot  recover 
an}'  of  M'  Newmans"  MSS.  Supposes  the}'  fell  into  the  Hands  of  late 
Rev.  M''  Avery"*  of  Norton  b}'  a  Marriage  Connexion.  Next  da}' 
visited  Rev  M''  Townsend  of  Barrington  &  M''  Burt  of  Bristol  :  & 
came  home  Wednesdy  Evening  &  attended  Chh  Meeting. 

21.  Thursdy.  Public  Thanksgiv^  thro"  Massachusetts  &  New 
Hampshire,  &  in  the  Cong.  Chhs  in  Newp',  Barrington,  Bristol — 
not  at  Providence  iu  M''  Rowlds,  tho"  it  is  at  M'  Snows.  M''  Rowld 
being  detained  at  Newport  preached  the  Thanksgiv*^  from  Isai.  57, 
15,  The  High  &  Ivofty  one  &c.  Contribution  for  the  poor  ^112 
or  14  Dollars.  M""  Chesebro'  invited  me  &  my  Family  to  Dinner. 
Mr.  Hopkins  had  an  Eveng  Eect.  but  I  did  not  attend  it. 

22.  M''  William  Channing  of  Dorchester  in  Engld  is  here.  I 
dined  with  him  to  day.  His  Father  &  the  Father  of  M'  Jn"  Chan- 
ning of  Newp'  deceased  last  Winter,  were  Brothers.  He  is  a 
curious  Virtuoso  &  Naturalist. 

24.  Edsdy.  About  one  o" Clock  this  Morn«  died  Col.  Benj''  Sher- 
buni  set  57,  one  of  my  Congregation.  I  preached  A  M.  Ps.  cxxx,  7. 
P.M.  I  Thess.  V,  15.  this  an  old  Sermon.  The  Night  before  last  one 
Flag  a  Dutchman  »&  his  Wife  quarrelled  ;  upon  which  he  threw  the 
Tongs  at  her,  &  stuck  into  her  Temple,  &  the  Brains  weeped  into  the 
Crevice.     He  was  put  into  prison  :   &  this  Morn-  at  IV'2  she  died. 

25.  Writing  Letters  to  London. 

26.  Attended  Col  Sherburns  Funeral.  M''  Cossart  spent  the 
Evening  with  me.  This  day  I  wrote  the  following  Letter  con- 
signed to  the  Care  of  M''  Agent  Marchant  in  London. 

Clarissimis  Reverendissimisque  Viris  Facultatis  Theologicae 
Professoribus  in  Academia  sive  Leidensi,  sive  Ultrajectina, 
sive  Genevensi,  sive  denique  in  aliqua  Universitate  Reformato- 
rum,  ubi  D.  Marchant  Itineribus  suis  transient  :  Ezra  Stiles 
S.T.D.  Nov'  Anglus  Americanus,  S.P.D. 

'  Ephraim  Hyde  (Yale  1759). 

^  Rev.  vSamuel  Newman,  first  minister  of  Rehoboth. 

^Joseph  Avery  (Harvard  1706),  married  Sarah  Newman,  great-granddaughter 
of  the  Rev.  Samuel,  and  died  1770.     See  Clark's  Hist,  of  Norton,  84. 


iSS  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Ecclesice  Congregationales  in  Nov"  Anglia  a  primordiis  suis  sin- 
u-ularem  retulerunt  amicitiam  &  Reverentiam  erga  Ecclesias  dissen- 
tientes  in  Anglia.  Ecclesias  Regni  Scotorum,  Ecclesias  etiam  Calvin- 
ianas  seu  Reformatas  sive  Belgio,  sive  Gallia,  sive  Germania  : 
cunctas  liasce  ejiisdeni  Fidei  et  Ordinis  presbyterialis  Sorores  Eccle- 
sias existimantes.  Hujusce  Harmonise,  Patres  nostri  Pastores 
Ecclesiarnm  Americanarum  plurima  olim  Pignora  acceperunt.  Civ- 
itas  Lugduno-Batava  siiperiore  Seculo,  Ecclesiam  Rohinsonianam 
ab  Anglia  exulatam,  Hospitio  fovebat  :  etr  ilia  demiim  translata  his 
finibus  Terue  considebat.  et  Initiuni  Rei  ecclesiasticse  americanse 
hodie  florentissimse  posuit.  Favores  et  Beneficia  Fratrum  Batavo- 
rum  erga  patres  Exules  nostros  cum  summa  Gratitudine  apud  nos 
recensentur  hodieqiie  memorantnr.  Communem  amicitiam  mutu- 
iimque  Amorem  testatur  Nortoni  nostri  Responsio  ad  Sylvam  Quses- 
tionum  ApoUonij  vestri  de  Articulis  Fidei  Ordinisque  Ecclesiarum  : 
testatse  sunt  postea  Laisdeni  et  Mathcri  fraternse  conscriptiones. 
Primus  autem  Patribus  demortuis  et  caelitiis  evocatis,  nexus  hujusce 
Specimina  et  Insignia  aliquatenus  cessaverunt.  Attamen  hunc  usque 
diem  Fxclesias  Reformatas  veneramur,  et  Agnitione  priore  egloria- 
nuir  :  et  vestrae  nobiscum  Harmoniae  pignora  cum  gaudio  recepturi 
fuerimus.  Dextram  Sodalitij  &  Honoris  Academise  Scoticse  Pastori- 
bus  nostris  dederunt,  &  Gradum  SS.  Theologiae  Doctoralem  Nos- 
tratibus  quibusdam  hodiernis  condonarunt.  Ne  igitur  vobis  tsedeat, 
si  idem  Amicitice  Testimonium  atque  Honoris  peteremus,  erga  duos 
eminentissimos  piissimosque  Ministros  Verbi  divini  nov'  anglicanos, 
scilicet,  Reverend um  C//«?<?zr6??^;«  VVhittelsey  K.^\.  Pastorem  Ecclesise 
primse  Congregationalis  in  Oppido  Novi-Portus  in  Colonia  de  Con- 
necticutt  in  Nov'  Anglia  :  et  Reverendum  Noachiun  Welles'  A.M. 
Pastorem  Ecclesiae  primse  Congregationalis  in  Stanfordia  in  eadem 
Colonia.  Ambo  Linguis  edoctis  enutriti  et  Disciplinis  liberalissimis 
instituti  fuere  in  Academia  y^alensi :  ambo  postea  in  eadem  Aca- 
demia  Tutores  seu  Professores  Juvenibns  erudiendis  dediti  ;  et  inde 
ad  munus  evangelicum  accersiti  multis  jam  annis  renidentia,  inter 
plures  quam  quingenti  Pastores,  Eumina  Ecclesiarum  splenduerunt 
et  nunc  eminent :  Imo  Literatura  universa  clari  sunt,  prsesertim 
Eruditione  Theologica  con.spicui,  Cognitione  sacrarum  Eiterarum 
Patrum  et  Antiquitatis  Ecclesiasticse,  denique  Pontificiorum  &  Pro- 
testantium  Historiis  Dogmatibus  atque  Doctrinis  ambo  amplissime 
versati  et  illustres  :  ambo  Pietate  &  inculi>atd   Morum   Integritate, 

'  IJ.D.  rrincfton  1774;  Mr.  Whittelsey  was  never  doctorated. 


NOVEMBER    26,    1 771  189 

demum  Laboribns  publicis  &  Utilitate  florent.  Uiide  digni  extite- 
riint  uti  Doctoratus  in  SS.  Theologia  Gradu  Tituloque  exornaren- 
tur.  Igitur  ignoscatis  peto,  me  illius  ordinis  socium  perexiguum, 
prorsus  indignum,  penitusque  vobis  ignotum,  e  remotissimis  Orbis 
Terrge  finibus  Orationem  allaturum,  Rem  totam  iiarrasse,  &  Rationes 
ob  ociilos  posuisse  vestros,  ut  sine  Deceptione  judicetis.  Itaqiie  si 
haec  fide  digna  videantur,  a  vobis  huniillime  petimus,  quod  utrosque 
Viros  hosce  reverendos,  in  sacrosancta  Theologia  Doctores  crearetis 
&  renunciaretis.  Pastores  plurimos  confratres  meos  his  Literis 
commendatitiis  cooptasse  potuissem,  ni  cupiisseni  hunc  honorem 
DD.  Whittelsey  &  Welles  inexpectatum,  et  iis  ne  sentientibus 
qiiidem  adportari  ;  namque  me  hgec  de  iis  meditantem  omnino  igno- 
rant. Prseterea  peto  gratis  ut  hie  Gradus  donaretur,  absque  ullis 
ofiiciis  consuetudinisve  prsemiis ;  quae  quantumvis  Dignitatibus 
Academiarum  largiendis  usitata  sint,  tanien  honoris  causa  nonnun- 
quam  remittuntur.  IMartinus  Bncer  hunc  Gradum  suscipere  renuit, 
donee  gratis  in  numerum  Doctorum-  Theologorum  cooptatus  fuit  ; 
quippe  ' '  omnem  pecuniae  praestationem  hisce  abesse  Judiciis  et 
Testimoniis  censuerit."  Nos  quoque  rogamus  Honores  academicos 
erga  veram  lyiteraturam  libere  &  e  longinquo  fluentes,  non  venales, 
nee  ulla  Su.spitione  Pretii  aurive  contaminatos.  Reverendus  D. 
Witherspoon  CoUegij  Neo  caesariensis  Praeses  nuper  hunc  Gradum 
Doctoralem  in  Reverendum  D.  Ladley  Ecclesiae  Belgicae  Neo-Ebora- 
censis  Ministrum,  gratuito  contulisse  dicitur.  Clarissimus  Juris- 
consultus  Henricus  Marchant  Armiger  Americanus,  Proairator  & 
Agens  vice  Colonise  Rhodiensis  Rei  politicae  in  Aula  Britannica, 
negotia  quaedam  in  Belgio  perficiet.  Ille  vobis  de  horum  Virorum 
Meritis  Testimonia  ore  tenus  impertiet.  Quaecunque  Beneficia  & 
honores  vos  illi  reddetis,  in  bonam  partem  accipiemus,  accipiet  & 
patria  nostra,  qua  floret  Ingenii  &  Jurisprudentiae  fama.  Si  vero 
Petitionem  hanc,  quam  de  ejus  manu  accipiatis,  favore  vestrae  Uni- 
versitatis  dignaremini, — Diplomata  Gradus  seu  Doctoratus,  manibus 
illius  commissa,  salva  nobis  advenient.  Et  hujus  Beneficii  ne 
immemores  erimus  judicatote.  Deum.  O.  M.  praecamur  ut  in  Aca- 
demias  Belgicas  universasque  Academias  &  Ecclesias  Reformato- 
rum,  I^umen  Roremque  coelestem  descendere  faciat,  et  easdem  Bene- 
dictionibus  divini  Jesu  aeviternis  ornet  et  illustret.  Viri  et  Fratres 
Reverendi  clarissimique  valete.  Dabam  e  Novo-Portu  in  Colonia 
Rhodiensi,  in  Nov'  AngliS,  quinto  Calend.  Decemb.  Anno  Salutis 
nostrse,  M.DCCLXXI.  Ezra  Stiles. 


190 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


27.  Writino:  Letters. 

28.  Attended   Mr.   Hopk.   Eveng  Lect.  Rom.  iii,  15,   adapted   to 
the  late  Murder  here. 

7,0.  Attended  the  Funeral  of  W  Doubledays  Child,  which  died 
suddenly  of  a  Quinsy. 

Dec. 

1.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  Mat.  xiii,  44-46.  P.M.  Ps.  xxv, 
16-18,  and  notified  a  religious  Meet"  of  young  Men  at  my  house, 
on  too  morrow  Evening.  Read  one  of  President  Edwards  his  post- 
humous Sermons.  .  .  .  This  E\-ening  I  began  to  read  Mr. 
Edwards's  two  Dissert"'  of  Gods  /asi  End  in  Creation,  &  Nature  of 
Virtue.     I  have  often  seen,  but  never  read  it  before. 

2.  Wednesdy  Nov.  20.  1771.  "the  Rev.  Abner  Benedict^  was 
ordained  to  the  pa.storal  Office  in  the  Chh  &  Society  of  Middlefield. 
Several  of  the  Rev.  Elders  sent  to  on  the  Occasion,  being  invited  to 
another  Council,  were  thereby,  prevented  from  attending.  There- 
fore the  Rev.  M'  Baldwin  of  Danbury,  being  occasionally  present, 
was  desired  to  begin  the  Solemnity  with  prayer  :  the  sermon  was 
preached  by  the  Rev  M'  Smaller  from  i  Cor.  iii,  6,  /  have  planted 
&c.  the  Rev.  D''  Bellamy  made  the  ordaining  prayer  &  gave  the 
Charge.  The  Rev.  M''  Triimbnll  of  North  Haven  gave  the  Rt  Hand 
of  Fellowship  :  and  the  Rev  M''  Day  of  New  Preston  being  present 
was  desired  to  make  the  concluding  Praj-er."  Middlefield  is  a 
Parish  in  Middlet"  Connecticutt — six  miles  from  Meriden — &  in  the 
heart  of  disputed  Ordinations  &  consociation  Claims.  The  power  of 
chusing  Pastors  is  in  the  Church  &  Congregation  ;  &  when  elected, 
the  Chh  should  ask  any  three  or  four  Elders  of  the  Chhs  to  come  & 
ordain  the  pastor  Elect  in  a  holy  manner  by  prayer,  fasting,  & 
Laj-ing  on  of  Hands.  The  office  power  is  conferred  only  by  Pres- 
byters. What  need  then  of  LaN'-messengers  of  the  Chhs  towards 
forming  an  Ordaining  Council  ?  This  has  introduced  some  Con- 
fusion— we  can  scarcely  distinguish  what  is  done  by  them  [i  e  Elders 
&  Delegates]  as  Messengers  of  the  Chhs  &  what  as  or  by  the  Elders 
only  as  officers  in  Christs  Kingdom.  If  a  church  has  difficulties 
about  settling  a  pastor  Elect,  it  may  call  in  a  Council  of  Chhs 
which  Chhs  may  assemble  by  their  \,2.y  Messengers  only  or  by  their 
Elders  i  e  pastors  also,  for  the  Elders  may  be  sent  by  the  Chhs  : 
and  in  Council  may  give  their  Advice  what  shall   be  done.     The}^ 

'  Yale  Coll.  1769. 


NOVEMBER    27-DECEMBER    5,    1771  191 

ma}'  advise,  for  Instance,  to  the  ordin^  of  the  person.  But  here 
the}'  should  stop.  After  this  the  Chh  is  to  ask  the  Elders  as  pres- 
b3-ters  &  officers  (not  as  Delegates  of  the  Chhs)  to  lay  on  hands  & 
ordain.  Then  the  Elders  are  to  agree  among  themselves  the  parts 
the}'  shall  severall}-  perform.  But  now  the  usage  is  for  as  things  to 
be  voted  in  Council  by  pastors  &  Messengers — &  the  whole 
Transaction  is  so  complex  &  indistinct,  that  it  has  the  appearance 
as  if  the  Lay  Brethren  joyned  in  Ordination.  Indeed  the  Elders 
universally  conceive  themselves  onh'  as  hav-  this  power— &  again 
in  Connecticut  consider  themselves  as  not  as  Delegates  or  Messen- 
gers of  the  Chhs,  but  as  hav"^  an  original  Right  to  sit  in  Council  as 
representing  the  priesthood,  while  they  allow  the  Brotherhood  to 
sit  in  Council  by  Messengers  as  represent^  them.  The  Brotherhood 
acquiesce  as  long  as  their  Voice  is  heard  &  noth-  can  be  done  with- 
out them.  They  alwaj's  choose  their  Elders  shd  go  to  Council. 
But  they  dont  understand  things  in  the  same  Eight  as  the  Elders. 
The  Elders  find  themselves  obliged  to  act  in  Concert  with  the 
Brethren.  Hence  arises  a  kind  of  practical  Composition  of  powers. 
There  have  happened  frequent  Instances  in  Fairfield  County,  that 
Ministers  occasionally  present  (not  sent  to  b}-  the  Chh)  have  been 
voted  in  by  the  Council — to  sit  in  Council — »S:  partic-'  to  assist  in 
Ordination.  One  Instance  Rev.  M''  Todd  of  E.  Guilfd  once  told 
me.     This  at  Middlefd  is  another  in  C"  Hartford. — 

This  Even"^  the  young  Men  of  ni}-  Meet~  had  a  religious  Meet^  at 
my  House — when  we  sang  prayed  &  discoursed  on  Col.  i,  9,  10. 
Present  perhaps  25. 

3.  Snow  all  da}'.     Finished  Edwards  on  Gods  End  hi,  &c. 

4.  Reading  Edwards  2^  Tract  or  Dissert^,  viz.  on  the  Nature  of 
Virtue,  which  I  finished  this  Evening.     These  Dissertations  have 

been  printed  six  years  in  a  posthumous  volume  published  1765  ;  and 
have  made  great  Noise  in  the  world.  But  I  never  read  them  till 
now. 

This  day  M"'  Badger  of  Providence  returned,  from  Philad '  having 
been  thither  &  at  N  York  to  sollicit  Donations  to  the  Congreg^  Chh 
at  Providence,  but  without  success.  By  him  I  rec''  Letters  from  D'' 
Alison  of  Philad^  &  D''  Rodgers  &  M''  Treat  of  N  York.  To-day 
I  rec'^  i\.yliffs  Hist,  of  the  Univ^'  of  Oxford,  a  present  from  M'' 
Agent  Marchant  in  London.     Excessive  cold.     Fahr.  Th.  iS. 

5.  Read  the  most  of  Vol.  i  of  Ayliff.    .    .  Snow  storm  all  day. 
No  Lect.  at  Mr.  Hopkins.     Yesterday  a  Lect  at  Mr.  Kelleys. 


192 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


6.  Reading  all  day   in   Ayliff :  nearly   finished   both  \"olumes. 
Read  13  hours  this  day. 

7.  Died  Wife  of  Nat.  Gardner. 

8.  Ldsdy    AM.   I  pr.    Heb.  iii,    12.    P  M.    i   Thess.   v,    23:   & 
bapti7.ed  Benj'^  Infant  Son  of  W™  Finch. 

11.  In  the  Pensylv'  Chronicle,  among  Addresses  to  Gov.  Richard 
Penn  latel>-  arrived,  I  find  one  from  the  Roman  Catholics  signed  by 
Robert  Harding  their  Minister  whom  I  heard  preach  in  Philad''  1754. 

12.  An  Organ  is  lately  erected  in  the  Episcopal  called  Kings  Chh 
in  Providence  ;  and  10"'  Inst,  at  a  church  Assembly,  notified  b}^ 
printed  Hand  Bills,  it  was  first  played  on  in  divine  Service,  Rev.  Jn° 
Graves  the  Minister  preaching  a  Sermon,  &  after  that,  a  Contribu- 
tion for  the  Expences.  This  I  suppose  was  Consecration  of  the 
Organ.  This  Organ  was  taken  from  Concert-Hall  in  Boston — from 
being  improved  in  promoting  Festivitj',  Merriment,  Effeminacj^ 
Luxury  &  Midnight  Revellings — to  be  used  in  the  Worship  of  God. 
Xo  Lecture  at  Mr.  Hopk.  this  Evening. 

15.  Ldsdy.     A.M.  I  preached  Ps.  90,  12.     P  M.  2  Cor.  vii,  i. 

16.  At  Chariest"  S"  Carol,  in  Oct"  last  arrived  Two  hundred  & 
fifty  Protestant  settlers  from  the  N"  of  Ireland  in  one  Week  :  & 
double  that  number  are  still  expected  thence  this  year.  And  next 
year  one  Thousand  Farmers  &  Manufactorers  will  come  over  from 
Ireld  to  Georgia. 

17.  Finished  reading  the  Confessional. 

In  the  Prints,  at  the  Portsm"  Article  Dec  6.  I  find — "  on  Wednes- 
day &  Thursdy  27.  &  28"'  of  last  month  the  Rev.  M'  John  Murray 
preachd  at  D'  Havens  Meetinghouse  in  this  Town,  since  which  on 
friday  he  again  preached  at  the  Request  of  the  Rev''  D''  Langdon, 
&  on  vSaturdy.  at  Greenland  for  the  Rev  M'  McClintock  ;  also  again 
for  D""  Langdon  in  the  Forenoon,  being  Sacrament  day,  &  in  the 
Afternoon  of  the  same  day  for  D'  Haven,  &  on  Monday  in  the 
Foren.  at  the  Meetingh.  whereof  the  late  Rev.  M'  Drowne  was 
Pastor.  On  Mondy  Morng  at  the  Desire  of  the  Rev  M'  Foster  of 
Berwick,  he  set  out  from  hence  &  preached  there  in  his  way  to  his 
way  to  his  Flock  at  Booth-bay."  "  M'  Murray  after  he  left  Boston 
preached  at  the  Request  of  one  of  the  Ministers  at  Marblehead, 
Ipswitch  Hamlet,  Chebacco,  Parish  of  By  field,  &  at  Newbury-port : 
lie  was  also  in\'ited  by  D""  Whitaker  of  Salem,  but  other  Engagm'^ 
prevented  him."  This  M""  Murray  was  once,  about  1766,  Presby. 
Minister  in  Philad''  in  M^  Tenants  Chh.     He  was  born  in  Ireland, 


DECEMBER    5-17,    1771  193 

studied  a  year  or  two  in  a  University  in  Scotland  :  but  not  finished 
his  Studies,  could  not  be  licensed  in  the  Presbyteries  in  Ireld — but 
went  over  to  the  Classis  of  Northumberland  in  Engld  &  there  was 
licensed.  This  was  eno'  &  w'ould  have  procured  him  Admission  into 
the  Presby.  &  Sjmods  of  Ireld.  But  his  ambition  needed  more 
ample  Testimonials.  He  went  into  Scotland  :  &  return^  laid  before 
the  Presby.  of  Balymena  in  Ireld  his  License  from  the  Classis,  & 
also  a  Testimonial  of  his  being  admitted  into  the  Presby.  of  Edin- 
burgh— this  last  signed  by  the  Moder"  &  Scribe  of  the  Presby. 
Upon  which  he  was  received  into  the  Presbytery  of  Balymena  & 
became  a  Candidate  under  the  General  Sjniod.  It  appeared  after- 
wards that  the  Mod''  &  Clerk  of  Edinb.  Presby.  never  signed  any 
Certificate  of  this  or  any  kind,  nor  did  s''  Presby.  of  Edin.  ever 
receive  M""  Murray,  nor  was  he  known  to  them  as  a  Presbytery. 
Thereupon  the  Gen.  Synod  of  Ireld  censured  M"  Murray  for  Forging 
his  /  Credentials  from  Edinburgh.  Upon  this  M''  Murray  seemed  to 
drop  the  Thots  of  the  Min^,  &  projected  Eead^  a  Colony  of  Settlers 
from  Ireld  to  Kenebec — which  he  did.  Upon  Arrival  in  America — 
he  travelled  from  Kenebec  to  Philad^ — &  seems  to  have  resumed 
Thots  of  the  Ministry.  At  New  York  he  fell  sick,  or  seemed  so  :  & 
sent  for  L^awyer  Smith  jun.  to  draught  his  Will.  The  Presby.  Chh 
in  N  Y.  was  destitute  by  the  Death  of  M'"  Bostwick.  M'  Murray 
in  a  short  Acquaint'"^  at  old  M''  Smiths  (the  Dictator  of  that  Con- 
greg*)  conceived  a  secret  tho'  unknown  Affection  for  his  Daughter. 
To  this  Daughter  he  bequeathed  Thirty  Thousd  pounds  Sterl^  in  his 
Will,  enjojai^'  Secrecy  on  the  Brother.  He  recovered.  It  began  to 
be  understood  that  he  was  a  preacher.  M''  Smith  gave  out  he  was 
a  man  of  Fortune  &  such  a  Minister  they  needed.  He  preached 
and  they  were  all  in  Raptures,  &  gave  him  a  Call.  During  this  & 
for  health  he  journeyed  to  Philad^,  &  preach^  there  in  M''  Tenants 
vacant  Chh,  they  also  called  him.  Having  the  Option  of  both,  he 
chose  Philad*.  Here  he  was  ordained  by  the  Presbytery,  tho'  not 
without  some  Notifications  of  the  Suspicions,  &c.  Soon  after 
authenticated  Papers  were  procured  from  the  Synod  in  Ireland, 
shewing  M''  Murray  was  under  Censure  for  forging  Credentials ,  &c. 
M''  Murray  alledged  that  this  Censure  was  not  for  Forgery,  but  on 
Ace"  of  his  Calviyiisni  &  Orthodoxy.  His  Chh  at  Philad''  tho't  best 
he  shd  go  over  to  Ireld  &  settle  those  Matters,  &  procure  Testimo- 
nials of  Innocency  as  to  Forgery,  as  to  the  rest  they  were  satisfied  : 
accord^'  voted  to  continue  his  Salary  a  year.  He  set  out  via  Boston 
13 


194 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


&  Kcnebec  for  Ireld  carn-ing  Letters  to  Gent,  in  Ireld  to  certify 
whether  Orthodoxy  was  the  only  Reason  of  the  Censure.  M"" 
Miirrav  in  Sept.  1765  or  1766  came  to  N  Engld  (when  I  saw  him 
&  he  told  me  he  slid  return  in  about  .six  Weeks  tho'  he  informed 
me  not  his  Circumstances)  went  to  Bo.ston  &c  &  tarried  till  Dec. 
\\'hen  instead  of  embark-  for  Europe  he  returned  to  Philad* — called 
the  Presby.  &  demanded  a  Dismission.  It  was  given  him,  &  he 
returned  to  New  Hngld,  &  finally  settled  at  Booth-bay  where  he 
gathered  a  Chh  of  Iri.sh  Settlers  &c.  Soon  after  I  think  Spring 
1767,  a  Letter  from  Ireld  came  to  another  at  Philad^  in  Answer  &c 
amply  testif>ing  M''  Murray  Innocency.  Both  Letters  past  thro' 
yV  Murray s  Hands  :  &  as  suspicion  now  arose  high,  it  was  increased 
bv  find-  the  Date  &  the  Postofiice  Stamps  interfered.  It  was  after- 
wards found  that  this  Letter  was  forged,  &  that  the  Gent,  in  Ireld 
neither  received  nor  wrote  &c.  Upon  this  the  Presby.  of  Philad* 
published  their  Renunciation  of  M'  Murray — the  Assoc,  of  Boston 
Pastors  did  the  .same.  And  thus  he  has  been  under  a  Cloud  since. 
He  wrote  and  jjrinted  an  An.swer  &  Vindication  which  I  have  read  ; 
I  never  heard  it  satisfied  any.  How  these  eminent  Pastors  at 
Portsm"  &c  have  settled  all  the.se  Things  wdth  M'  Murray,  I  do  not 
know.' 

18.  Chh.  Meeting  at  Brother  vStevens  where  I  discoursed  on  Cant, 
i,  7.  A  pleasant  Eveng.  &  full  meeting,  &  I  hope  the  presence  of 
Jesus  was  with  lis.  This  Afternoon  I  visited  the  Criminal  again  in 
Pri.son.  He  tells  me  he  was  a  Calvinist  in  Germam*,  &  a  Com- 
municant at  the  Lds.  Table.  Correcting  the  pre.ss  for  Col.  Churchs 
Hist,  of  K.  Philips  War  in  1675. 

19.  Attended  Mr.  Hopk.  Lect.  He  preached  on  Prov.  xvii,  27. 
An  excellent  .sermon.  Reviewing  Col.  Benj.  Church's  History  of 
K.  Philips  War  1676  at  the  Request  of  the  printer — adding  Engli.sh 
or  present  Names  of  places  written  in  Indian  Names  in  the  Original. 
M'  South  wick  is  printing  a  second  Ivdition  :   first  Edit.  17 18. 

22.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  Rom.  v,  2.  P.M.  ibidem.  Read 
iu  Clemens  Alexandrimis  and  Bp.  Butler's  Analogy. 

24.  The  13^''  Inst  a  Chh  was  embodied  at  Sanborn  ton  in  New 
Hampshire,    ik.   the   Rev.   Joseph   Woodman'  was  ordained   Pastor. 

'  See  also  this  Diary,  Oct.  20,  1772.  Mr.  Murray  outlived  the  effect  of  his 
early  indiscretions,  and  had  a  useful  career,  dying  in  the  miuistr\-  in  Newbury- 
porl,  Mass.,  in  1793,  aged  51. 

'  Princeton  College  1766. 


DECEMBER    l8,    1771-JANUARY    I,    1772  195 

The  22"  Ins'  the  new  Meet^house  was  opened  in  Boston  belonging 
to  the  first  Baptist  Chh  there  ;  when  Rev  M'  Stilhnan  Bap.  Minister 
preached  Ezra  v,  11.     The  Exercise  began  &  ended  with  Anthems. 

25.  I  did  not  attend  Christmas  either  at  the  Chh  of  Engld  or 
Moravian  Church.  M''  Kelley  preaches  a  Lecture  on  Wednesday 
once  a  Fortnight  ;  he  preached  this  day,  as  is  said,  a  Christmas 
Sermon.  Excessive  cold.  Yesterday  Morning  the  Mercury  in 
Fahrenheits  Therm"  was  at  two  Degrees  above  Cypher  or  30  deg. 
below  the  freezing  point.  It  ascended  to  Nine  degrees  the  highest 
Altitude  of  the  day  ;  &  in  the  Even"  it  descended  to  five.  This 
Morn=  it  had  risen  to  seven,  &  gradually  rose,  till  at  Sunset  it  was 
at  28.  In  the  Even^'  M''  Dawson  preached  against  the  Observ^  of 
Christmas. 

26.  Mr.  Hopk.  had  no  Eveng  Lecture. 

29.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  xxxii,  11.  P.M.  on  Ps. 
cxix,  167,  168,  and  baptized  Catherina  MacAulay  Daughter  of  D"" 
John  Bartlett  &  Lucretia  his  Wife  ;  and  James  Son  of  John  Topham 
&  his  Wife.  Also  notified  the  meeting  of  the  young  Women  of  the 
Congregation  at  my  house  tomorrow  Evening.  Also  notified  the 
Lords  Supper  next  Sabbath  &  a  preparatory  Lecture  Friday-  III  }4,^ 
P.M. — Read  Poll  Sjmopsis  on  xviii"'  Chap,  of  Matthew. 

30.  This  Evening  Meeting  of  50  or  60  young  Women  of  my  Con- 
greg''^  at  my  House  ;  when  I  discoursed  on  Eph.  i,  7. 


A.  D.  1772. 
Jan>-. 

I.  Continue  reading  dayly  a  portion  of  Hebrew,  both  in  the 
Chaldaic  &  Rabbinical  Letters  :  sometimes  the  Bible,  sometimes  the 
Jews  prayer  book  ;  sometimes  examining  passages  in  the  Targums, 
or  the  Exposition  of  R.  David  Kimchi.  I  have  nearly  finished  the 
Hebrew  Liturgj-  in  Course.  This  abounds  with  Repetitions,  as  our 
Savior  speaks. 

This  day  the  Rev.  Erasmus  Kelly  Pastor  of  the  first  Baptist 
Church  here  preached  a  New^^ears  Sermon — this  year  thou  shall  die. 
In  the  Afternoon,  Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins  Pastor  of  the  first  Congrega- 
tional Church  here,  preached  from  the  same  Text  at  Ma'm  Osborn's 
at  a  new  years  day  Fast.  I  collected  32  poor  Children  for  Messrs. 
Pemberton  &  Dennison's  Charity  School  Thursdaj'  &  Saturday 
Afternoons. 


1^6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

Received  a  letter  from  Rev.  Dr.  Dana  dated  29  Nov.  iilt.  wherein 
]yQ  says_'-  I  last  week  joyned  a  Council  at  Litchfield  South  Farms.' 
The  other  Members  were  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Whitman,  Russell, 
Eells.  Goodrich,  Whittelsey,  Gould,  Cotton  M.  Smith,  and  Hunt- 
ington.— The  Rev''  Messrs.  Bartholomew,  Ta3dor,  &  Patten  were 
also  invited  " — but  ab.sent. — "  We  were  called  on  a  Dispute  about 
the  half-way  practice.  This  wasexplicitly  adopted  when  the  Church 
was  first  formed  about  three  years  ago.  But  some  of  its  Members, 
thro'  the  Influence  of  Dr.  Bellamy,  watched  an  opportunity  to 
vote  it  out  at  a  thin  Meeting.  This  was  done  last  year. ' '  By  an 
Addition  of  3  persons  dismissed  from  Dr.  Bellamy's  Church  to  this, 
the  parties  became — "  Eleven  to  nine.''  Upon  which  the  minority 
embodied  into  a  Church  by  themselves,  or  rather  declared  them- 
selves the  Church  as  abiding  by  their  original  principles.  ' '  Since 
these  proceedings  they  have  acted  as  two  distinct  Churches — the 
Bellameans  having  for  their  standing  Moderator  Mr.  Brinsmead. 
This  Party  in  the  Church  did  not  joyn  in  the  Call  of  our  Council, 
but  have  called  the  Con.sociation  of  the  Count}'  to  meet  this  week. 
In  a  full  Society  Meeting  there  was  a  large  Majority  for  calling  a 
mutual  Council  :  but  when  the  Church  met  to  nominate  the  Mem- 
bers, none  of  the  Bellameans  were  present. — We  recommended 
Gentleness  &  Moderation — a  Day  of  Fasting  &  prayer — and  Appli- 
cation to  the  Consociation  for  their  Approbation  of  and  A.ssistance 
in  calling  a  mutual  Council. 

"  Cheshire  Church  have  voted  Communion  with  some  (&  herein 
implicitly  with  all;  of  our  Members.  Mr.  Hall  on  our  Return  from 
Litchfield,  said  expressly ,  they  should  noiu  receive  auy  Members  from 
my  Church,  &  that  he  had  rather  preach  for  me  tha?i  any  of  the  Con- 
sociation. The  Gordian  Knott  is  cut.  We  are  desired  by  a  number 
of  the  Association  to  attend  their  next  Meeting.  Pra}'  let  me  have 
your  sentiments  whether  it  be  expedient." 

Remark  i .  The  Members  of  this  Council  would  not  ten  3'ears  ago 
have  .sat  with  Dr.  Dana  &  Mr.  Whittelsey.'  They  are  Whitman 
of  Hartford  ;  Eells  of  Middletown  who  assisted  in  condemning 
Dana  and  Whittelsey  and  wrote  and  printed  against  them  ;  Russel 

"  Now  Morris,  Conn.     vSee  this  Diary,  Nov.  12,  1771. 

■New  Haven  County  was  agitated  in  1758-59  over  what  was  known  as  the 
"  Wallingfonl  Controversy,"  respecting  the  settlement  in  that  town  of  the  Rev. 
James  Dana,  who  was  suspected  of  Arminianism.  The  Rev.  Chauncey  Whittel- 
sey (Vale  1738),  pastor  of  the  First  Church  in  New  Haven  from  175S  to  17S7, 
sympathized  with  Mr.  Dana. 


JANUARY    I,    1772  197 

of  Windsor  ;  Goodrich  of  Durham  who  condemned  Dana  ;  Gould 
of  Cornwall  ;  Smith  of  Sharon  ;  these  were  in  the  Ministr}-  before 
Dana  :  Huntington  of  Middletown  ordained  since.  Two  of  the 
Absentees  were  not  Enemies  to  Dana,  Mr.  Bartholomew  has  printed 
in  his  Vindication.  Remark  2.  The  Controversy  at  lyitchfield, 
which  jojais  Dr.  Bellamy's  parish,  is  truly  only  this,  whether  a  con- 
verted and  gracious  person  willing  to  enter  into  the  full  profession  of 
all  the  Doctrines  of  Christianity  and  solemnly  enter  into  Covenant 
with  God  to  endeavor  b}"  his  Grace  to  live  a  hoh^  life  ;  and  yet  thro' 
certain  terrifying  Apprehensions  about  the  lyord's  Supper,  or  scru- 
ples of  preparedness  or  doubts  about  a  good  Estate,  dare  not  come 
to  the  Eord's  Table  ;  but  desires  to  have  his  children  baptized:  the 
Question  is  whether  this  shall  be  refused  ?  and  that  he  shall  not  be 
admitted  to  baptism  for  himself  (if  unbaptized)  and  his  Children, 
unless  he  covenant  to  come  to  the  Supper  ?  Dr.  Bellam}-  insists  on 
the  last.  And  Dr.  Dana  also — tho'  on  ver^^  different  principles — 
yet  their  practice  is  the  same.  I  am  of  different  opinion  and  prac- 
tice. Remark  3.  I  think  the  Advice  was  improper^tends  to  con- 
tinue Council  after  Council,  till  the  little  parish  wearied  out,  will 
fall  a  prey  to  Episcopalians,  Baptists,  Separates,  &c.  Besides  it  is 
too  far  gone  to  be  healed  by  any  mutual  Council.  The  only  way  is 
to  leave  them  to  walk  in  two  small  Churches.  If  Time  should 
enlarge  them  so  as  to  continue  and  to  be  able  to  support  the  Gospel 
among  them,  it  will  be  most  for  their  peace  to  subsist  independent 
of  one  another.  If  one  or  both  dwindle,  Time  may  bring  them  to 
a  Coalescence.  Remark  4.  Mr.  Hopkins  tells  me  both  Churches  had 
agreed  to  call  in  the  Consociations  of  Eitchfield  and  New  Haven 
united.  But  two  objections  afterwards  arose.  Mr.  Trumble  the 
Moderator  of  New  Haven  Consociation  refused  to  call  his  Consocia- 
tion :  besides  the  Society  refused  to  be  at  the  Expence  of  a  united 
Consociation  of  fifty  Churches,  viz.  about  30  New  Haven  Co.  20 
Litchfield  Co.  There  would  probably  convene  two  thirds  or  3^  the 
body  or  70  or  80  Ministers  &  Messengers.  Upon  this  the  Bellamean 
Church  or  1 1  Brethren  by  themselves  called  in  the  Consociation 
of  Litchfield  County  only,  to  sit  the  last  Week  in  November.  And 
thereupon  the  Society  and  Church  of  p  Brethren  called  in  and  assem- 
bled the  Council  of  which  Dr.  Dana  gives  Account,  to  meet  the 
week  before.  They  met  &  advised — what  ?  to  apply  to  the  Conso- 
ciation next  week— for  what  ?  to  determine  the  Case  ?  no  : — but  to 
approve  a  mutual  Council,  and  assist  in  calling  it.      Remark  5.     Here 


198  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

obsen-e  these  Ministers  were  themselves  Members  of  four  different 
Consociations  :  and  some  of  them  high  for  Consociation  power  to 
decide  all  Controversies.  Yet  here  we  find  them  desiring  that  the 
Consociation  itself  should,  instead  of  deciding  themselves,  refer  the 
case  to  a  mutual  Cojigregational  Council,  according  to  the  old  mode 
of  the  Country.  Remark  6.  The  change  of  Rev.  Samuel  Hall'  of 
Cheshire  is  marvellous.  He  has  been  as  much  at  the  head  of  the 
Life  and  Spirit  of  the  Wallingford  Controversy,  as  lyUther  was  of 
the  Reformation.  Like  Saul,  not  only  consenting  but  held  the 
Clothes  &c.  He  -rt'as  foremost  in  convening  Consociations  and  thun- 
dering out  Ecclesiastical  Anathemas  against  Dr.  Dana  and  his 
Church,  and  the  Ministers  that  ordained  Dr.  Dana.  Has  even 
forced  some  of  Dr.  Dana's  Members  (providentially  removed  and 
settled  in  Cheshire)  to  renounce  Dr.  Dana  &c.  and  make  a  public 
Confession  &  humble  themselves  for  joyning  &  communicate  with 
Dr.  Dana  and  his  Church — forced  them  to  this  Renunciation  and 
Confession,  before  he  would  admit  them  to  the  Lord's  Table  in  his 
Church.  But,  good  Gentleman,  after  a  12  years  War,  he  is  now 
for  peace,  aet  76.  Indeed  he  would  never  have  engaged,  but  to  sup- 
port his  Brethren  and  Relations,  the  powerful  Family  of  Hall  in 
Wallingford,  who  with  their  Connexions  a  third  of  the  parish  were 
vigorous  in  opposition  to  Dr.  Dana's  Settlement.  The  Objection 
against  Dr.  Dana  was  the  Surmise  of  Arminianism  ;  this  surmise 
lay  as  strong  upon  Mr.  Hall,  who  in  1758  assisted  in  ordaining  Mr. 
Whittelsey,  likewise  under  the  same  surmize,  as  were  all  Old  Lights 
in  general  or  the  most  of  them.  No  apparent  Alteration  in  Dr. 
Dana  or  his  Church,  nor  in  Rev.  Mr.  Todd,  or  Rev.  Mr.  Chauncy 
Whittelsey,  nor  in  Rev.  Mr.  John  Hubbard  who  have  upheld  an 
As.sociation  among  themselves,  distinct  from  the  County  Associa- 
tion. To  break  up  the  former,  the  latter  now  invite  them  to  come 
in  ;  and  are  proposing  a  General  Amnesty.  Even  Mr.  Hall,  who 
has  not  preached  in  Dr.  Dana's  Pulpit  since  his  Ordination  1758, 
had  rather  preach  for  him  than  for  any  of  the  Consociation.  Tem- 
pora  nuitantur  !  et  nos — 

2.  Increased  the  poor  Children  to  above  70.  This  Afternoon 
for  the  first  Time  the  Charity  School  opened,  present  42  Boys  and 
Girls.  In  the  Evening  I  attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture.  .  .  . 
Kept  the  Redwood  Library  this  Afternoon. 

'Yale  Coll.  17 16. 


JANUARY    2-8,    1772  199 

3.  I  preached  my  Sacramental  I^ecture  at  lllj4  P.M.  John  vi, 
37.  an  old  Sermon  :  present  Mr.  Hopkins  and  Mr.  Kelly  in  the 
pulpit.  Have  increased  the  school  to  above  100,  which  is  the 
designed  Complement.  On  New  Year's  day  I  resumed  writing  my 
Ecclesiastical  History  of  Neta  England  &c.  About  three  years  ago  I 
began  to  digest  and  compile  and  wrote  perhaps  two  Quire  of  paper 
in  1769.  Since  this  I  have  been  much  emploj^ed  in  transcribing 
Memoirs  and  collecting  Materials  :  but  have  discontinued  composi- 
tion for  near  3  years.  I  am  now  resuming  it,  if  it  shall  please  God 
to  give  me  Health  and  Time  to  accomplish  it. 

4.  Children  at  school  80  ;  this  the  second  Time.  Reading  Can- 
did Disquisitions.     Compiling  &  writing  History. 

5.  lyord's  day.  A.M.  I  preached  Rom.  viii,  32,  and  adminis- 
tered the  Lord's  Supper  to  60  Communicants.  P.M.  I  preached 
Luke  iv,  19,  or  Isaiah  Ixi,  i,  2.  and  published  the  Banns  of  Marriage 
between  James  Pitman  and  Mary  Guest  Widow. 

6.  Read  Mr.  Fish's  Answer  to  Backus  :  dined  with  the  Town 
Council  at  Mr.  President  Richardsons. 

7.  The  Vestry  of  the  Church  of  England  met  yesterday  and 
voted  to  ring  their  Bell  at  XI  A.M.  at  I  and  IX  P.M. — it  has  not 
rung  at  night  for  a  year  or  two  :  my  Bell  ringing  for  IX.  This  day 
said  Bell  rang  at  XI,  I,  IX,  for  the  first  Time.  My  Bell  rang  as 
usual  being  paid  for  by  the  Town.  Formerly  the  Church  Bell  only 
rang.  But  on  repairing  or  rebuilding  the  Church  steeple  ours  was 
employed.  The  Church  are  contriving  to  resume  it.  And  I  could 
earnestly  wish  they  might  have  it,  as  my  Steeple  is  within  30  feet 
of  my  House  &c.  Mr.  Hopkins  Bell  dont  ring.  These  are  the  only 
Bells  on  places  of  publick  Worship  in  this  Town.  Mr.  Thurstons 
Baptists  and  the  Friends  would  as  soon  erect  a  Crucifix  as  a  Bell  on 
theirs. 

8.  No  XI  o'clock  Bell.  At  Noon  died  here  the  Rev.  Keith, 
lately  an  Episcopal  Clergyman  in  South  Carolina.  He  left  his 
Living  last  Summer,  and  removed  hither  and  lived  with  his  Brother, 
a  retired  Life.  He  died  a  Bachellor.  About  half  an  Hour  before 
I.  the  Church  passing  tolled  on  Account  of  his  Death  ;  and  the  i 
o'clock  was  omitted,  but  rang  at  Nine.  Mr.  Chesebro'  gave  me 
two  Dollars  towards  buying  Books  for  the  Charity  School  ;  and  i 
Guinea  Mrs.  Bakers'  Legacy  to  me. — Writing  History. 

^See  above,  Nov.  27  and  Dec.  2,  1770. 


200  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

g.  Attended  the  Redwood  Library  as  usual,  being  Librarian. 
A..NL  went  to  Friends  Meeting  and  heard  Mr.  Neal  an  Enghsh 
Friend  :'  present  500.  Carried  7  Dil worths  Spelling  Books  to 
School  and  delivered  them  to  Messrs.  Pemberton  and  Denison  as 
Mr.  Chesebro's  Gift ; — gave  some  religious  Counsel  to  the  Children 
and  prayed  with  them  :  present  134  Children.  Attended  Mr.  Hop- 
kins Lecture.  .  .  .  Spent  the  Evening  till  IX  o'clock  with  Mr. 
Hopkins.  He  told  me  he  was  writing  for  the  press.  The  work 
was  first  a  Tract  on  the  Nature  of  Holiness,"^  vii\i\Q\\\\Q.  should  resolve 
into  Love.  Then  he  intended  3  or  more  Appendixes,  one  in 
Answer  to  Mr.  Hart  of  Saybrook — another  to  Mr.  Mather  of  Stan- 
ford or  Middlesex — a  third  to  Mr.  Dickinson  of  Norwalk  :  and  if 
occasion  requires,  a  fourth  in  reph*  to  a  piece  of  Mr.  Heminwa}^  of 
^^^ells  wrote  against  Mr.  Hopkins  and  now  in  the  press.  In  short 
he  means  to  write  a  general  Defence  as  he  says  of  Mr.  Edwards 
Notion  of  \'irtue,  and  of  himself.  In  conversation  I  excepted 
against  his  resolving  Holiness  into  Love  exclusively,  or  making  this 
to  consist  in  Love  more  than  in  Rig/iteousness,  fustice,  Goodness,  or 
any  07ie  natural  or  moral  Perfection.  Observing  we  might  with 
equal  propriet}'  say  Love  was  Holiness  ;  Righteousness  was  Holiness  ; 
fustice  was  Holiness  ;  Mercy  was  Holiness  ;  Vengeance  was  Holiness  ; 
&c.  &c.  I  thought  Holiness  arose  from  the  Conjunction  of  all  Per- 
fections and  Excellencies,  and  that  it  was  rather  perfect  Rectitude 
than  Love.  He  thought  Love  was  not  so  much  a  Branch  of  univer- 
sal Perfection,  as  that  wherein  all  Perfection  essentially  subsists  :  it 
not  only,  as  an}'  one  attribute  implies  all  other  Perfections,  but  is 
that  wherein  all  take  their  common  Nature,  and  is  the  highest  prin- 
ciple in  the  divine  Essence — and  so  is  Holiness. 

10.  Yesterday  I  bought  this  Book,  3  sterling.  This  day  I  made 
the  above  Entries."  This  day  I  read  a  large  4'"  pamphlet  of  no 
Pages,  entitled  "  The  Customs  of  primitive  C/uirches.'"  It  is  anon}'- 
mous,  but  its  Author  is  the  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards,  Baptist  Minister 
of  Philadelphia.  It  is  without  Date,  but  it  was  published  1769. 
Mr.  Kelly  of  whom  I  borrowed  it,  sent  me  this  note — "Sir,  3'-ou 
must  not  think,  that  the  principles  contained  in  this  Book,  are  the 
principles  of  the  Baptists.  They  are  only  the  Sentiments  of  the 
Author.     Yours  &c.  Era.  Kelly." 

'  Samuel  Xeale,  born  iu  Dublin,  1729,  died  in  Cork,  1792. 
'  Published  at  Newport  in  1773,  pp.  viii,  220,  octavo. 
*  Heginning  with  January  i,  1772. 


JANUARY    9-13,    1772  201 

11.  In  Gent.  Magazine  Sept  ult.  I  find  the  M.  deReaumur,  the 
late  French  Academician,  .  .  has  great  Encomiums.  I  conceive 
him  not  a  Man  of  true  Greatness  either  as  to  Genhis  or  Acqidsition. 
There  are  thousands  of  Reaumurs — Newtons  are  rare  !  But  shall 
the  Newtons  only  be  entituled  to  the  Reputation  of  true  Greatness  ? 
Yes — there  shall  be  2d  &  3d  Classes  of  degrees  of  Greatness  below 
Him — and  I  esteem  Reaumur,  Maupertuis,  &c.  proper  to  rank  in  a 
fourth  Class.  .  .  .  This  Afternoon  I  attended  the  Funeral  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Keith  late  an  Episcopal  Clergyman  of  South  Carolina,  set. 
65.  The  Pall  Bearers  were  Rev.  Mr.  Hopkins  a  Congregationalist, 
Rev.  Mr.  Fa}"erweather  an  Episcopalian,  Rev.  Mr.  Maxsen  Sabbath 
day  Baptist,  Rev.  Messrs.  Thurston  and  Kell}^  Baptists,  and  myself. 
The  Corps  carried  to  Church  and  Servdce  performed,  but  no  Sermon, 
He  was  buried  in  the  Church  yard.  He  was  12  years  Minister 
in  the  Episcopal  Chapel  in  Aberdeen  in  Scotland,  where,  I  think, 
he  was  born;  and  26  years  in  South  Carolina.'  There  were  147 
poor  Children  in  the  Charit}^  School  this  Afternoon. 

12.  Edsdy.     Preached  all  da}-. 

13.  In  reading  Mr.  Fish's  Answer  to  Backus'''  I  find  some  things 
which  may  be  of  use  in  my  Ecclesiastical  History.  Respecting 
Canterbur}-  in  Connecticutt.  This  Town  was  taken  off  of  Plainfield 
perhaps  about  17 10.  Its  first  Minister  Rev.  Mr.  Easterbrook,^ 
after  him  Mr.  Jenison^  was  among  them — Quere,  whether  ordained? 
then  Rev.  Mr.  Wadsworth^  was  pastor  and  dismissed.  The  Exer- 
cise of  Consociation  power  in  1741  in  different  parts  of  Connecticut 
respecting  the  Revival  of  Religion,  alarmed  many  Ministers  and 
Churches.  The  Churches  had  usually  sent  delegates  to  Consocia- 
tion not  distinguishing  between  this  and  an}'  Ecclesiastical  Council : 
thus  Canterbury  Church  probably  had  done.  There  was  no  vote  of 
this  Church  to   receive  Saybrook  platform,    but  their   usage   and 

^Alexander  Keith,  Jr.,  a  native  of  Aberdeen  and  educated  at  King's  College 
in  that  city,  settled  in  Georgetown,  S.  C.  The  Rev.  Samuel  Fayervveather,  of 
Narragansett,  preached  a  funeral  sermon  the  next  day.  (Mason's  Aiuials  of 
Trinity  Church,  Newport,  i,  152-53.) 

"^  The  Examiner  Examined,  by  the  Rev.  Joseph  Fish,  of  (North)  Stoning- 
ton,  Conn. 

^Samuel  Estabrook  (Harvard  1696),  died  1727. 

"•  Samuel  Jennison  (Harvard  1720)  accepted  a  call  for  settlement  in  1727,  but 
the  arrangement  fell  through.  See  Larned's  Hist,  of  Windham  County,  i, 
290-291. 

*John  Wadsworth  (Harvard  1723),  1729-1741. 


202  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

practice  was  deemed  to  settle  them  upon  it.  The  Church  was  in 
1743  and  onward  divided  into  two  parties  nearly  equal,  I  think  only 
one  Majority  and  this  with  those  called  Separates.  Mr.  Fish  says 
this  part— "Jan^'  27,  1743"  (viz.  17473)  "had  declared  against 
and  gone  off  from  their  former  usage  and  practice,  the  other  part 
of  the  Church  remaining  under  Saybrook  " — p.  76.  "  On  the  27"" 
of  November"  viz.  1744,  "sixteen  (i.  e.  of  the  Church)  withdrew 
from  the  rest  and  voted  Mr.  James  Cogswell  their  pastor,"  said  the 
Committee  of  his  opposers,  to  the  Consociation  called  to  ordain  Mr. 
Cogswell  Dec'  26,  1744.  There  was  a  great  Majority  of  the  Con- 
gregation for  Mr.  Cogswell.  The  Result  of  the  Consociation  among 
other  Things  .says — "  It  does  not  appear  to  us  that  ever  there  was 
any  \'ote  of  the  Church,  acting  as  a  Church,  or  any  Covenant  or 
Agreement  recorded  or  taken  Care  of  by  them,  that  can  be  eviden- 
tial, that  they  were  a  Congregational  Churrh,  according  to  Cam- 
bridge Platform  :  and  the  known  ordinary  practice  and  usage  of  the 
Church  seems  to  determine  the  contrary  :  although  the  sentiments  of 
many  or  most  of  the  Chnrch  members  might  have  been  for  Cambridge 
platform.'' — "  From  the  Papers  and  Transactions  of  the  people 
here  laid  before  us,  we  think  it  plainh*  appears,  that  the  antient 
proper  Church  Members  of  the  Church  of  Canterbury  are  divided 
into  t'a'o  parties,  and  as  far  as  they  can,  have  formed  thetnselves  into 
tu-o  Churches :  a  number  of  them  having  declared  against  and  gone 
off  from  their  former  usage  and  practice,  and  declaring  themselves  a 
Congregational  Chiuch  according  to  Cambridge  platform,  and  taken 
upon  them  to  admit  Members,  and  deal  with  their  Brethren  w^ho 
are  differently  persuaded  &c." — "The  rest  abiding  by  Sa^-brook 
Regulation,  and  resolving  to  act  and  conform  themselves  to  it  in 
matters  of  Discipline."  It  appears  to  the  Coinicil  "that  a  very 
great  Majority  of  the  Society  had  called  Mr.  Cogswell  to  be  their 
Minister  and  were  satisfied  with  him,  as  ahso  the  Church  who 
adhere  to  their  former  usage." — Then  they  ordained  ''Mr.  fames 
Cogs-cL'ell  a  Minister  of  the  Gospel  unto  the  Society  and  the  Chris- 
tian/>r(7/!>/r  a  7w /jat'^  m//^'^  him,  and  who  shall  willingh^  put  them- 
selves under  his  Ministerial  Care."  "  We  do  not  pretend  to  force 
or  impose  him  upon  the  Congregational  or  dissenting  Brethren  &c." 
The  original  Church  Records  remain  in  the  Hands  of  the  said 
Congregational  Church  Opposers  of  Mr.  Cogswell.  "As  to  the 
Church  L'tensils  ;  as  the  Church  was  about  equally  divided  by  the 
Se]);ir:ii ion    Ijoth  parties  agreed  to  divide  them   equally,"    p.   78.     I 


JANUARY    13,    1772  203 

think  Mr.  Fish  says  this,  perhaps  Mr.  Backus.  Speaking  of  Mr. 
Smith's  Ordination  among  the  Separates  in  Stonington,  Mr.  Fish 
saj^s  "  By  the  Records  or  minutes  of  their  Church  it  appears  that 
Mr.  Smith  was  chosen  Nov''  27,  1746,  and  ordained  14  days  after, 
viz.  Dec.  10,  1746,  and  that  he  was  excommunicated  by  a  Council 
Aug.  3,  1749."  He  ministered  about  one  year  as  he  Mr.  John 
Smith  himself  says,  who  adds,  "  soon  after  I  was  ordained  at  Ston- 
ington I  preached  to  the  people  from  Ephes.  ii,  22,  in  a  clear  Line 
of  Gospel  Truth  :  all  on  a  sudden  I  perceived  that  the  Church  did 
not  give  me  Fellowship" — this  occasioned  some  Talk  that  day — 
"  we  parted  in  great  Confusion." — "  We  must  see  E3'e  to  Eye  (says 
Mr.  Smith)  or  ni}'  Eips  will  be  forever  sealed.  The  laboring  point 
could  not  be  gained.  I  took  a  tour  into  the  Countrj- — returned 
before  sacrament  da}-.  The  Church  desired  me  to  proceed  as  usual. 
I  objected  and  refused.  Then  the  Church  called  a  Council  and 
charged  me  with  Neglect  of  Duty"  and  3'et  said  in  Council,  "we 
have  nothing  against  Brother  Smith,  and  so  every  man  went  to  his 
Tent. — After  a  few  Sabbaths  my  Mouth  was  quite  stopped  that  I 
could  not  speak  for  Want  of  Fellowship.  All  this  happened  in 
about  the  space  of  one  3'ear  after  my  ordination. — Soon  after  this  I 
left  the  people  and  the  place  and  moved  my  Family  to  Mansfield, 
where  I  lived  for  about  one  year  before  I  heard  any  Thing  from 
Stonington. — The  Church  of  Stonington  called  a  Council — sent  to 
me  to  an.swer  their  Charge.  I  attended  it  and  the}'  had  a  full  hear- 
ing of  the  matters  alledged  against  me. — The  Moderator  turning  to 
me  says — there  is  some  accursed  Thing  with  you,  that  you,  by 
your  softness,  hide  from  us  :  and  for  which  I  now,  in  the  Name  of 
the  Eord  Jesus,  declare  you  unworthy  to  have  a  standing  in  his 
House,  and  hereby  cut  you  off  from  all  Priviledges  in  the  same, 
and  deliver  you  over  to  the  Buffettings  of  the  Devil.  Another  of 
the  Council  says,  I  as  a  Friend  to  the  Bridegroom,  and  in  the  N'anie 
of  the  Bride  the  Lamb' s  IVife,  declare yoii  unfit  to  ivalk  the  streets  of 
the  Netu  Jerusalem,  and  hereby  do  cast  you  out  of  the  saine,  and  set 
you  down  in  the  cold  Shades  of  Aiitichrist  and  the  dark  Lanes  of 
Babylon,  to  be  buffettcd  by  the  Devil,  and  eat  no  more  of  the  Children' s 
Bread.  Another  says,  as  you  are  now  excomunicated  by  the  holy 
Ghost  you  will  soony<ir/  and  cicrse  like  a  Devil.  And  so  the  matter 
ended."     This  is  Mr.  Smith's  own  Account. 

Yesterday    Morning   sailed   a  Ship,    Capt.    Folgier  for   London. 
About  X  o'clock  A.M.  she  struck  upon   the  Newton   Rock,    about 


204 


DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 


40  Rods  South  off  the  South  End  of  Conanicott,  the  Wind  fair 
about  North  East.  She  lay  there,  the  Wind  coming-  East  and  South 
East  P.  M.  and  Rain  and  blowing  a  storm  in  the  Evening,  when  her 
Keel  and  Bottom  were  knocked  out.  A  Skooner  and  Boats  had  been 
out  to  her  in  the  Afternoon,  but  so  high  a  Wind  and  sea  going  that 
they  could  not  board  her  or  afford  any  Assistance.  About  IX''  in 
Evening  the  people  left  her,  took  to  their  Boat,  and  got  over  to 
Narraganset  Ferry.  In  the  Morning  the  Ship  was  drove  off  the 
Rocks  across  over  to  Narraganset  shore  at  the  Bonnet  about  i  ^ 
mile  below  the  Ferry,  and  some  hundred  Barrels  Oyl  came  ashore. 
She  was  loaded  at  Bottom  with  Pig  Iron.  And  it  is  supposed  when 
that  was  discharged  she  floated  off  the  Rocks.  Ojd,  Potash,  Pig 
Iron  &c.  her  Lading.  Said  to  be  worth  Twenty  Thousand  Dollars 
Vessel  and  Cargo,  perhaps  12  or  15  Thousand  Dollars  or  ^3000. 
sterling. 

In  the  Evening  religious  Meeting  of  Negroes  at  ni}-  house.  I 
discoursed  on  Ephes.  i,  5,  6,  7.  Very  serious  and  devout.  Present 
70  or  80. 

14.  The  Jus  Diviniiiu  Miuistcrii  Evangclici  printed  1654  was 
issued  ])}•  the  Provincial  Assembly  of  Ministers  Eondon  subscribed 
in  their  Name  Nov'  2,  1653  t)y  Roger  Drake  Moderator  Matthew 
Pool  Scribe  and  others.  Mr.  Pool  was  Author  of  the  Synopsis,  and 
Annotations,  a  ver}"  learned  and  pious  Divine.  The  Cambridge  or 
New  England  Platform  had  been  published  1648,  and  allowed  of 
Lay  Ordinations.  The  Jus  divinum,  differs  and  declares  the  power 
of  Ordination  to  be  in  Elders  exclusive,  and  never  in  the  people — 
yet  professes  great   Friendship  for  their   New   England   Brethren. 


Before  1640  1  find  the  New  England  pastors  mosth"  were  in 
Judgement  for  Eay-Ordination  only  :  after  1660  I  have  found  no 
Instance  of  this  being  their  Opinion.  The  Opinion  of  the  London 
Ministers,  and  of  Apo/lonins'  &c.  altered  them. 

15.  Read  Lucian's  Philocles. 

16.  Writing  Letters  to  President  Locke,  Professor  Winthrop,  & 
Professor  Sewall  of  Harvard  College.  Writing  History.  Attended 
Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture. 

17.  Writing  History. 

18.  Compiling  History. 

'  William  ApoUonius,  a  Dutch  theologian,  whose  treatise  on  controverted 
questions  was  translated  in  1645. 


JANUARY    14-22,    1772  205 

19.   lyordsday.     I  preached. 

20 This  day  a  very  stormy  Day.      I  have  been 

12  hours  in  my  Study,  writing  History.  Ezra  finished  Virgil  this 
day. 

21.  Ezra  began  Cicero' s  Orations.     All  day  writing  History. 

22.  Writing  History.  By  the  Prints  I  find  that  Lord  Baltimore, 
Vro-pr\Q.i2iry  oi  Maryla)id\Q.tid\y  d\e<\  h\  Italy,  without  Issue  Male. 
He  bequeathed  an  Annuity  of  ^"200.  sterling  to  Pascal  Paoli  the 
Corsican  Chief.  It  is  said  his  Province  will  escheat  to  the  Crown  : 
his  property  in  it  is  judged  worth  One  Million  sterling. 

Died  at  Stratford  in  Connecticutt,  7^'^  Jan^  Inst.,  the  Rev.  Samuel 
Johnson  D.D.  Episcopal  Missionarj^  there,  aet.  76.  He  was  born  I 
think  in  Guilford  in  Connecticutt  of  Congregational  Parents.  I 
knew  him  well  and  was  intimately  acquainted  with  him.  He  was 
educated  in  the  College  at  Say  brook,  where  he  graduated  in  17 14  and 
17 1 7.  In  17 16  he  was  chosen  Tutor  and  removed  with  the  College 
to  New  Haven,  continuing  in  this  Office  till  17 19.  Then  he  left 
Yale  College  and  vSettled  in  the  Ministry  in  the  Church  of  West 
Haven  about  three  Miles  from  the  College,  and  was  ordained  by 
Presb3'terian  or  Congregational  Ministers.  In  Sept.  1722  he  with 
Rector  Cutler  and  Rev.  Mr.  Wetmore,  and  also  Mr.  Tutor  Brown 
never  before  ordained,  declared  for  the  Church  of  England,  and 
immediately  went  home  to  England  and  were  Episcopally  ordained. 
Dr.  Johnson  visited  Oxford  and  Cambridge  and  received  the  Degree 
of  A.M.  at  both  Universities.  At  his  Return  as  Missionary  from 
the  Society  &c.  he  was  fixed  at  Stratford.  Here  officiated  till  1754, 
when  he  was  elected  President  of  Kings  College  in  the  City  of  New 
York  and  removed  thither  that  year.  His  Church  applied  to  me 
then  Tutor  of  Yale  College,  to  become  an  Episcopalian,  take  Orders, 
and  succeed  him.  In  1744  the  University  of  Oxford  sent  him  the 
Diploma  of  a  Doctorate  in  Divinity.  Not  having  had  the  small  pox, 
he  was  frequently  obliged  to  remove  out  of  the  City  when  it  raged. 
At  length  he  resigned  the  Presidency ;  and  was  reinstated  in  the 
Mission  at  Stratford,  the  then  Incumbent  giving  way.  This  might 
be  about  1760. 

He  was  an  excellent  classical  vScholar,  even  a  good  Critic  in 
Eatin,  Greek  and  Hebrew.  In  1729  to  1732  he  was  occasionally 
acquainted  with  Dean  Berkeley  then  living  on  Rhode  Island  ;  He 
persuaded  the  Dean  to  believe,  that  Yale  College  would  soon  become 
Episcopal,   and   that  they  had   received  his  immaterial  philosophy . 


2o6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

This  or  some  other  Motive  influenced  the  Dean  to  make  a  Donation 
of  his  Rhode  Island  Farm  96  Acres,  with  a  Library  of  about  a 
Thousand  \'ohunes  to  Vale  College  in  1733.  This  Donation  was 
certainly  secured  very  much  through  the  Instrumentality  of  Rev. 
Dr.  Jared  Eliot  and  Rev.  Dr.  John.son.  The  latter  in  Conversation 
with  me,  1753  when  I  made  a  funeral  Oration  on  Bishop  Berkeley, 
told  me  he  himself  procured  it  ;  he  assumed  the  whole  Glory  to 
himself.  Col.  I^pdike  of  Newport  an  Episcopalian,  intimately 
acquainted  with  the  Transaction,  told  me  the  Bishop's  Motive  was 
the  greater  prospect  that  Yale  College  would  become  epi.scopal  than 
Harvard. 

Dr.  Johnson  was  a  Man  of  general,  Init  not  of  profound  and  solid 
or  deep  Erudition.  Rev.  Mr.  Ruggles  of  Guilford  used  to  say  of 
him,  "  Dr.  Johnson  was  always  of  the  Opinion  of  the  last  Book  he 
read."  He  printed  .several  Thing.s — controversial  on  prelacy  and 
Liturgy  1736 — an  Introduction  to  Study  of  the  Sciences  1744 — sev- 
eral Sermons — but  his  Noctica  or  Principles  of  human  Knowledge  an 
8'"'  \'olume  was  his  most  considerable  Work.  He  was  a  very  indif- 
ferent Writer,  especially  of  Sermons.  But  a  very  considerable 
Reader  all  his  Days.  He  was  plea.sed  with  polite  Widtmgs,  had 
some  Taste  for  History  ])articularly  of  the  Classics,  and  for  the 
periodical  Productions  of  the  day  as  they  came  forth.  He  loved  to 
see  what  was  going  forward  in  the  learned  World  but  was  not  him- 
self very  learned.  Some  Geniuses,  with  half  the  Observation  and 
Reading  of  Dr.  Johnson,  would  make  ten  times  greater  Men.  His 
theological  Acquirements  were  ordinary  and  so  were  his  perform- 
ances. In  Conversation  very  social,  instructive,  agreeable — much 
of  the  Gentleman. 

In  the  Parishes  of  Hingham  whereof  Rev.  Mr.  Gay  and  Rev. 
Mr.  Shute  are  Mini.sters,  died  07ic  Juindrcd  sixty  nine  of  all  Ages 
and  Sexes  from  January  12.  1767  to  January  12.  1772  i.  e.  in  five 
years  ;  which  is  36  per  annum  in  both  Parishes  :  Mr.  Gay's  parish 
contains  about  200  Families.'  Monthly  Meeting  of  my  Church  at 
Sister  Topham's,  I  di.scounsed  on  Malachi  iii,  16,  17.  The  next  to 
Ije  at  Sister  Topham's  widow  of  John,  3^'  Wednesday  of  February. 
I  am  told  that  Dr.  Whitaker  of  Salem  has  lately  erected  a  kind  of 
Presbytery  in  his  Church  there,  referring  church  Government  to  the 
Decision  of  a  select  Number  of  Brethren.     Mr.  Pickering  Jun'  Son 

'  In  an  earlier  manuscript,  1768,  Dr.  Stiles  estimates  the  families  in  Mr.  Gay's 
parish  at  250  or  300,  and  the  communicants  about  100  males  and  200  females. 


JANUARY    23-FEBRUARY    2,    1772  207 

of  Deacon  Pickering  refused  to  submit  to   their  Judgment.     The 
Sabbath  before  last  Dr.  Whittaker  read  his  Excommunication  in  the 
public  Congregation.'     This  the  Beginning  of  Sorrow. 
23.  Writing  History.     Attended  Mr..  Hopkins  Lecture. 

25.  Writing  History.  This  daj^  the  Ladies  of  my  Meeting  pre- 
sented my  Wife  with  a  scarlet  Cloth  Cloke 

26.  Iydsd3^  A.M.  I  preached  on  Jno.  xiv,  21.  P.M.  Heb.  xi, 
27,  and  baptized  Charles  an  Infant  of  Sister  Dutchess  &  her  Hus- 
band Quatim,  Negroes.  Notified  the  young  Men,  inclusive  Youths 
of  a  dozen  years  &  upwards,  to  meet  at  my  house  to  morrow  Even^. 
Read  in  Tho.  Aquinas. 

27.  Writing  History.  In  the  Even'^  at  religious  Meeting  of 
5'oung  Men  at  my  house,  I  discoursed  to  them  from  Prov.  ii,  2,3,4. 
Cold. 

28.  Writing  Histor5\ 

29.  Writing  History.     Mr.  Kelly  had  a  Lecture  P.M. 

30.  Writing  Histor3\  Storm.  Prayers  at  XI*^  at  Church  of 
England,  but  no  Sermon  for  cursing  the  Presbyterians.  I  did  not 
attend  Mr.  Hopkins'  Lecture  this  Evening.  About  150  or  160 
Children  at  the  Charity  School. 

31.  Writing  Histor}'.  Finished  the  Lives  of  89  of  the  first  Min- 
isters of  New  England. 

Feb. 

1 .  Dr.  Smith  Provost  of  Philadelphia  College  was  at  Charleston 
South  Carolina  23''  Dec.  ult.  where  he  published  an  Address  sollic- 
iting  Benefactions  towards  augmenting  the  College  Funds.  This 
day  I  was  visited  b}'  Mr.  Pelatiah  Webster  of  Philadelphia  Mer- 
chant.     He  is  a  learned  Man  ;  was  my  Classmate  at  Yale  College.^ 

2.  Lord's  day.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Rom.  viii,  13.  Published 
the  Banns  for  Mr.  Horsw^ell.  P.M.  Rom.  v,  21,  propounded  Job 
Bissel  for  admission  into  full  Communion.  Notified  a  religious 
meeting  of  the  viarried  Men  and  married  Women  of  the  Congrega- 
tion  at   Esquire   Pitman's  next   Wednesday   Evening.      Read   the 

'  This  was  Timothy  Pickering,  afterwards  the  distinguished  statesman.  The 
account  in  his  Life  (\x)l.  i,  pp.  35-39)  further  represents  that  in  October,  1772, 
he  asked  a  dismission  from  the  3d  Church,  which  Dr.  Whitaker  objected  to  : 
and  that  on  being  desired  to  renew  his  request  in  January,  1773,  he  refused  to 
do  so,  but  subsequently  withdrew. 

-  Among  Dr.  Stiles's  papers  are  a  number  of  interesting  letters  from  Webster, 
in  the  years  immediately  after  he  left  College. 


2o8  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STII.ES 

eleven  first  Chapters  of  fourth  Book  of  Thomas  Aquinas  contra 
Gentiles  with  Sylvester's  Commentary  :  particularly  to  gain  Aqui- 
nas's  Idea  concernini,^  the  eternal  (lencration  of  the  Son. 

3.  Visitinf!^. 

4.  Yesterday  I  visited  Deacon  Joshua  Sayer  get.  74,  a  Member 
of  my  Church.  He  was  born  in  Deal  in  England  and  came  hither 
about  1729.  Last  Fryday  he  was  seized  with  a  Dizziness;  some 
few  days  before,  there  came  on  a  Tra/oaxvo-ts  or  relaxation  of  the  first 
joynt  of  the  Left  Thumb,  below  the  nail,  .so  that  it  plays  loose  and 
dislocated,  attended  with  little  or  no  pain.  He  considers  it  as  a 
Forerunner  of  his  Death.'  He  says  his  Father's  Thumb  Joynt  was 
affected  in  the  same  maner  just  before  his  Death.  Both  Father 
and  Son  subject  to  the  Gout. 

Mrs.  Russel  Midwife  at  Marblehead  in  twenty  one  years  delivered 
Two  Thousand  five  hundred  and  thirty  two  by  Sept  2,  1770,  when 
Mr.  Darrell's  was  born  :  of  which  Twenty  one  pair  of  Twins.  Ex 
ore  Mr.  Darrel  who  was  told  it  by  Mrs.  Russel. 

Remark  i.  Al:)out  120  per  annum.  2.  Proportion  of  Twins  i  to 
120.  Hence  if  there  are  20,000  Nativities  in  New  England  a  year, 
above  1 500  are  Twins. 

5.  This  Evening  I  attended  a  religious  Meeting  at  Mr.  Pitman's, 
of  the  married  people  of  my  Flock  Non  Communicants.  When  I 
discoursed  to  them  from  John  iii,  16.  This  is  the  first  Time. 
Agreed  to  continue  it  monthly  for  the  present.  The  next  to  be  at 
Mr.  King's  the  first  Wednesday  Evening  in  March.  K  serious  and 
attentive  Audience. 

6.  I  preached  Mr.  Hopkins  Even"-'  Lecture. 

7.  Writing  Histor}-.  Fini.shed  reading  the  Jewd.sh  Liturgy  in 
Hebrew,  above  300  pages. 

8.  In  the  Rev.  Stephen  Williams  Parish  of  Long  Meadow^  in 
vSpringfield  may  be  150  Families.  There  died  in  this  parish  but  one 
person  in  the  year  1771 ,  and  this  a  Twin  Infant  :  and  the  same  year 
were  baptized  there  20  Children  and  8  per.sons  admitted  into  the 
Church 

9.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Jn''  x,  37,  38.  P.M.  Ps.  xxxvi, 
7.     Read  in  Steph.  Szedgedini  Loc.  Conunun.  Theol. 

10.  This  day  I  have  been  married  fifteen  years 

A  Negro  Man  Bosson  died  at  Bristol  i8th  January  last,  aged  at  least 
Ouc  Hundred  ajid  five  years.      He  was  Ijorn  in  Africa,  was  a  Servant 

'  He  did  not  die  until  Aug.  26,   1776. 


FEBRUARY    3-13,    1772  209 

of  the  Hon.  Nath.  Blagrove  of  Bristol  whom  he  survived  27  years. 
Newport  Mercury  Febr.  3,  1772.  I  have  often  talked  with  Bosson  ; 
I  think  he  had  told  me  that  he  remembered  the  very  beginninj^  of 
Bristol.  And  January  24,  1772  died  at  Bristol  Deacon  Thomas 
Throop  aged  Ninety  six  years  having  been  Deacon  of  the  Church 
there  fifty  seven  years. 

12.  Writing  Hist,  yesterday  &  to  day. 

13.  Writ^  Hist.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins  L,ecture  .  .  Rev.  Stephen 
West,'  Indian  Missionary  at  Stockbridge.  is  discouraged  with  Indian 
Affairs  and  is  seeking  to  be  disengaged.  The  Commissioners  at 
Boston  allowed  him  a  Salary  of  ;^8o  Sterling.  He  questioned 
whether  it  was  honest  for  him  to  receive  it  when  he  could  do  so 
little  good.  When  I  was  invited  to  settle  in  the  Mission  at  Stock- 
bridge  1750"  there  were  but  a  dozen  English  Families  ;  now  there 

'Yale  Coll.   1755;  son  of  Judge  Zebulon  West,  of  Tolland,  Conn.;  married 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  the  Hon.  Col.  Ephraim  Williams,  of  Stockbridge. 
'•*  The  following  letter,  from  the  Stiles  Papers,  relates  to  this  incident : — 

Boston,  4  AugS  1750. 
Sir,  The  Commissioners  of  the  Corporation  for  propagating  the  Gospel 
among  the  Indians  have  had  a  recommendation  of  you  for  the  Mission  at 
Stockbridge  :  they  have  been  at  the  same  time  informd  of  your  acceptableness 
among  the  English  Inhabitants,  and  that  you  are  not  yourself  disinclined  to 
such  a  Service  :  and  as  the  Comiss"*  look  upon  that  Mission  as  an  Affair  of 
great  importance,  they  desire  you  would  take  a  Journey  to  Boston  as  soon  as 
may  be  after  the  Commencement  at  New  Haven  is  over,  that  they  may  have  an 
oportunity  of  discoursing  with  you  thereupon. 
I  am.  Sir,  your  very  humble  Serv', 

And"'  OiviVER,  in  the  name  &  by  direction  of  y'°  Commiss". 

I  need  not  say,  that  it  is  not  expected  that  you  should  come  at  your  own 
expence. 

A  draught  of  Mr.  Stiles's  replies  is  as  follows  : — 

New  Haven,  Sept.  14,  1750. 
Sir,  Your  Favour  of  4"^  Aug'  I've  received  ;  return  my  hearty  Thanks  to  the 
Commissioners  for  their  generous  Invitation  to  me  to  wait  upon  them  at  Bos- 
ton. Since  M"  Hopkins  was  with  me  last  Summer  upon  the  Affair  of  Stock- 
bridge,  some  things  have  happened  which  have  a  little  disinclined  mj^  Father 
to  m}'  Undertaking  the  Mission,  if  the  Commissioners  should  desire  it. — Am 
therefore  in  some  Suspence  at  present ;  but  shall  speedil}-  conclude  ;  and  either 
wait  upon  you  at  Boston  the  latter  end  of  next  week  ;  or  inform  more  fully  by 
a  Letter.     I  am,  Sir, 

Your  most  Obedient  Humble  Servant, 

Ezra  Stiles. 
Andrew  Oliver,  Esq''. 

14 


210  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

are  above  fifty  and  wealthy.  Mr.  West  and  the  Commissioners 
thought  the  English  ought  to  pay  half  the  Salary,  as  the  Minister 
officiated  lioth  for  Indians  and  English.  The  English  declined  it. 
Mr.  West  lately  or  within  a  year  and  half  resigned  half  his  Salar^^ 
into  the  Hands  of  the  Commissioners  to  be  used  in  other  needy 
Missions.  And  applied  to  the  English  to  make  it  up.  They  stood 
out  for  half  a  year  :  but  have  now  voted  to  come  into  it  and  give 
/40  vSterling  per  annum.  This  is  but  a  leading  Step  towards  an 
intire  Disengagement  from  the  Indians  as  a  Missionary.  Mr.  Wood- 
bridge  has  thrown   up  the  Indian  School,  which  has  been  made  to 

New  Haven,  Sept'  17,  1750. 
Sir,  In  my  I^ettcr  to  }-ou  of  14"'  Inst.  I  promised,  /  would  either  wait  upon 
you  at  Boston  the  latter  End  of  next  zueek,  or  inform  more  fully  by  a  Letter. 
Accordingh-  I  would  inform  you,  that  my  Father  is  now  utterly  unwilling,  and 
I  mvself  upon  further  Consideration  am  not  inclined  to  undertake  the  Mission 
at  Stockbridge.  The  Commissioners  therefore  will  please  to  excuse  me  from 
putting  them  to  the  Expence  of  my  Journey  to  Boston. 
I  am.  Sir, 

Your  most  Obedient  Humble  Servant, 

E.  Stiles. 
Andrew  Oliver,  Esq'. 

Further  light  is  thrown  on  this  affair  by  the  following  correspondence  with 
Mrs.  Sergeant,  of  Stockbridge,  the  widow  of  the  former  missionary,  the  Rev. 
John  Sergeant  (Yale  1729)  :  many  of  her  intimate  letters  to  Mr.  Stiles  are  pre- 
served. 

Sir,   ...   I  am  not  surprised  y'  y  Comissioners  have  been  led  to  conduct 

as  they  have  toward  you.     As  far  as  I  have  understood  it  I  think  what  they 

have  Done  has  Ben  Honnourable  &  well.     I  expected  there  Eares  would  be 

filled  with  Anninian,  Heteradox,  &  what  not ; — the  world  seems  to  be  full  of 

nothing  elce,  &  if  some  of  our  O x  Gen"'*°  are  not  indeavoring  to  establish 

there  own  Characters  upon  the  Ruins  of  Others  it  is  well.     I  judge  em  not.  .  .  . 

I  am  Sir  with  much  Respect  your  esteemed  Friend 

&  Humble  Servant, 

Abigail  Sergeant. 
Stockbridge,  August  y*"  loth,  1750. 

New  Havkn,  Sept.  14  1750 
Madam,  Your  Favours  of  41''  &  10"^  Aug'  came  safe  to  hand.  In  the  hurries 
of  Commencem'  I've  only  Time  to  say, — I've  received  from  M"^  Oliver  a  gener- 
ous Invitation  in  the  Name  of  the  Commissioners  to  take  a  Journey  to  Boston. 
But  for  Reasons  you  can  easily  guess,  my  Father  is  at  present  unwilling  I 
should  go.— The  Treatment  my  Character  has  met  wath  makes  him  think  it 
prudent  and  best  for  me  intirely  to  lay  aside  the  Tho'ts  of  Stockbridge.   .   .  . 

Your's  &c. 

.,   ,       ^  Ezra  Stilks. 

Madam  Sergeant. 


FEBRUARY    13,    1772  211 

fall  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Sergeant'  (Son  of  a  former  and  first 
Indian  Missionary  at  Stockbridge);  who  is  greatly  acceptable  to  the 
Indians  :  he  is  a  nephew  of  Mr.  West's  Wife.  Not  of  College 
Education  but  an  ingenious  sensible  and  worthy  Man.  It  begins  to 
be  talked  that  it  would  be  well  to  commit  the  whole  Indian  Affair 
to  him  ;  and  not  only  so,  but  to  separate  the  English  from  the 
Indians ;  it  is  said  the  English  are  wealth}'  and  enough  to  make  a 
Congregation  and  ought  to  maintain  a  Minister  for  themselves  and 
not  use  the  Indian  money.  It  is  in  contemplation  to  make  Mr. 
Sergeant  a  Minister  and  Schoolmaster  for  Indians  ;  and  the  English 
become  a  separate  Congregation  under  Mr.  West,  who  shall  only 

SxocKBRiDG,  Octr.  6,  1750 
Sir,  My  mother  is  just  returned  from  Boston  &  tells  me  my  father  has 
received  your  Letter  refusing  to  comply  with  the  many  earnest  Solicitations  & 
importunate  requests  }''  have  Ben  made  you  by  him  &  y"  People  here.  My 
father  was  truely  sirprised  &  Heartely  greaved,  when  he  read  your  letter.  For 
my  part  I  cannot  say  I  absolutely  Depended  upon  your  coming,  &  yett  I  find 
I  am  a  great  Deal  to  much  Disapointed  :  &  Do  not  know  y'  I  can  ever  forgive 
you.  We  have  Ben  long  promising  ourselves  3-"  great  pleasure  of  your  good 
Company  this  winter,  y*  Indians  had  sett  there  Hearts  greatly  upon  }'ou,  have 
often  inquired  after  j'ou,  were  Big  with  expectations  of  your  coming  .  .  . 
Sir  j-our  Hearty  friend  &  very  Humble  Servant, 

Abig.a.11,  Sergeant 
Mr.  Stiles. 

Y.   Coi^ivEGE  Oct'   25,  1750 

Madam,  Your  Favour  of  6"'  I  rec^  20""  Inst I  am  young,  especially 

in  Character,  &  unable  to  confront  the  disingenuous  Calumnies  of  designing 
Mortals,  unless  in  so:ne  inferior  Station  in  Dife  :  Whereas  M'  vSergeant's  char- 
acter for  Wisdom  &  Piety  was  so  well  established  as  that  in  a  few  years,  he 
would  have  made  his  Enemies  a  most  cheap  &  easy  Triumph. — And  it  may  be 
a  Question,  if  it  is  not  altogether  impracticable  for  one  who  believes  no  other 
Religion  but  that  of  Nature  &  the  Bible,  to  pass  thro'  all  the  preparatory  Sub- 
missions &  Approbations  for  Stockbridge,  and  preserve  a  Conscience  void  of 
Offence  both  towards  God  &  Man.  Had  I  went  to  Boston,  a  most  strict  Exam- 
ination would  doubtless  have  been  most  strenuously  insisted  upon,  not  by  the 

Commissioners  only,  but  I  believe  I  might  add  our  P 1  [=  President  Clap], 

not  that  he  suspects  my  Orthodoxy,  but  from  a  Principle  of  Friendship  &  good 
Nature  to  clear  up  my  Reputation.  I  could  say  further  that  Things  had  got  to 
such  a  Crisis  at  College,  that  hadn't  I  stood  stock  still,  I  must  inevitably  have 
&c.  There  are  in  our  Israel  who  drive  hard  for  an  Inquisition,  tho'  very  much 
under  Covert ;  and  Heaven  only  knows,  if  it  were  in  their  Power,  whether  they 
might  not  again  revive  the  JMarian  Fire  &  Faggot  !  .  .  . 

Ezra  Stiles 
Madam  Sergeant. 

^  Rev.  John  Sergeant,  Jr.,  born  1747,  died  1824. 


212  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

have  an  Oversight  but  not  missionary  Care  of  the  Indians.  Mr. 
West  has  no  Children  and  expects  none  :  has  a  prettj'  Estate  fallen 
into  his  Hands  last  year  by  his  fathers  Death  :  and  if  his  English 
people  will  give  him  /50  or  ^^60  Sterling  salary,  and  receive  20  or 
/■15.  from  the  Commissioners  of  Indian  Money  for  Oversight ;  he 
mav  have  a  living  sufficient,  nearly  as  good  as  at  present,  and  in  a 
manner  not  burdensome  to  his  Conscience  ;  and  he  will  have  more 
Leisure  for  study  and  writing  ;  and  his  Consort's  Nephew,  the  son 
of  a  worthy  Missionary  be  brought  forward  into  Usefulness  and  a 
good  Living.  Who  knoweth  his  own  Heart's  Motives?  Br.  West 
is  tired  of  Indian  Service. 

14.  Writing  Histor}-.  Discoursed  &  examined  three  persons  of 
my  Congreg-'  who  desire  to  joyn  in  full  communion  with  my  Church: 
besides  one  other  to  be  admitted  next  Lordsday. 

16.  Lord'sday.  A.'M.  I  published  Horswell  last  Time  and 
preached  on  Romans  vii,  9,  I  was  alive  without  the  Law  once  &c. 
P.M.  Psalm  cxix,  57,  Thou  art  my  portion. &c.  and  admitted  Job 
Bissel  into  full  Communion  with  the  Church,  upon  Renewal  of  the 
Covenant,  he  having  once  before  owned  it  for  Baptism  of  his  Chil- 
dren ;  the  Renewal  I  judge  unnecessary,  but  it  is  a  usage  of  this 
Church,  and  we  should  always  be  ready  to  give  a  reason  of  our 
hope  repeatedly,  and  also  to  confirm,  renew,  and  declare  our  abid- 
ing by  the  Covenant  of  our  God.  I  propounded  for  full  Commu- 
nion John  Ferguson  and  Ann  his  Wife,  and  Marcy  Wife  of  Adam 
Ferguson,  said  Ann  being  Member  of  the  Church  of  vScotland,  but 
without  a  Certificate 

17 Died  at  Medford  Jan.  31''  ult.    Mrs.  Joanna 

Browne  set.  78,  in  30"'  year  of  Widowhood,  Relict  of  Rev.  John 
Browne'  of  Haverhill  :  .she  was  Eldest  Daughter  of  Rev.  Roland 
Cotton  of  Sandwich.  Her  Mother  was  the  only  Sister  of  Gov. 
Saltonstall  and  Daughter  of  Hon.  Nathaniel  Saltonstall  of  Haver- 
hill. In  her  Widowhood  she  lived  chiefly  on  her  paternal  Estate  at 
Cambridge.  During  her  Widowhood  she  constantly  m  person  car- 
ried on  and  upheld  daily  Family  Worship,  and  in  person  constantly 
addressed  the  Throne  of  Grace — leaving  herein  an  Example  worthy 
of  Imitation.  She  was  a  Woman  of  every  species  of  female  Excel- 
lence !  Her  descent  was  from  the  antient  and  honorable  Families 
of  Cotton  and   Saltonstall— \:>€\\\^  a   Great   Grand   Daughter  of  the 

'  Son  of  IchaV>o(i  Hrown,  of  Cambridge  ;  graduated  at  Harvard  1714.  See, 
also,  the  Saltotislall  Genealogy,  127. 


FEBRUARY    1 4-2 4,    1 772  213 

first  John  Cotton  Minister  of  Boston.  Of  ten  Children  five  sur- 
vived her.  She  educated  four  sons  at  College  three  of  whom  were 
settled  in  the  Ministr}-  \-iz 

Rev.  John  Brown  of  Hingham  now  living 

Rev.  Cotton  Brown  of  Brookl}^!  died  1751. 

Rev.  Thomas  Brown  of  Falmouth  now  living 

Ward  Brown  A  B.  died  1748.' 

In  the  Even-  I  had  a  religious  Meeting  at  my  House  of  the 
young  Women  of  my  Congregation.  I  discoursed  on  2  Cor.  viii,  9. 
18.  Shipt  for  London  14'''  January  ult.  from  Charleston,  South 
Carolina  four  hundred  fifty  five  pounds  of  exceeding  five  raw  Silk 
and  thirty  six  pounds  of  a  poorer  sort,  all  the  Growth  and  Culture 
of  Purrysburg  South  Carolina. 

ig.   Monthh'  Meeting  of  the  Chh  at  Sister  Tophams.     I  preached. 

20.  Compiling  History.      No  lyccture  at  Mr.  Hopkins. 

21.  Rev.  Mr.  Russmeyer  spent  the  Afternoon  with  me.  He  was 
born  in  Lunenburg  Son  of  a  Counsellor  at  Law  ;  educated  with  an 
Uncle  in  the  University  of  Grypswald  in  Pomerania.''  His  uncle 
was  a  Lutheran  Minister  and  a  Pietist.  Mr.  Rusmeyer  became  a 
Disciple  of  Count  Zinzendorf .  A  few  j-ears  ago  the  Unitas  Fratrum 
sent  him  to  Newport,  where  Bishop  Spanenberg  formed  a  Moravian 
Church  1758.  Mr.  Rusmeyer  tells  me  he  now  has  but  eighteen 
Comm7cniea?its  and  administers  the  Lord's  Supper  once  in  eight 
weeks. 

21.  Reading  the  History  of    Tamerlane.      Compiling  History. 

22.  Writing  History. 

23.  Lordsda}'.  I  preached  all  day  on  i  Jno.  i,  7  .  .  .  Read  Dr. 
Mayhew's  Sermons. 

24.  Compiling  History.  In  the  Evening  a  very  full  and  serious 
Meeting  of  Negroes  at  my  House,  perhaps  80  or  90  :  I  discoursed  to 

them  on  Luke  xiv,  16,  17,  18.      "  A  certain   man   made 

Excuse."  They  sang  well.  The}'  appeared  attentive  and  much 
affected  ;  and  after  I  had  done,  many  of  them  came  up  to  me  and 
thanked  me,  as  they  said,  for  taking  so  much  Care  of  their  souls, 
and  hoped  they  should  remember  m^'  Counsels.     There  are  six  or 

^  Graduates  of  Harvard  :  John  in  1741,  Cotton  in  1743,  Ward  in  1748,  Thomas 
in  1752. 

'^  He  was  matriculated  at  the  University  in  June,  1730,  and  received  the 
degree  of  M.A.  in  January,  1738.  He  came  to  America  in  1745,  and  was  first 
minister  in  Lancaster.  Pa.     He  returned  to  Lancaster  in  1784. 


214 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


seven  Xegroe  Communicants  in  the  Baptist  Churches  in  Town,  4  or 
S  in  the  Church  of  England,  seven  in  my  Church  and  six  or  seven 
in  Mr.  Hopkins'  Church  :  perhaps  26,  and  not  above  30  professors 
out  of  Tweh-e  hundred  Negroes  in  Town. 

26.  At  Boston  Lordsday  i6th  inst.  the  Rev.  Mr.  Stihnan  bap- 
tized eleven  persons  by  Immersion.  And  Tuesday  11  Inst,  the 
Members  of  Dr.  Cooper's  Congregation  in  Boston  unanimously 
voted  to  build  a  new  Meetinghouse,  and  in  one  half  day  the  Sub- 
scription arose  to  ^1900.  L.  M.  and  was  completed  last  Week  :  the 
Hon.  John  Hancock,  Esq',  gave  One  Thousand  Pounds  L.  M.  in 
this  Subscription.  At  Wilmington  North  Carolina  Session  of 
Assembl}-  ended  middle  January  last  ;  among  other  Acts,  an  Act 
was  passed  for  ' '  Founding,  Establishing  and  Endowing  a  College 
called  Queens  College  in  Mecklenburg  County.'" 

28 At  IV  P.M.    Rev.    Mr.    Kelly  a  Baptist 

preached  my  sacramental  Lecture  on  Matt,  xi,  28. 

29.  In  the  Forenoon  I  went  to  the  Synagogue.  In  the  Evening 
though  Saturday  Evening  which  I  keep  as  holy  Time,  Mr.  Enoc 
Lyon  a  Jew  came  to  visit  me  desiring  some  religious  Conversation. 
He  spent  four  hours  with  me  conversing  upon  the  Things  of  God. 
We  freely  conversed  on  Things  respecting  Judaism  and  Christianity. 
I  shewed  him  from  the  Rabbins,  that  by  Quotations  from  the  Tal- 
mud, some  of  them  allowed  the  first  Appearance  of  Messiah  was  to 
be  in  Humiliation  and  particularly  that  the}-  applied  53"  Chapter  of 
Isaiah  to  Messiah,  Also  that  by  the  Jewish  Writings  the  Messiah 
was  Jehovah  ;  As  he  allowed  original  sin  and  the  infinite  Evil  of 
sin,  I  labored  to  shew  the  necessity  of  punishment  in  the  persons 
of  the  sinner,  or  of  him  that  should  bare  the  Iniquities  &c.  He 
allowed  Jesus  to  be  a  holy  and  good  Man  giving  a  hoi}'  Law.  But 
did  not  see  the  necessity  of  Satisfaction  or  a  Messiah's  Atonement, 
God  being  infinitely  merciful. 

March. 

1.  Lord'sday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Col.  i,  27,  and  adminis- 
tered the  Sacrament  to  —  Communicants.  P.M.  Mark  v,  34.  Before 
the  Communion  I  admitted  John  Ferguson  and  his  Wife  Members 
in  full  Communion,  by  a  silential  Vote. 

2.  Began  to  read  the  Volume  of  a  Collection  of  Jewish  Prayers 

*  The  name  was  changed  to  Liberty  Hall  Academy  about  1775,  and  the  insti- 
tution broke  U]j  in  17S0. 


FEBRUARY    26-MARCH    5,    1772  215 

and  Service  for  the  Beginning  of  the  Year,  and  the  great  Fast  or 
Day  of  Atonement  in  a  thick  octavo.  .  .  .  Among  other  Things 
this  Book  contains  descriptions  of  the  Worship  of  the  Angelic 
Hierarchies,  i.  e.  the  grand  Divisions  under  which  the}'  worship 
God.     Also  the  Keter  Malkut. 

Yesterday  in  the  three  Baptist  Churches  in  Town  was  read  a 
Brief,  asking  the  prayers  of  the  Churches,  for  their  Brethren  in 
Montague,  suffering  Persecution  from  the  Presbyterians  there  :  at 
the  same  Time  was  a  Contribution  for  the  sufferers  in  Mr.  Kelly's 
Church  15  Dollars,  Mr.  Thurston's  30,  Mr.  Maxsen's  5,  about  50 
Dollars  in  all.  I  understand  a  Tax  for  building  a  Meetinghouse 
was  distrained  on  a  Baptist  and  his  Cow  taken  &c.  I  presume  it 
might  have  been  avoided  b}-  his  certifying  himself  a  Baptist  before 
the  Town  Clerk,  as  the  I^aw  directs.  But  the  Baptists  are  deforc- 
ing this  point  that  they  will  be  freed  of  Taxes  without  being  even 
at  this  little  pains.  Would  the  Apostles  or  primitive  Christians 
have  accounted  themselves  persecuted,  if  they  could  have  enjoyed 
lyiberty  of  Conscience  wnth  Freedom  of  Tax-'  to  the  established 
Religion  whether  Jewish  or  pagan,  upon  the  easy  condition  of  pro- 
ducing a  Certificate  to  the  Civil  Magistrate  under  the  Hands  of  an 
Elder  and  2  or  3  Brethren,  testifying  that  they  were  acknowledged 
as  Christians  ?  Their  refusing  to  do  this  would  have  been  pride 
and  worldly  Wilfulness,  not  Christian  Patience  under  persecution.' 

3.  Reading  Warburton's  Julian.  It  is  said  that  a  Baptist  Elder 
in  Montague  near  Deerfield  has  had  a  Cow  &c.  distrained  for  Taxes 
to  the  Presbyterians,  to  the  Loss  of  about  one  hundred  Dollars. 
For  him  the  Collection  was  made  here  and  the  Messenger  is  come 
forward  to  get  a  Collection  at  Providence 

4.  Finished  Warburton's  Julian.  In  the  Evening  a  religious 
Meeting  of  the  married  people  of  my  Flock  at  Mr.  King's,  when  I 
discoursed  on  Acts  xx,  20,  21.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Barnum  of  Taunton 
came  into  the  room  after  exercise  began,  but  I  knew  it  not  till  we 
had  finished.     He  lodged  at  my  house 

5.  Mr.  Barnum  says  there  is  Tradition  that  Mr.  Hook"  was 
Minister  at  Taunton  or  Cohannet  about  2  3-ears,  and  was  chiefly 
supported  by  one   Man  Mr.  Williams  a  Deacon   of  the   Church  : — 

^According  to  Backus  in  his  History  of  tlie  Baptists  (ed.  1871,  ii,  163-64), 
certificates  were  duly  filed,  but  were  thrown  out  on  a  technicahty. 

^Rev.  William  Hooke,  of  Taunton,  Mass.,  1637-44;  of  New  Haven,  Conn., 
1644-66. 


2i6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

and  that  he  was  ordained  by  I^aymen.  In  Hutch.  Hist,  i,  424, 
I  find  Mr.  Hook  was  ordained  Pastor  of  the  Church  of  Taunton. 
Mr.  Barnum  lodged  at  Mr.  Hopkins'.     Snow^  storm  and  no  lyecture. 

6.  Messrs.  Barnum,  Pemberton  and  Dennison  dined  at  my  house. 
Mr.  Barnum  does  not  coincide  with  Mr.  Hopkins'  sentiments  and 
Pecuharities.  He  was  born  in  Danbury  in  Connecticutt ;  educated  at 
Jersey  College  where  he  graduated  1757  the  year  President  Burr 
died  :  ordained  Pastor  of  2^  Church  in  Wrentham  1760  and  dis- 
missed 1768;  Installed  Pastor  of  Church  Taunton  Feb.  2,  1769. 
He  is  now  ^t.  35.  Of  good  person  and  agreeable  Appearance,  but 
I  believe  not  of  great  Abilities  or  Improvements  ;  I  believe  an 
amiable  useful  Man.' 

7.  Mr.  Barnum  went  aw^ay.  At  XI"  A.M.  I  attended  at  the 
Superior  Court,  the  Trial  of  Flack  for  the  Murder  of  his  Wife.  The 
pleadings  lasted  about  an  hour  and  half.  The  Jury  without  going  out 
immediately  brought  in  their  Verdict,  not  guilty  of  Murder,  but 
guilty  of  Manslaughter.  And  so  the  prisoner  at  the  Bar  saved  his 
Life.  In  the  Afternoon  I  went  to  the  Charit}^  School,  about  80 
Children  present :  I  prayed  with  them  and  gave  them  religious 
Counsel.  Wrote  a  Letter  to  the  Rev.  John  Joachim  Zubly  of 
Savanna 

8.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  preached  on  i  Jno.  ii,  5.     P.M.  Gal.  vi,  9. 

9.  Perusing  an  Exposition  of  the  Revelations,  a  Duodecimo  of 
262  pages  printed  1720,  entituled   "The  Book  of  the  Revelation  of 

Jesus  Christ to  his  servant  John.     And  now  by  Revelation  hath 

opened  the  M^-stery  contained  in  said  Book  unto  his  Servant /<?//« 
Rogers."  He  was  of  New  London,  the  Founder  of  the  little  noisy 
troublesome  Sect  of  the  Rogereetis,  which  distingui.shes  itself  chiefly, 
by  dispising  the  Lord's  daj^  and  going  into  worshipping  Assemblies 
with  their  Hats  on,  with  Tools  and  Wood  to  disturb  with  cutting 
and  hacking,  while  the  Women  carry  their  knitting  Work  into 
meeting,  and  thus  with  Labor,  Noise  and  Talk  in  time  of  divine 
Worship,  they  bear  Testimony  against  Antichrist.  It  is  said  this 
Mr.  Rogers  was  troublesome  in  Mr.  Bradstreet's  Time,  greatly  so 
during  Gov.  Saltonstall's  Ministry  and  Mr.  Adams.'  His  Exposi- 
tion carries  the  Marks  of  one  unlearned  in  Grammar  ;  but  in  general 

'See,  also,  Diary  for  vSept.  23,  1776. 

'Simon  Bradstreet  was  pastor  of  the  First  Church,  New  Fondon,  from  1670 
to  1683;  Gurdon  Saltoustall  from  1691  to  1707;  and  RUphalet  Adams  from 
1708  to  1753.     Rogers  was  born  in  1648  and  died  in  1721. 


MARCH    6-18,    1772  217 

has  the  Appearance  of  plain  serious  Piety.  And  indeed  I  never 
heard  of  any  Thing  exceptionable  in  his  Character,  but  what  arose 
from  a  Zeal  against  the  Churches  and  in  Testifj'ing  against  Anti- 
christ.   .    .    . 

11.  This  day  Ezra  aet.  13.     Snow  Storm. 

12.  I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins's  Lecture. 

13.  Rev.  Wm.  Tennant'  of  Norwalk  in  Connecticut  Collegue  with 
Rev.  Moses  Dickinson,  some  Weeks  ago  rent  himself  away  from 
his  people,  and  accepted  a  Call  from  the  New  England  Meeting  or 
Congregational  Church  at  Charleston  in  South  Carolina.  He  first 
requested  the  Moderator  to  call  the  Consociation  of  Fairfield  West, 
of  which  he  was  a  Member  ;  but  the  Moderator  refused.  Mr.  Ten- 
nant  then  desired  his  Church  to  jojai  with  him  in  calling  an  uncon- 
sociated  Council,  but  his  Church  refused.  He  then  called  one  him- 
self, but  they  having  no  Authorit}'  in  any  sense  could  do  nothing  of 
Validity.  Yet  Mr.  Tennant  some  way  or  other  autocratically  dis- 
engaged himself  from  his  pastoral  Charge,  in  order  to  accept  a 
more  lucrative  and  honorable  One  in  Carolina.  On  29'"  Feb.  last 
he  with  his  Wife  and  Family  sailed  for  Charlestown.  That  Church 
at  Chariest"  was  gathered  about  A.D.  1700  by  Rev.  Mr.  Cotton  of 
Plymouth,  son  of  the  first  venerable  Mr.  Cotton  Teacher  at  Boston  ; 
and  is  a  Congregational  Church,  and  called  the  New  England  Meet- 
ing not  because  it  was  composed  of  New  England  settlers,  but  from 
the  circumstance  of  its  being  gathered  by  Mr.  Cotton  a  New  Eng- 
land Congregationalist  its  first  Pastor.  It  has  now  an  aged  Pastor 
Mr.  Smith  for  sundry  Years  paralytic.  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  his  Collegue 
died  at  New  York  last  Fall.  And  now  Mr.  Tennant  a  Jersey  Pres- 
byterian succeeds  and  will  probabl}-  presbyterianize  this  Church. 

14.  Snow  storm  last  night. 

15.  Eord's  da}'.  Very  cold.  Fahr.  Thermometer  9^4  in  Morn- 
ing. I  preached  A.M.  on  i  Cor.  xii,  3.  P.M.  Matt,  xvi,  27.  Hon. 
Nicholas  Easton  Esqr.  died  Friday  Night  aet.  55.  Reading  and 
examining  Oweni  Theol. 

18.  Anniversary  of  the  Repeal  of  the  STAMP  Act.  In  the 
Evening  a  monthl}"  Meeting  of  the  Brethren  and  Sisters  of  my 
Church  at  Sister  Trevett's  ;  when  I  discoursed  to  them  upon  Philipp. 
iv,  6,  7.  This  day  a  Flag  was  displayed  on  the  Top  of  the  TREE 
of  lyiBERTY,  and  another  at  the  Fort  ;  and  at  Noon  my  Bell  rang  for 

'  Princeton  College  175S.  He  was  settled  at  Norwalk  in  1765,  and  in  Charles- 
ton from  1772  to  his  death  in  1777. 


2i8  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

some  time.  The  5"'  Inst,  was  celebrated  at  Boston  as  the  Anniver- 
sary of  the  Massacre  there  1770  by  29'"  Regiment  of  Regular 
Troops,  when  Dr.  Chauncy  preached  a  Sermon  on  the  Occasion  in 
the  Old  South  Church,  after  Sermon  Joseph  Warren,  Esq""  stept 
into  the  Pulpit  and  delivered  an  Oration  on  the  Danger  of  Standing 
Armies  &c.  to  a  very  crouded  Auditory.  The  Pulpit  was  hung  in 
Black  Cloth,  the  Oration  thirty  five  Minutes  long.  The  Boston 
Post  came  in  too  day. 

19.  I  find  by  the  Prints  that  lately  died  at  Sudbury  Rev.  Israel 
Loring  a^t.  90,  Pastor  of  the  first  Church  there.  I  was  personally 
acquainted  with  this  venerable  Father  in  the  Churches  :  he  was 
trulv  a  Puritan  Divine  and  possessed  much  of  the  Spirit  and  Sanc- 
tity of  the  first  New  England  Fathers.  He  told  me  in  1768  that 
he  was  born  April  6,  1682,  I  think  at  Hull.  Educated  at  Harvard 
College  1 701.  ordained  1706  Pastor  of  Sudbury,  so  hath  been  an 
ordained  Minister  sixty  six  years.  He  printed  nineteen  occasional 
Sermons.     He  was  a  man  of  small  Stature. 

Attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Even-  Lecture. 

20.  A  violent  snow  storm  all  day. 

21.  Rev.  Joseph  Crocker  Pastor  of  the  vSouth  Church  in  Eastham 
on  Cape  Cod,  died  March  2''  Inst.  set.  58  and  33''  year  of  his  Ministry. 
Feb.  19.  last  the  Rev.  George  Wheten'  was  ordained  Pastor  of  the 
Church  and  Congregation  at  Claremont  in  New  Hampshire  :  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Lawrence  of  Winchester  began  with  prayer — Rev.  Mr. 
Leonard  of  Woodstock  preached  from  Ps.  132,  6-9.  Rev.  Mr. 
Fessenden  of  Walpole  made  the  ordaining  prayer — Rev.  Mr.  Wel- 
man  of  Cornish  gave  the  Charge — Rev.  Mr.  Olcott  of  Chariest"  N"  4 
gave  the  right  hand  of  Fellowship — Rev.  Mr.  Sumner  of  Kean  made 
the  concluding  prayer.  It  has  been  but  five  years  since  the  first 
Fa?)iily  moved  into  Claremont  and  it  now  consists  of  nigh  fifity 
Families,  the  Number  of  Children  iu  those  Families  amounts  to  one 
hundred  a^id  seventy. 

22.  Lord's  day.      I   preached  all  da>'  upon  i   Peter  i,  8. 
Fifteen  Deaths  in  this  Town   the  week  past,  four  times   more  than 
the  common  Mortality  here. 

23.  I  baptized  Brother  Merriss's  Infant  Rebecca  privately  at  his 
house,  Brother  Dennis  and  Sister  Tophani  of  the  Church  present. 
A  very  sickly  Time,  a  universal  Cold  which  becomes  either  Peri- 
pneumony  or  Pleurisy  as  it  seats  on   the   Lungs  or  side.     A  very 

'  l-'or  Mr.  Wheaton  see  also  Diary,  July  9,  1773. 


MARCH    I9-APRIL    2,    1772  219 

dj^ing  Time.  This  day  I  visited  thirty  families,  and  came  home  at 
Night  greatly  fatigued  and  sick  myself.  Mr.  Thomas  Brenton  died 
suddenl}'  this  Afternoon. 

24.  In  the  prints,  at  the  Article  under  Wilmington,  in  N°  Caro- 
lina, Jan^'  15,  last,  I  find  it  said  that  upwards  of  Three  hundred 
people  have  arrived  here  from  the  Isle  of  Sk}-  to  settle  in  and  about 
this  Province.  I  also  read  lately  in  another  print,  of  the  Arrival  of 
above  Two  hundred  settlers  from  the  North  of  Ireland  at  Georgia 
or  one  of  the  Southern  provinces.  I  judge  the  Total  of  settlers 
from  Europe  arriving  to  all  the  English  American  Colonies  from 
Nova  Scotia  to  Florida  in  the  year  1771  did  not  exceed  4  or  five 
Ships  with  perhaps  7  or  800  Souls,  Men  Women  and  Children. 

Visited  the  sick  and  baptized  Frances  the  Wife  of  Capt.  Hyers 
being  dangerously  sick.  I  first  took  the  profession  of  her  Faith  and 
solemn  Dedication  of  herself  to  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in 
the  presence  of  three  Sisters  of  the  Church,  as  well  as  a  Room  full 
of  others  :  then  I  prayed,  then  baptized  her,  then  prayed  and  gave 
the  Blessing. 

26.  I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  lecture. 

27.  Writing  a  Letter  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bush,'  Moravian  Minister 
at  Astracan  near  the  Caspian  Sea. 

28.  This  day  I  received  a  Letter  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  Haven  of 
Portsmouth  &c.  .  .  .  On  the  14"^  Inst.  March  died  at  Uxbridge 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Nathan  Webb  aet.  67  and  42'^  of  his  Ministry  :  a  very 
worth}'  and  pious  Minister. 

29.  Ldsd3\  A.M.  I  preached  from  Eccl.  xii,  7.  P.M.  from  Ps. 
cxlvii,  II. 

30.  Read  Mr.  Tyler's  Sermon  at  the  Dedication  of  Col.  Malbons 
Trinity  Church  in  Pomfret  fryday  Apr.  12,  177 1.  Begun  reading 
the  History  of  England  by  Mrs.  Catherina  Macaulay . 

31.  Examined  the  word  Elohim. 

April. 

1 .  This  Even^  we  had  a  religious  Meet'  of  the  married  people  of 
the  Congreg''  at  Mr.   Doubledays,  when  I  preached  about  an  hour. 

2.  Public  anniversary  Fast  in  Provinces  of  Massachusetts  and 
New  Hampshire  :  Mr.  Hopkins'  Meeting  and  mine  obser\-ed  it.     I 

^  The  first  draft  of  this  letter  to  Mr.  Busch,  in  L,atiii,  is  preserved  ;  an  abstract 
of  it  is  given  in  Holmes's  Life  of  Stiles,  158-62. 


220  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

preached  forenoon  and  Afternoon  on  Ezra  viii,  21,  an  hour  and 
quarter  nearly  in  Sermon  both  parts  of  the  day.  In  Forenoon  after 
first  pra}-er  I  read  3''  Chapter  of  Jonah  ;  P.M.  2''  Chapter  of  Joel. 
Sung  Watts'  Psalms  as  usual,  Ps.  XII.  and  LVI.  and  CXLVII. 
Contribution  for  the  poor.     A  snowy  and  very  stormy  Day. 

3.  Snow  storm  continues  violent.  There  was  one  Woman  in 
New- England  who  was  an  Hebrician,  perfectly  understanding  the 
Hebrew  Bible,  which  she  used  to  carry  with  her  to  Meeting  ;  and 
also  would  frequently  have  Recourse  to  it  in  Conversation  with 
^linisters.  She  was  taken  off  a  wreckt  Vessel,  as  I  understand  near 
Plymouth  in  New  England.  After  this  she  returned  to  England 
while  a  Girl,  and  there  lived  in  a  Je7v  Family  and  7i'as  taught  Hebrew. 
After  this  she  returned  to  New  England  and  settled  and  died  here. 
She  married  Mr.  Parker,  by  whom  she  had  a  Daughter  Paltah  Par- 
ker, whom  she  named  Paltah  or  the  Deliverance  of  God,  in  memory 
of  her  being  saved  from  the  Wreck.  She  married  Capt.  Mansfield, 
then  Capt.  Darrel,  and  lastly  Mr.  Maxwell  of  Boston  Father  of 
Rev.  Samuel  Maxwell'  an  aged  Man  now  living.  She  died  about 
1722. 

This  is  a  loose  Memoir  I  pencilled  from  the  Mouth  of  Miss  Molly 
Brown  of  Boston  a  Maiden  Eady  and  Descendant  from  &c.  I  sus- 
pect there  is  some  defect  in  the  story ^but  I  conclude  so  much  is 
true,  that  she  had  an  Ancestor  brought  up  in  a  Jew  Family  and 
able  to  read  the  Hebrew  Bible. 

4.  Reading  Mrs.  MacAulays  History. 

5.  Lord's  day.  I  preached  A.M.  on  Ps.  xl,  2.  And  extended 
the  Intermission  .season  to  II><  h.  P.M.  when  I  preached  on  Lsaiah 
Ixii,  I 

6.  Catechised  19  Boys,  31  Girls,  3  Negroes.     Total  53. 

7.  \'isited  the  Rev.  ]\Ir.  Russmeyer  and  discussed  with  him  sun- 
dry Criticisms  on  the  Hebrew.  He  reads  Hebrew  very  well,  and 
showed  me  a  Hebrew  and  Greek  Bible  given  him  1727  when  he  was 
a  Boy  by  a  German  Countess,  who  understood  Hebrew. 

8.  To  day  arrived  here  two  ships  from  London.  I  received  a 
Letter  from  Mr.  Agent  Marchant  in  London  dated  March  5  inclos- 
ing a  long  Letter  from  the  Rev.  Dr.  Philip  Furneaux  a  Dissenting 
Minister  at  Clapham — near  London  dated  March. 

[Dr.  Furneaux  wrote  as  follows  : 

See  below,  April  25,  1772. 


APRIL    3-8,    1772  221 

Rev'  and  dear  Sir  I  received  your  obliging  favour  by  M'  Marchant, 
with  whom  I  have  twice  had  the  pleasure  of  dining  at  a  common  friend's  in 
London,  and  I  am  fully  persuaded  he  deserves,  and  will  continue  to  deserve  all 
the  handsome  things  you  say  of  him 

I  find  you  have  some  knowledge  of  my  good  friend  M""  Gordon,  who  is  now 
settled  near  Boston,  and  I  doubt  not  with  the  divine  blessing  will  be  very 
acceptable  and  useful  in  the  situation  in  which  providence  hath  placed  him. 

With  respect  to  an  x\merican  bishop,  I  think  D'  Chauncy  of  Boston  hath 
fixed  that  matter  upon  the  true  foundation,  when  he  saith,  in  his  controversy 
with  D'  T.  B.  Chandler,  that  he  hath  no  objection  to  a  person's  coming  and 
officiating  in  an  episcopal  character,  any  more  than  in  the  character  of  a 
Presbyter,  provided  he  comes  upon  the  foot  of  toleration  and  not  of  establish- 
ment, provided  he  be  not  introduced  by  any  act  of  state,  giving  him  any 
authority  whatsoever,  be  it  more  or  less.  I  do  not  know  whether  I  have  used  his 
words,  but  I  think  I  have  not  mistaken  his  sense.  I  do  not  apprehend  that  the 
Ministry  here  have  yet  shewn  any  disposition  to  the  scheme  of  sending  bishops 
to  America  ;  and  I  am  firmly  convinced  have  never  attempted  to  prevail  upon 
any  of  our  brethren  to  adopt  that  design  in  any  shape.  Some  of  the  bishops 
and  clergy  on  this  side  of  the  water,  as  well  as  the  generality  of  the  clergy,  I 
suppose,  on  yours,  have  such  a  design  very  much  at  heart ;  and  if  it  be  true, 
that  your  missionaries  have  sent  over  a  petition  for  the  appointment  of  an 
American  Episcopate,  some  attempt  perhaps  may  be  made  to  carry  their  point ; 
but  I  believe  the  ministry  at  present  do  not  wish  to  be  troubled  with  any  such 
business.  Perhaps  an  affair  of  an  ecclesiastical  nature  which  hath  lately  hap- 
pened here  may  take  up  the  attention  of  the  bishops  and  clergy  as  well  as  of 
the  ministry  too  much  to  admit  of  their  bringing  on  soon  any  other  affairs  of 
that  kind,  I  mean  a  petition  which  hath  been  this  session  presented  to  Parlia- 
ment, for  freeing  the  clergy  from  subscription  to  the  39  articles  of  the  church 
of  England,  which  they  are  now  required  to  comply  with  by  law  upon  taking 
orders,  and  upon  entering  on  a  cure  of  souls  ;  as  also  to  free  young  Gentlemen 
at  the  universities  from  subscribing  these  articles  at  matriculation  (which  sub- 
scription is  required  at  Oxford,  though  not  at  Cambridge)  and  at  taking  any 
degrees  in  law,  physick,  or  music,  as  well  as  divinity  ;  which  is  required  at 
both  the  Universities.  The  petition  was  presented  to  the  House  of  Commons  ; 
it  went  upon  the  general  principles  of  Liberty,  stated  the  right  of  private  judg- 
ment, the  sufficiency  of  the  scriptures,  and  the  impropriety  of  any  human  tests 
upon  men  whose  business  it  is  to  preach  according  to  the  scriptures,  and  who 
engage  to  do  so  at  their  ordination  ;  and  who  therefore  must  if  they  would  dis- 
charge their  duty  conscientiously,  preach  according  to  what  they  in  their  best 
judgments  believe  to  be  the  sense  of  scripture.  The  debate  was  long  and 
interesting,  and  conducted,  on  the  side  of  the  petition  particularly,  with  great 
good  sense  and  force  of  argument.  The  Gentlemen  in  administration  in 
general  opposed  it.  The  most  violent  opponent  was  one  of  the  members  for 
Oxford  Sir  Roger  Newdigate,  of  the  old  Tory  Stamp ;  who  begun  his 
speech  in  this  manner.  The  most  extraordinary  thing  in  the  world,  two  hun- 
dred Clergymen  (N.  B.  about  250  signed  the  petition,  and  a  great  many  more 
would  have  signed  it  no  doubt,  if  they  had  thought  it  would  have  succeeded) 
two  hundred  Clergymen,  saith  he,  about  the  200"'  part  of  the  Clergy  of  Eng- 


222  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

land,  petitioning  this  house  to  destroy  the  Church.  These  are  your  tender- 
conscience  G^ntlem^u  ;  I  don't  like  tender  consciences  ;  I  don't  like  the  name  ; 
I  hate  tender  consciences.  What  did  the  tender  consciences  do  in  the  last  age  ? 
did  they  not  overturn  church  and  state  ?  These  men  mean  the  same.  They 
want  to  root  up  foundations.  He  at  last  moved  for  rejecting  the  petition, 
which  had  been  brought  in  and  candidly  and  handsomely  recommended  to  the 
House  by  vSir  William  Meredith  ;  and  his  (Newdigate's)  reason  for  rejecting  it, 
was,  because  the  act  of  union  had  rendered  the  Church  of  England  immutable, 
and  therefore  a  petition  for  alterations  in  the  Church  was  inadmissible.  This 
reason  for  not  receiving  the  petition  was  generally  exploded.  But  the  petition 
was  argued  against  from  the  apprehended  necessity  of  some  tests  besides  the 
Scriptures,  to  prevent  the  church  from  being  a  nest  of  all  manner  of  sectaries 
and  heretics ;  from  the  reasonableness  and  indeed  necessity  of  every  Society's 
having  some  rule  or  center  of  union.  The  articles  were  what  the  Church  of 
England  had  adopted  for  her  rule  ;  and  it  would  be  wrong  to  alter  or  remove 
them  at  the  request  of  so  small  a  number.  They  were  not  obliged  to  subscribe, 
there  was  no  compulsion  upon  them,  if  they  did  not  choose  to  do  it  ;  they 
could  not  say  they  were  injured  in  not  being  appointed  to  preferments  to  which 
they  had  no  claim,  if  they  would  not  comply  with  the  conditions  upon  which 
alone  they  could  be  granted  &c.  In  favour  of  the  p3tition  Sir  George  Saville 
distinguished  himself  by  a  speech  that  for  seriousness,  eloquence,  manly  sense, 
and  genuine  sentiments  of  liberty  exceeded  I  think  anything  that  I  have  ever 
heard.  It  struck  the  House  exceedingly  ;  there  was  a  profound  silence  and  a 
kind  of  awe  upon  all  present,  the  whole  time  he  was  speaking —  I  distinguish, 
saith  he,  between  the  Church  of  God  and  Christ  and  the  Church  of  England  ; 
and  wherever  the  Church  of  England  interferes  with  the  Church  of  Christ,  I 
give  the  preference  to  the  latter. — The  scriptures  are  the  only  rule  to  the  Church 
of  Christ. — Adhering  to  the  scriptures  is  the  first  principle  of  Protestantism,  or 
as  I  choose  to  pronovmce  it  Proto/antism  :  the  protestants  protested  against 
the  exorbitant  powers  claimed  &  exercised,  and  the  superstitions  and  corrup- 
tions practised  hy  the  church  of  Rome,  under  the  authority  of  the  pretended 
Successor  of  St.  Peter:  which  puts  me  in  mind  of  a  Gentleman,  who  being 
once  asked,  who  w^as  the  first  protestant,  replied,  S'  Paul,  for  he  withstood 
Peter  face  to  face.  As  for  the  articles,  saith  he,  which  the  petitioners  protest 
against ;  I  speak  it  with  submission  to  man,  but  I  speak  it  in  the  presence  of 
God,  some  of  them  in  my  judgment  are  unfounded,  some  of  them  contrary  to 
reason  and  scripture,  some  of  them  subversive  of  the  genius  and  design  of  the 
gospel.  After  expressing  great  concern  at  the  manner  in  which  the  petitioners 
had  been  treated,  he  used  these  expressions — I  beseech  you ;  I  become  an 
earnest  and  humble  suppliant  to  you,  by  the  benevolent  spirit  of  the  gospel, 
by  all  that  is  serious  :  I  beseech  you  by  the  bowells  of  Christ,  that  this  affair 
be  treated  not  as  a  matter  of  policy,  not  as  a  matter  of  levity,  not  as  a  matter 
of  censoriousness,  but  as  a  matter  of  religion. 

Afterwards  he  said.  Some  Gentlemen  are  apprehensive,  that  in  case  the 
scriptures  are  substituted  in  the  room  of  the  articles,  it  will  be  the  means  of 
admitting  to  the  church  a  great  number  of  sectaries.  Sectaries,  Sir  !  had  it  not 
been  for  Sectaries,  this  cause  had  been  tried  at  Rome.  Thank  God  it  is  tried 
here ! 


APRIL    9-1 1,    1772  223 

Some  Gentlemen  fear  that  if  we  lay  aside  the  articles,  and  place  the  scrip- 
tures in  their  stead,  by  throwing  down  all  the  distinctions  we  shall  admit 
papists  into  the  Church,  and  together  with  them,  their  religion  too.  But  they 
forget,  that  papists  are  excluded  b}'  the  oath  of  Supremacy,  and  by  the  declara- 
tion against  Transubstantiation,  against  the  invocation  of  the  Virgin  Mary  and 
other  saints,  and  against  the  sacrifice  of  the  mass.  And  if  any  other  test  be 
needful,  let  them  be  made  to  acknowledge  liberty  of  conscience,  and  the  right 
of  private  judgment  ;  let  them  abjure  persecution.  That  is  a  truly  protestant 
test.  But  can  any  one  seriously  think,  that  encouraging  free  enquiry  and  the 
study  of  the  scriptures  will  issue  in  the  Romish  religion  ?  When  I  see  a  rivu- 
let flowing  to  the  top  of  a  high  rock  and  requiring  a  strong  engine  to  force  it 
back  again  ;  then  shall  I  think  that  freedom  of  enquiry  will  be  prejudicial  to 
truth;  then  shall  I  think  that  liberty  of  judgment  will  be  prejudicial  to  the 
protestant  religion  ;  then  shall  I  think,  that  adherence  to  the  scriptures  only 
will  lead  to  Rome. 

Some  Gentlemen  talk  of  raising  barriers  about  the  church  of  God,  and  of 
protecting  his  honour.  Language  that  is  astonishing,  that  is  shocking,  that 
almost  approaches  to  blasphemy  !  What,  man,  a  poor  vile,  contemptible 
reptile,  talk  of  raising  barriers  about  the  church  of  God  !  he  might  as  well  talk 
of  protecting  omnipotence,  and  raising  barriers  about  his  throne.  Barriers 
about  the  church  of  God,  Sir  !  that  church  which,  if  there  be  any  veracity  in 
scripture,  shall  continue  forever  and  against  which  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not 
prevail  ! 

His  remarks  afterwards  upon  the  enlarged  spirit  of  the  gospel  and  the 
sufficiency  of  Scripture,  were  clear,  strong  and  convincing.  The  debate  cer- 
tainly made  proselytes. 

Yr.  affect.  Brother  and  humble  serv' 

Phil.  Furneaux.] 

9.  Finished  writing  the  lyife  of  Col.  Benjamin  Church,  to  be 
affixed  to  the  new  Edition  of  his  History  of  the  Indian  War,  called 
King  Philip's  War,  now  printing.  He  was  born  1639  and  died  at 
Little  Compton  Jan^  17,  17 17/18,  Aet.  78.  Did  not  attend  Mr. 
Hopkins'  Lecttire. 

10.  Inspecting  the  Pre.ss  :  and  writing  a  I^etter  to  Rev.  Wm 
Hart,  extracting  from  Dr.  Furneaux' s. 

11.  Received  sundry  Packages  from  London,  inclosing  a  long 
Letter  from  Mr.   Marchant  dated  Feb.   26   and   27  :'  one   from   Dr. 

'  The  following  is  an  extract  from  Mr.  Marchant's  letter  : 

I  have  not  the  least  doubt,  but  that  Dr.  Price  was  right  in  his  Conjecture, 
that  America  is  safe  &  secure  from  any  Bishop,   at  least   at  this   Bout.     The 

President  of  New  York  is  here  to  settle  with  the  famous  S'  J.  G y.     It 

seems  the  monies  collected  for  the  College  of  N.  Y.  by  Him  have  not  yet  been 
all  accounted  for.  The  Pres'  is  also  desirous  of  obtaining  a  New  Charter  for 
their   College   giving   it   the  Name    &    Powers   of    a    Universit)'.      But   what 


224  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Franklin  Jail'  13;  and  one  from  Mr.  Joseph  Jennings  of  Feb.  15, 
with  a  Vohnne  of  Rev.  Dr.  Lardner's  Life  &c.  wrote  by  Mr. 
Jennings.'  Mr.  Marchant  .sent  to  ni}'  Care  for  the  Redwood  Library 
2  Vohnnes  4'"  the  Zend  Avesta  and  Vendedad  Zade  of  Zoroaster, 
translated  into  french  from  the  Persic  by  M.  Perron  printed  at  Paris 

Powers  a  University  has  that  our  N.  England  Colleges  have  not  as  Seminaries 
of  Learning  necessary  for  that  Purpose  I  profess  I  do  not  w^ell  understand. 
Mv  own  Suspicion  is,  that  they  would  be  glad  to  enlarge  the  narrow  bigotted 
Institution  but  are  ashamed  to  own  that  for  the  true  Cause.  What  the  Virginia 
President  is  here  for,  I  don't  remember  to  have  heard.     .     . 

I  think  you  must  be  mistaken  about  the  ministerial  Jew-store,  30  Clerks 
employed,  &c.,  if  you  meant  litterallj-  so.  They  have  Intelligences  from  secret 
Quarters  undoubtedly,  but  with  such  a  Staff  of  Officers,  Dependants,  and 
growhng  Expectants,  there  can  be  no  great  Occasion  of  a  particular  Set  of  Men 
for  that  Purpose.  Your  Intelligence  respecting  the  Society's  withdrawing  the 
Sallary  from  the  Clih.  at  Newport  is  most  certainly  true. 

'  The  letter  of  Mr.  Jennings  is,  in  part,  as  follows  : 

Rev^  S', 

It  gave  me  great  pleasure  to  hear  from  you  last  Summer  by  your  worthy 
friend  ^P  Marchant  for  the  favour  of  whose  acquaintance  I  am  obliged  to  you  ; 
the  last  time  I  had  the  pleasure  of  his  Company  he  read  me  a  paragraph  in 
your  letter  to  him  expressing  your  desire  of  seeing  the  Memoirs  of  my  late 
honourd  Uncle  D'.  Lardner,  which  Volume  accompanies  this  Letter  and  of 
which  I  beg  your  acceptance,  depending  on  j-our  Candour  in  the  perusal  and 
that  you  wnll  make  all  proper  allowance  for  a  Tradesman's  undertaking  to 
collect  Memoirs  of  a  Man  of  Letters.  The  onl}'  apolog}^  I  can  make  is  that  I 
was  the  only  person  in  possession  of  the  materials  &  that  when  I  had  put 
them  in  order  &  connected  them,  some  of  my  friends  were  so  partial  as  to 
press  me  to  publish  them  m3'self.  It  also  fell  to  my  Lot  to  draw  up  the 
Inscription  to  be  cut  on  his  Tomb  Stone  which  you  may  perhaps  like  to  see  and 
which  I  therefore  copy  : — 

In  this  Tomb  are  deposited  the  Remains  of  the  Rev'^'  Nathaniel  Lardner,  D.D. 

Author  of  the  'Credibility  of  the  Gospel  History ;  Antient  Jewish  & 
Heathen  Testimonies  to  the  Truth  of  the  Christian  Religion,  and  several 
smaller  Pieces  :  Monuments  of  his  Learning,  Judgment,  Candour,  Industry, 
Beneficence  &  true  Piety. 

He  was  born  at  Hawkhurst,  in  the  County  of  Kent,  June  6  :  16S4  :  &  died 
on  a  visit  there  July  24  :  1768  in  the  Ssth  year  of  his  Age. 

"  An  Israelite  indeed  in  whom  was  no  Guile  !" 

I  find  no  encouragement  to  print  the  History  of  the  Heretics  nor  any  more 
Sermons.  We  have  but  few  reading  people  left  &  Sermons  except  those  in 
the  high  Calvinistic  strain  are  quite  a  drug  here,  the  good  folks  among  us 
distinguishd  Ijy  the  name  of  Methodists  being  almost  the  onl}-  readers  of 
Volumes  of  that  kind. 

I  am,  Rev'.  vS'.,  your  most  humble  vServ'. 

Jos :  Jennings 


APRIL    12-18,    1772  225 

1 77 1,  being  a  new  and  valuable  Work.  He  also  sent  me  a  little 
Pamphlet  of  the  Rev.  Joseph  Priestly  IvL.D.  in  which  he  vilifies 
the  Doctrines  of  Original  Sin,  Election,  the  Divinity  and  Satisfac- 
tion of  Christ  &.C. — insisting  that  Jesus  Christ  was  only  a  Man.^ 

12.  lyord's  day.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Titus  iii,  7.  P.M.  James 
i,  22,  and  propounded  Ann  Wife  of  Wm.  Rowland  for  Admission  to 
full  Communion  in  the  Church.     Read  Dr.  Gardners  L,ife. 

13.  Reading  Magazines  &  English  Prints.  Examining  the  Zend 
Avesta. 

14.  Reading    Magazines    &c. 

15.  Monthly  Meeting  of  my  Chh.  at  Brother  Pollipus  Hammonds, 
when  I  preached  on  2  Pet.  i,  10,  11,  12. 

16.  Yesterday  I  received  from  London  the  two  Folio  Volumes 
opera  Dionysii  Areopagitae,  Graec.  L,at.  .  .  .  This  Afternoon 
I  spent  at  the  Redwood  Library  in  Compan}^  with  a  French  Physi- 
cian from  Bretange  in  Franch  educated  at  a  Universit}*  in  Normandy. 
Very  stormy  and  Mr.  Hopkins  had  no  Lecture. 

17.  Goodfriday.  I  went  A.M.  to  the  Moravian  Church.  The 
Service  begun  with  chaunting  or  singing  a  long  H^^mn  on  the  Cru- 
cifixion :  then  Rev.  Mr.  Rusmeyer  read  an  Account  of  the  Trial 
and  Crucifixion  being  a  harmon^^  of  the  Evangelists  and  chiefly 
compiled  in  Scripture  Language.  It  was  printed.  Then  he  read 
the  Texts  of  the  Da}^  or  two  passages  one  in  the  Old  and  the  other 
in  New  Testament.  Then  la^'ing  aside  his  Book  and  still  standing, 
he  preached  :  after  an  introduction  he  took,  for  a  sort  of  Text,  the 
Words  of  Pilate  behold  the  Man,  and  preached  profitabh'  and  affect- 
ingh%  present  thirty  Women  and  fourteen  Men  and  few  Children. 
The  Afternoon  Mr.  Channing  spent  with  me.  Read  150  pages  in 
Dionysius. 

18.  A.M.  I  went  to  the  Synagogue,  it  being  1105  ilDt^  Sab- 
bath of  the  Passover.  They  read  in  the  Lata  the  passages  which 
give  an  Account  of  the  Exodus  and  Institution  of  the  passover  ; 
and  also  a  passage  about  V"  of  Joshua  concerning  Circumcision 
and  rolling  away  the  Reproach  of  Egypt.  Several  mentioned  over 
the  Names  of  their  dead  friends,  for  whom  Prayers  were  immedi- 
ately made.     Large  offerings  or  Alms  were  made  to  probably  fourty 

^This  was  no  doubt  Priestley's  tract  published  anonymously  with  the  follow- 
ing title  : — An  Appeal  to  the  serious  and  candid  Professors  of  Christianity  .  . 
By  a  Lover  of  the  Gospel.     3d  edition.     London,  1771.     12°.     pp.  24. 

15 


2  20  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

dollars  as  one  of  the  Jews  estimated,  and  I  believe  true  ;  for  sundry 
offered  Chai  Livre  i.  e.  /,"i6  or  two  Dollars — and  I  judge  Mr.  Aaron 
Lopez  offered  ten  or  a  dozen  of  these  Chai.  I  asked  one  when  they 
should  have  killed  the  Pascal  Lambs  if  they  had  been  at  Jerusalem  ? 
he  replied,  too  day.      But  I  doubt  it  ;  he  was  ignorant. 

19.  Lordsday.  A.^L  I  preached  on  Prov.  viii,  30  and  published 
two  Couples  for  Marriage.     P.M.  Eph.  i,  13,  14. 

20.  Mr.  Hopkins  was  to  see  me  too  day.  He  tells  me  he  has 
received  Letters  from  Boston  informing  that  Mr.  Bacon  has  lately 
preached  to  his  people  seven  Sermons  on  Justification  by  the  imputed 
Righteousness  of  Christ ;  wherein  he  had  greatly  offended  most  of 
his  Congregation  and  .satisfied  none.'  Mr.  Bacon  also  wrote  Mr. 
Hopkins  a  Letter  upon  it,  but  not  sufficiently  .stating  the  matter  for 
him  to  judge  upon  it. 

21.  On  2''  Inst,  died  the  Rev.  Joshua  Eaton  A.M.  Pastor  of  the 
Church  in  Spencer,  set.  58,  Ministry  28.  He  was  educated  and 
graduated  at  Harvard  College  1735.  He  studied  the  Law  and 
settled  as  a  practitioner  of  it  at  Worcester  for  some  years.  He  was 
always  of  a  serious  Disposition,  and  at  length  determined  to  devote 
himself  to  the  Service  of  God  in  the  Ministry  :  and  accordingly 
was  ordained  in  1774  Pastor  of  a  new  Church  in  Spencer,  then  a 
young  settlement  and  I  think  part  of  the  Town  of  Leicester.  I 
myself  .spent  3  or  4  years  in  the  study  and  practice  of  the  Law" ; 
and  then  settled  in  the  Ministry. 

22.  Rode  wnth  my  Wife  to  Bristol.  This  day  at  Dighton  was 
ordained  Rev.  John  Smith^  by  Rev.  Messrs.  Tob}^  Thatcher,  Brett, 
Turner,  Barnum,  neighboring  Pastors,  and  Messrs.  Hart  and  Fuller 
of  Connecticutt.  Mr.  Hart  preached,  Mr.  Toby  the  Moderator 
gave  the  Charge,  Mr.  Brett  Right  hand  of  Fellowship. 

23.  Day  of  Fasting  and  Prayer  in  Mr.  Burts  Congregation  in 
Bristol.  I  preached  A.M.  Isai.  lix,  i,  2.  Mr.  Hopkins  came  from 
Ordination  at  Dighton  (not  of  the  Council)  and  came  into  Meeting 
in  the  first  Prayer,  this  Forenoon.  P.M.  He  preached  Prov.  xvii. — 
Confesseth  and  forsaketh  &c.^He  tells  me  Last  Fryday  Rev.  Mr. 
Staples'  was  ordained  Pastor  of  a  new  church  in  Westminster,  for- 
merly a  part  of  Canterbury  in  Connecticutt  :  difficulties   could  not 

'  These  sermons  are  said  to  liave  been  the  occasion  of  the  proceedings  which 
led  to  his  withdrawal  nearly  three  years  later. 

"Born  in  Plainfield,  Conn.;  graduated  at  Princeton  in  1770. 
^  John  Staples  (Princeton  1765). 


APRIL    19-25,    1772  227 

be  settled  by  the  Council  sooner.  As  to  Dighton — Rev.  Mr.  Fisher' 
(the  most  aged  Pastor  in  New  England)  was  unable  to  attend. — in 
his  Name,  some  of  the  East  or  old  Society  came  to  the  Council  and 
represented  that  the  pastor  did  not  concurr.  The  Council  sent  a 
Committee  to  wait  on  him.  It  seems  the  Church  is  small,  but  seven 
or  8  Brethren — a  Division  into  2  Churches  has  been  aimed  at,  but 
not  effected  :  and  Mr.  Fisher  as  pastor  conducted  all  Church  Votes. 
He  had  led  the  Church  to  vote  a  Call  of  Mr.  Smith,  but  did  not 
sign  the  lyCtters  missive  to  call  the  Council  but  directed  some  one 
else  to  write.  Being  treated  with  respect  b)^  the  Council  he  agreed 
not  to  obstruct  and  acquiesced  &c.  So  Mr.  Smith  is  ordained  Copas- 
tor  with  Mr.  Fisher.  It  is  probable  he  will  continue  Pastor  for  the 
whole  Town  that  he  may  have  his  Salary.  If  there  should  be 
two  Societies  and  Churches,  this  venerable  Father  will  be  rather 
considered  as  a  Minister  past  the  Labours  of  the  Sanctuary,  for  he 
is  unable  to  preach.  Mr.  Hopkins  tells  me  that  a  Brother  of  Smith 
has  a  Call  to  settle  at  Canterbury,  under  a  Union  of  the  Old  and 
New  parties  or  Churches.  Also  that  lately  at  a  Church  in  South 
part  of  Volunton  Rev.  Mr.  Morgan"  was  ordained  by  Messrs.  Hart, 
Fuller,  &c.     Not  academic — but  pious. 

24.  Returned  from  Bristol. 

25.  Reading  the  lyondon  Prints.     The  Rev''  and  aged  Mr.  Samuel 
Maxwell^  of  Warren,  was  at  the  Fast  at  Bristol.     He  was  born  I 

'  Nathaniel  Fisher  (Harvard  1706).     See  also  this  Diary,  Sept.  8,  1777. 
'•^  Solomon  Morgan  was  settled  in  April,  1772, over  the  Nazareth  Church,  in 
what  is  now  Sterling,  Conn.,  and  remained  until  February.  1782. 
"  The  following  notes  are  found  among  Dr.  Stiles's  collections  : — • 
Rev.  Samuel  Maxwell,  Born  in  B"  Aug.  31,  1688.     Ordained  at  Swanzy,  April 
18,  1733,  by  Elder  Wheaton,  Eld.  Comer  &  Deacon  Kingsly. 

Feb.    1736/7.       Preached  at  Marshfld.   &    P.M.   went  with  Bapt.  to  Presb. 
Meetg. 
Aug.  6,  1738.     Informd.  his  chh.  of  his  Scruples  about  the  Sabbath. 
Apr.  5,  1739.     Dismissed  fr.  chh.  Swanzy. 

Sep.  13,  1745.     Rec^  Call  Chh.  Rehoboth  &  accepted  it  25th  Inst. 
Dec.  25.     Installed. 

Ap.  24,  1749.     Unwills  to  baptize  those  who  had  been  sprinkled. 
Apr.  4,  1754.     lycft  chh.  Rehob. 
Janry.  8,  1753.     Declares  for  Psedobaptism. 

1761.     Adm.  Lords  Supper  at  Warren. 

1755.     Went  to  Block  Isld. 

1764  or  5.     Supplanted  by  Mr.  Manning. 

1769.     Preached  for  E.  Stiles  &  read  his  Notes.     Last  Time.     Soon 
after  blind. 


228  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

think  i68S.  He  told  me  he  well  knew  the  famous  Grammar  School 
Master  Mr.  Ezekiel  Cheever  of  Boston,  Author  of  the  Accidence: 
that  he  wore  a  long  white  Beard  terminating  in  a  point ;  that  when 
he  stroked  his  Beard  to  the  point,  it  w^as  a  sign  to  the  Bo3\s  to 
stand  clear.  This  Mr.  Cheever  was  formerly  one  of  the  first  set- 
tlers at  New  Haven,  and  dwelt  there  in  1638.  In  Mr.  Maxw^ell  I 
have  seen  a  Man  who  had  been  acqviainted  with  one  of  the  original 
and  first  settlers  of  New  England.     Now  a  Rarity  ! 

May,  1770.     He  dd.  me  the  MvS.     [Died  in  the  War  about  1776.] 

INIr.  Maxwell  never  heard  that  Mr.  (John)  Miles  (of  Swanzy)  was  rebaptized 
b}'  plunging,  nor  does  he  believe  he  was.  Mr.  Maxw.  never  knew  or  heard  of 
a  Ruling  Elder  among  Baptists. 

]Mr.  Maxwell  for  a  while  was  Sabbatarian,  preached  a  year  &  half  to  Sabb. 
Chh.  in  Newpt.,  &  baptized  several  persons  at  Westerly  without  Imposit"  of 
hands,  &  yet  neither  at  Newpt.  nor  Westerly  would  the  Chhs.  let  him  partake 
at  Lds.  Supper,  because  he  not  under  hands.   .   . 

Sep.  6,  1771.  Mr.  Maxwell's  great  Age  makes  him  forget.  For  in  a  MS.  of 
his  own  I  have  before  me  a  Copy  (in  Mr.  Maxwells  Writing)  of  a  Letter  to  Rev. 
Mr.  Turner  dated  May  23,  1722  &  signed  by  "  Ephraim  Wheaton  Teaching 
Elder  and  Henrj' Sweeting  Ruling  Elder, "   .   .  in  the  Chh.  of  Swanzy. 

Mr.  James  Maxwell  born  at  Dumfries  in  Scotland,  removed  to  America,  set- 
tled at  Boston,  where  he  died  1720,  aet.  85.  He  had  Thirty  Children  b}^  two 
Wives.  By  his  first  Wife,  Margery  Crump,  he  had  Twenty-one  Children.' 
She  had  Twins  divers  Times  &  died  aet.  38. 

James  |  i^^^j^  j-^^^^  ^^  -^^  -^^^^  -^^^  ^^^^  Bach,  before  Memory,  &c. 

John    j  ■" 

Phelice,  married  Thomas  Pellet  of  Concord  &  died  at  Glassenb'y. 

Susanna,  died  aet.  17. 

Children  to  N"  21  all  died  in  Infancy. 

Mrs.  Maxwell  was  fifteen  years  old  at  Birth  of  her  first  Child.  After  her 
Death  he  married  Dorcas  Stone-  of  Lexington,  by  whom  he  had  nine."  She 
died  also  set.  3S  about  A.  D.  1691. 

Her  children  : 

Dorcas  Maxwell,  married  Tho"*  Stratton  of  Watertown. 

others 

Samuel  Ma.xwell,  b.  Sei)t.  168S,  from  whom  I  have  this  Ace"  1764,  tetatis  76, 
who  has  had  7  children. 

Of  the  30  children  only  Thret-  lived  to  have  issue  ;  besides  these,  three  lived 
to  grow  up  but  died  without  marrying.  David  died  a  Bo}-,  and  rest,  that  is  23, 
died  in  Infancy. 

'  The  only  ones  whose  binhs  are  recorded  in  Boston  are,  Sarah,  1666  ;  Felex 
(daughter),  1667  ;  Mary,  1673. 

'  Daughter  of  David  Stone,  and  born  December,  1652. 

•"•  The  births  of  six  are  on  record,  viz.: — Dorcas,  1677  ;  David,  1679  ;  Susanna, 
16S1  ;  James,  16S4  ;  Samuel,  16R6  ;  Samuel,  1688. 


APRIL    26-27,    1772 


229 


26.  Lord's  day.  A.M.  I  preached  2  Cor.  iii,  18.  P.M.  Mat.  vii, 
21.  and  admitted  Ann  Rowland  Wife  of  William'  a  Member  in  full 
Communion  with  the  Church 

27.  Mr.  Samuel  King  is  returned  from  Salem,  where  he  resided 
the  Winter  past.  He  tells  me  the  Total  of  Men  able  to  bear  Arms 
in  Salem  is  seventeen  hundred.  Now  I  judge  Newport  to  contain 
but  Two  Thousand  Men  and  Seven  Thousand  Souls — in  1755  the 
Whites  in  Newport  were  but  5500  Souls.  Mr.  King  .sa3%s  that 
Salem  is  very  rich  having  above  One  hundred  Tho2isand  Steiding  at 
Interest  out  of  the  Town  of  Salem — this  must  bring  Six  Thousand 
Sterling  yearl}"  Interest  into  Town."  He  says  Dr.  Whitaker  ex- 
communicated Deacon  Pickering  for  contumac}^  ;  and  the  Deacon 
and  Son  &c.  are  gone  to  Rev.  Mr.  Barnard's  Meeting.  In  seeking 
a  Collegue  for  Mr.  Barnard  his  Congregation  became  divided,  about 
Two  Thirds  for  Mr.  Dunbar  and  one  for  Mr.  Barnard's  Son.  The 
latter  were  so  engaged  that  they  determined  to  form  a  new  Church. 
Accordingly  they  offered  to  sell  their  pews  in  the  Old  Meetinghouse 
at  a  high  price  ;  unexpectedly  the  offer  was  accepted  and  the  Pews 
(about  twent}^)  sold  at  above  100  Dollars  each,  to  total  Amount  of 
about  2500  Dollars.  Hereupon  the  minor  part  were  amicably  dis- 
missed and  gathered  into  a  Church  about  six  Weeks  past,  and  have 
agreed  to  call  and  settle  young  Mr.  Barnard  \  while  the  others  have 
called  Mr.  Dunbar  who  is  to  be  ordained  Collegue  with  old  Mr. 
Barnard.'  Young  Mr.  Barnard's  Party  assemble  in  Dr.  Whitaker' s 
Meeting  and  assemble  with  them,  the  Dr.  preaching  one  part  of 
the  Lord's  day  and   Mr.  Barnard  the  other,  till  the  new  Meeting- 

'  William  Howland  married  Ann  Sears,  Jan.  22,  1768. 

'  In  Dr.  Stiles's  Itinerary  for  May,  1761,  are  preserved  the  following  statistics 
of  Salem  : — 

Main  Street  built  upon   i  ]i  mile  ;  about  400  Dwelling  Houses  counted  by 
Mr.  King. 

MEASUREMENTS   OF   BUII,DINGS. 

Mr.  Barnard's  Meeting  House      ......  71-49 

Town  House  ....  ...  52.29 

School  House  .  .  .  .  .  ,  .  .  52.22 

Mr.  Leavits  Meeting  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  60.48 

Mr.  Dimans  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  58.38 

Chh.  .........  43-34 

^Thomas  Barnard,  Jr.  (Harvard  1766),  was  settled  over  the  North  Church  on 
Jan.  13,  1773. 

^  Asa  Dunbar  (Harvard  1767)  was  ordained  on  July  22,  1772. 


230 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


house  be  built.  Mr.  Hopkins'  Schoolmaster  at  Salem  has  married 
a  Daughter  of  Mr.  Saunders  one  of  Dr.  Whitaker's  Church  and  I 
think  an  Elder.  An  offended  Part}-  have  determined  to  withdraw 
from  Dr.  Whitaker  and  gather  another  Church  and  settle  Mr.  Hop- 
kins. This  is  but  a  small  party  of  perhaps  40  or  50  Families,  and 
will  leave  a  sufficient  Congregation  to  the  Doctor,  which  is  now  the 
largest  in  Town.  There  are  at  present  three  Meetinghouses  and 
one  Episcopal  Church  in  Salem,  and  I  think  a  little  Quaker  Meet- 
ing. These  with  the  two  new  ones  forming  will  make  six  Congre- 
gations, besides  Quakers  :  for  which  at  a  Medium  may  be  near 
three  Imndred Men  each,  or  abo\-e  two  hundred  Families  :  unless  as  in 
Newport  there  are  manj'  of  no  Religion. 

28.  Read  Macaula}-  &c.     Rode  to  East  Greenwich. 

29.  Preached  a  Eecture  in  East  Greenwich  at  the  Schoolhouse, 
the  Superior  Court  sitting  in  the  Courthouse.  I  preached  from 
Titus  iii,  7,  to  about  70  or  80  persons  and  among  the  rest  was  Mr. 
Champlin  a  Baptist  Preacher.  In  the  Afternoon  I  rode  through 
Warwick  old  Town,  inquiring  the  History  of  the  first  Mr.  Samuel 
Gorton,  and  find  his  moral  Character  still  respected  there,  though 
his  opinions  are  not  received.  I  lodged  at  Widow  Green's  at 
Pastuxett.'' 

30.  Rode  to  Providence  ;  visited  the  Grave  of  the  famous  Mr. 
Roger  Williams'  (once  Pastor  of  Salem) — there  is  no  inscribed  stone 
or  Monument  at  the  Grave.  He  was  buried  about  ten  rods  back 
from  the  Spring  in  the  main  street  called  W^illiams"  Spring  to  this 
day  ;  nigh  to  which  I  saw  the  spot  where  his  House  stood.  His 
Grave  is  on  the  side  of  the  hill  in  the  lot  adjoyning  the  14  acre 
Lot  lately  purchased  by  the  Congregational  Church  for  a  parson- 
age :  it  is  I  .should  judge  20  or  25  Rods  South  East  from  the 
Church  of  England.  I  rode  to  Rehoboth,  and  preached  Tit.  iii,  7, 
a  sacramental  Lecture  for  Rev.  Mr.  Rogerson  at  Palmer's  River  in 
Rehoboth.  Here  I  met  Rev.  Messrs.  Townsend  and  Hide  and  had 
a  very  agreeable  Interview.  After  Lecture  I  rode  to  Bristol  and 
lodged  at  Rev.  Mr.  Burt's.  Here  I  spent  the  Evening  with  Rev. 
Mr.  Leonard  of  Woodstock. 

'  Daniel  Hopkins  (Yale  1758),  brother  of  the  Rev.  Samuel,  of  Newport  ;  the 
Third  or  South  Church  was  organized  in  February,  1775,  and  he  was  formally 
callefl  to  the  pastorate  in  March,  1776. 

•Now  Pawtuxet,  in  the  town  of  Cranston. 

'See  also  this  Diary,  Oct.  6,  1785. 


APRIL    28-MAY    6,    1772  231 


Mav 


1.  Returned  to  Newport.  Mr.  Hopkins  preached  my  Sacra- 
mentar  Lecture  Eph.  vi.  24.  Yesterday  Morning  at  Warwick  I 
conversed  with  Major  James  Arnold,'  who  told  me  he  was  ^t.  83, 
and  that  he  remembered  the  first  Mr.  Samuel  Gorton  of  Warwick, 
that  he  died  when  he  was  a  Lad  perhaps  15  or  16  years  old  :  and 
that  he  was  a  Man  of  proper  stature  neither  very  large  nor  small.  I 
saw  afterwards  another  Man  at  Warwick  JEt.  between  60  and  70, 
w^ho  told  me  he  knew  and  remembered  the  first  Samuel  Gorton  and 
that  he  died  about  48  or  not  50  3-ears  ago  :  this  satisfied  me  that  he 
knew  the  son  onh"  and  not  the  Father.  I  suspect  -the  same  as  to 
Major  Arnold.^ 

2.  Received  a  Letter  from  Professor  Se^call  oi  Harv.  Coll.' 

3.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  published  two  couples ; — preached  on 
Jn"  X,  9,  and  administered  the  Lords  Supper  to  64  Communicants. 
P.M.  2  Cor.  iii,  18,  and  notified  Catechising. 

4.  At  V  P.M.  I  catechised  between  50  &  60  Children. 

5.  In  the  Evening  I  married  Samuel  Pitman,  jun.  and  Rebecca 
Proud. 

6.  This  day  was  the  General  Election  at  Newport,  when  the 
Hon.  Joseph  IVantoti,  Sen.  was  chosen  Governor  of  the  Colony  of 
Rhode  Island  for  the  year  ensuing  ;  and  Hon.  Darius  Sessions  was 
chosen  Deputy  Governor.  There  was  no  opposition — but  one 
prox^  going  out  this  j-ear.  In  the  House  of  Deputies  I  saw  Stephen 
Hopkins,  Esq.  formerly  Governor  of  the  Colony  ;  and  he  could  be 
so  still  if  he  pleased.  He  is  Chief  Justice  of  the  Superior  Court — a 
man  of  Penetration  and  Sagacity  and  very  considerable  Acquisitions 
in  those  Branches  of  Knowledge  that  form  the  Polititian  and 
Legislator. 

'  Son  of  Israel  and  Mary,  of  Providence. 

■^  The  elder  Samuel  Gorton  died  in  1677  ;  the  younger  in  1724  :  so  that  Dr. 
Stiles's  suspicion  was  justified. 

■^  A  portion  of  Professor  Sewall's  letter  is  as  follows  : 
Rev"  Sir, 

I  should  have  endfeavored  to  have  sent  yoi;  the  disputed  verse  in  the 
Pentateuch  by  Mr.  Channing,  notwithstanding  his  sta}'  was  very  short,  had  the 
rigour  of  the  season  permitted.  It  was  vacation  time, — no  fire  kept  in  the 
Library, — the  Polh'glott  not  permitted  to  be  taken  out,  &  impossible  to  write 
there. 

••"Prox,"  the  colloquial   name  in   Rhode  Island   for  the   ticket,    or  list  of 
candidates,  presented  to  the  people  for  their  votes. 


232  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

The  Rev.  Mr.   Rusmeyer  favored  me   with  the   Reading  of  the 
Brethrens  Accounts. 

7.  JNIr.  Rusmeyer  visited  me  and  we  had  much  conversation 
together.  Reading  the  Journals  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum.  .  .  .  At- 
tended Mr.  Hopkins'  Even^  Lecture  at  vii  o'clock.  .  .  .  Received  a 
Letter  from  Rev.  Mr.  West  of  Stockbridge,  dated  2 2d  April. 

8.  This  Forenoon  I  was  visited  by  Saimicl  Niks  an  Indian  of 
Xarragansett  ^Et.  66.  He  told  me  that  he  was  formerly  a  Com- 
municant in  Mr.  Parks  Congregational  Church  in  Westerly,  where 
he  was  baptized  by  Sprinkling.  Here  he  was  dealt  with  for  exhort- 
ing in  the  Congregation  :  upon  which  he  and  about  a  hundred 
Indians  withdrew  i.  e.  the  chief  body  of  the  Narragansett  Tribe 
which  was  Christianized.  They  built  a  new  Meetinghouse  25  feet 
square :  and  spontaneously  gathered  themselves  (above  twenty 
Brethren  in  number)  into  a  Church  or  agreed  to  walk  together  as 
such.  Mr.  Stephen  Babcock  a  Deacon  of  Mr.  Parks  Church  had 
also  separated,  and  became  an  Elder  among  the  Separates  a  mixture 
of  Baptists  and  Paedobaptists,  and  was  ordained  I  think  by  some 
baptist  Elders.  There  was  an  Indian  from  Groton  of  the  Remnants 
of  the  Pequot  Tribe,  who  came  and  preached  at  Narragansett  ;  and 
he  was  by  the  Laying  of  hands  of  Elder  Babcock  and  others  ordained 
Elder  of  this  Indian  Church  ;  his  Name  was  James  Simon  or  Simon 
James.  But  about  half  a  dozen  Brethren  adhering  to  him,  he  and 
his  Adherents  met  in  a  private  house  ;  to  these  he  administered 
Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper,  for  3  or  4  years  and  then  removed. 

At  the  same  time  Samuel  Niles  carried  on  in  the  Meetinghouse  ; 
and  at  length  about  15  Brethren  who  refused  Simon,  united  and 
called  vSamuel.  But  as  none  of  even  the  Separate  Elders  would 
ordain  him  ;  the  Church  chose  and  appointed  three  Brethren  In- 
dians to  ordain  him.  They  began  Exercise  in  the  Meetinghouse 
about  noon  and  held  it  till  near  sunset.  The  3  Brethren  laid  their 
Hands  on  Samuel  Niles,  and  one  of  them  viz  Wm.  'Choise  or 
Cohoize  or  Oc-Hoyze  prayed  over  him  and  gave  him  the  charge 
of  that  Flock  :  during  which  such  a  Spirit  was  outpoured  and  fell 
upon  them  (as  he  expresses  it)  that  many  others  of  the  Congrega- 
tion prayed  aloud  and  lift  up  their  hearts  with  pra)^ers  and  Tears  to 
God.  This  continued  for  a  long  Time  above  half  an  hour  or  nearer 
an  hour  ; — the  white  people  present  taking  this  for  Confusion  were 
disgusted  and  went  awa>-.  Afterwards  they  sang  and  were  dis- 
mis.sed.     Ever  since  he  has  ministered  there  in  holy  Things,  preach- 


MAY  y-S,  1772  233 

zng-,  baptizing  and  breaking  bread.  He  himself  was  baptized  a 
second  Time,  and  this  was  by  plunging,  and  I  think  by  an  Indian 
not  an  Elder.  Yet  he  professes  to  hold  it  indifferent  :  and  it  was 
agreed  that  baptist  or  paedobaptist  principles  and  practices  should 
be  no  Term  of  Communion.  Accordingly  Samuel  baptizes  both 
Infants  and  Adults,  and  the  latter  by  Sprinkling  or  plunging,  as 
any  are  persuaded  in  their  own  Minds.  He  has  now  Ninety  Indian 
Communicants  in  the  Church  at  Narragansett,  to  whom  he  breaks 
Bread  once  a  Month  :  he  breaks  Bread  also  to  two  other  Indian 
Congregations,  one  at  Groton  and  another  at  Mohegan.  For 
though  Mr.  Occum  preaches  there  and  has  been  long  ordained,  yet 
he  has  not  administered  the  Ordinances  since  his  Fall.'  Samuel 
Niles  cannot  read.  It  seems  extraordinary  that  such  an  one  should 
be  a  Pastor.  He  is  however  acquainted  with  the  Doctrines  of  the 
Gospel,  and  an  earnest  zealous  Man,  and  perhaps  does  more  good 
to  the  Indians  than  any  White  Man  could  do.  He  is  of  an  un- 
blameable  Life  as  to  Morals  and  Sobriety.  He  has  \^y  great  In- 
fluence over  the  Indians.  I  read  to  him  some  of  the  Letters  of  the 
Unitas  Fratrum  from  the  two  Indian  Congregations  in  Greenland — 
with  which  he  was  mightily  pleased  ;  as  he  never  heard  of  these  2 
Churches  before.  I  also  gave  him  an  Account  of  the  Sarepta 
Brethren  and  the  prospect  of  introducing  Christianity  among  the 
Kalmuks  and  Tartars  in  general,  from  whom  I  told  him  I  supposed 
the  American  Indians  sprang  :  and  for  whom  I  hoped  God  was 
about  to  do  great  Things.  I  found  it  pleased  him.  To  give  him  a 
better  Idea  of  Things  I  took  him  into  my  Stud}-  and  shewed  him  a 
terrestrial  Globe,  which  he  had  never  seen  before.  I  told  him  he 
might  believe  the  World  a  Flat  if  he  pleased,  I  meant  only  to  shew 
him  the  general  position  of  Countries.     He  said  of  his  own  accord 

he  believed  it  was  round  like  a  Ball." This  day  I  have 

studied  and  been  incessantly  employed  for  fourteen  hours. 

^  Samson  Occom,  the  noted  Indian  preacher,  fell  into  intemperance  in 
1769-70. 
^The  following  is  extracted  from  Dr.  vStiles's  Itinerar}-  of  Sept.  9,  1772: — 
Rev.  Mr.  Parks  tells  me  that  Elder  Babcock  was  formerly  his  Deacon  ;  and 
that  Sam'  Niles,  Ind.  Minister,  was  one  of  his  members.  That  Babcock  did 
not  preach  or  exhort  before  he  left  them,  nor  was  disciplined  for  that.  But  that 
he  was  overbearing  and  censorious  in  Chh.  Matters,  reflecting  on  Mr.  Parks 
and  the  Brethren.  For  this  the  Chh.  talked  with  him — which  he  resented,  etc. 
At  length  he  had  a  Vision  and  call  from  Heaven  to  preach  the  Gospel   (not  to 


234 


DIARY   OF    EZRA    STILES 


10.  Lord's  day.  I  preached  A.M.  on  John  vi,  47.  P.M.  Ps, 
Ixxxvi,  II.  And  after  Sermon  read  the  public  Confession  of  W.  S. 
Avith  a  Renewal  of  his  Covenant,  and  then  I  baptized  his  Child.' 
Also  propounded  Mrs.  Bebee  for  full  Communion.  I  judge  about 
four  hundred  or  450  Persons  in  the  Congregation. 

1 1 .  vSent  Letters  by  Mr.  Hopkins  to  Connecticutt,  to  Mr.  Chauncy 
W'hittelsey  &  Dr.  Dana. 

12.  Mr.  Russmej-er  and  his  wife  were  once  at  Elder  Stephen 
Babcock's  in  Westerly,  and  had  opportunity  of  seeing  a  Baptism  by 
Immer.sion,  and  the  Administration  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  At  the 
Close  of  the  Sacrament  i.  e.  after  the  Cup,  they  all  rose  up  to  pray, 
and  besides  the  Elder  man)-  others  broke  out  in  loud  prayer,  and 
enthusiastic  Vociferations  all  together,  making  the  greatest  seeming 
Confusion.  Mrs.  R.  could  not  endure  it  and  went  off,  saying  they 
offered  strange  fire  ;  and  asking  whether  they  thought  the  Lord  was 
on  a  Journey  at  a  distance  that  like  BaaV  s  Priests  they  eried  aloud  ; 
adding  that  the  Lord  was  not  in  the  Thunder  \_]Vhir/iuind']  nor  in  the 
Earthquake ,  but  in  the  small  still  voice.  These  Religionists  a.sked 
her,  whether  there  was  not  some  such  Appearance  when  the  Spirit 
came  down  on  the  Disciples  at  Pentecost?  Now  I  know  (for  I  have 
been  an  Ear  Witness)  that  the  New  Light  Separatists  at  Times 
both  in  Public  Congregations,  and  in  Family  Worship,  all  or  many 
pray  aloud  together,  na}-  I  have  heard  (but  last  3'ear  or  lately  in 
Newport)  a  Man  praying  aloud  and  his  wife  singing  aloud  in  a  sort 
of  Concert  in  the  same  room  and  at  the  same  Time.  But  I  little 
thought  they  indulged  this  as  an  Imitation  of  Pentecost. 

13.  B\-  the  Prints  I  find  that  last  Ldsdy.  Rev.  Mr.  Bowen^  asked 
a   Dismission   from   liis   Chh.    in   Boston.   .    .  The   Even^    Monthly 

a  particular  Chh. )  but  to  strange  Nations.  And  was  ordained  an  Evangelist 
general  by  Sol".  Pain,  Dr.  Sprague  of  Exeter,  Mr.  Palmer,   etc. 

Dr.  Spragues  leather  was  a  Bapt.  Elder. — Q.  who  ordained  the  Dr.?  Mr. 
Palmer  was  a  pajdobapt  at  Stonington — at  length  desired  to  preach,  and 
applied  to  N.  London  .Association  of  Ministers  to  be  licensed  to  preach,  which 
they  refused — &  he  then  turned  Baptist.  Inquire  who  ordained  him,  for  he 
is  called  Elder  Palmer.  Mr.  Babcock  was  not  a  Baptist  at  his  Ordination — 
but  turned  afterwards,  and  was  plunged. 

Mr.  Parks  says  he  lately  admitted  one  into  his  Chh.  who  had  no  other 
Baptism  but  among  the  Separates — being  baptized  by  an  Iniian  Simon,  an 
Polder  ordained  among  the  vSeparates. 

'John  Way,  son  of  William  and  Mary  (Way)  Syms. 

"Penuel  Bowen  (Harvard  1762),  pastor  of  the  New  South  Church  from  1766. 


MAY    10-15,    1772  235 

Meet^  of  the  Married  people  of  my  Congreg^  at  Sqr.  Richardson's, 
where  I  discoursed  on  i  Jno.  ii,  2. 

14.  Received  Dr.  Warren's  Oration  5th  March  from  Professor 
Winthrop,  bj*  Rev''  Mr.  Fayerweather.  Monthly  Chh.  Meeting  at 
Mr.  Jno.  Gary's.  I  discoursed  on  i  Tlies.  ii,  17,  20.  .  .  No  Lecture 
at  Mr.  Hopkins'  Meet^,  he  being  gone  to  the  Election  at  Hartford 
in  Connecticutt. 

15.  Mr.  Marcy'  went  away.  Dr.  Stirling  visited  me.  On 
Wednesday  Evening  last  I  received  Letters  from  Col.  Leverett 
Hubbard  and  Rev.  John  Hubbard  giving  an  Account  that  Father 
Hubbard"  had  been  .seized  with  a  paralytic  Shock,  now  ^t.  69  ; 
and  also  that  on  25th  April  died  at  New  Haven  Brother  William 
Abdiel  Hubbard.'  I  weighed  and  found  the  Silk  only  of  my  wife's 
black  Padusoy  QfOv^'xv  foiirty  one  Ounces.  Now  i  pound  or  16  ounces 
of  raw  silk  looses  one  Quarter  in  Boiling  ont  and  Coloring,  which  are 
done  at  the  same  Time,  so  is  12  ounces.  Most  colors  do  not 
sensibly  increase  the  Weight  ;  few  increase  it  above  one  ounce  ; 
except  Black  which  increases  a  quarter  or  more,  or  rather  near 
twice  the  weight  of  Washed  silk  :  that  is  soft  or  double  Black 
returns  16  oz.  for  16  oz.  as  one  side  of  Satin  ;  Dounce  or  dull  Black 
as  filling  of  Satin  increases  4  oz.  i.  e.  16  =  20.  So  then  40  oz.  of 
black  is  made  of  32  oz.  raw  silk  in  Gums,  or  24  oz.  of  boiled  and  White 
vSilk.  Mr.  Green  of  London,  now  in  Town,  who  gives  me  this 
Information  and  who  has  been  used  to  carry  raw  silk  to  the  Boilers 
and  Dyers,  adds  this  Information  further — i.  That  White  silk  was 
died  as  much  as  any  other  Color,  viz,  smoking  it  in  the  Flowers  of 
Sulphur  or  Brimston  and  tinging  it  with  Blueing.  2.  That  Oyls 
either  alone  or  mixt  with  Soap  or  Ley,  were  so  far  from  recovering 
or  giving  a  Gloss,  that  nothing  more  effectually  destroj'ed  a  gloss. 
Hence  the  workmen  would  some  Times  knavishly  drop  a  little  on 
the  Skeins  that  they  might  be  useless  and  be  thrown  aside,  and  fall 
into  their  own  hands.  But.  3.  The  only  and  real  way  of  giving  a 
brightness  or  Gloss  was  by  stretching  the  Skeins  with  great  Force, 
till  the  Gloss  appeared  ;  and  for  this,  they  had  a  hook  &c.  to  give 
a  vigorous  Strain  to  the  Fibres  and  a  heavy  Twist,  as  they  dry  it 
after  dying.     The  Gloss  and  Colour  never  given  after  Weaving. 

'  Perhaps  Hadlock  Marcy  (Yale  1761),  who  married  Alethea  vStiles,  first  cousin 
of  Dr.  vStiles.     The  diary  does  not  mention  his  arrival. 

■^  Col.  John  Hubbard,  father  of  Mrs.  Stiles,  survived  until  Oct.  30,  1773. 
^Born  Dec.  15,  1736  ;  fifth  son  and  sixth  child  of  Colonel  Hubbard. 


236  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

If  they  color  or  die  a  piece  woven,  it  looses  its  Gloss  ^Yhich  can't  be 
recovered  :  except  in  the  Pressures  for  Tabby.  4.  China  have  pro- 
hibited the  Exportation  of  raw  silk.  5.  There  are  200.  Thousand 
Silk  Manufactures  in  London.  6.  That  none  of  the  Throwsters  or 
Twisters  in  England  can  or  ever  do  make  Chain  ;  they  twist  only 
for  Filling.  Indeed  for  Gauzes  and  coarser  silks  they  twist  for 
both  : — but  for  a  Damask  for  Instance  the  Chain  of  it  was  never 
known  to  be  twisted  in  England.  The  Chain  of  all  the  finer  Silks 
are  brought  from  Italy,  and  only  from  Piedmont  there,  never  from 
India  nor  the  Levant.  I  observed  that  the  finest  Organzine  was 
made  of  four  cocoons  to  the  Thread,  and  that  I  covdd  not  see  why 
this  might  not  be  twisted  in  London  as  well  as  elsewhere  ;  but  he 
persisted  in  it  that  it  could  not  be  done. — I  asked  him  whether  Sul- 
phur would  not  bleach  Linnen  ?  He  said  it  was  not  used  :  but  that 
some  of  the  vicious  Manufacturers  used  Vitriol  to  give  a  sudden 
White  to  the  outside,  and  this  rotted  the  Linnen —  :  that  a  gentle- 
man in  New  York  Importer  of  Irish  Linnens  had  lately  lost  much 
Credit  on  his  Linnens  in  this  respect. 

16.  Received  a  Packet  from  Rev.  Mr.  Zubly  of  Savanna  with  his 
Sermon  on  Faith  Hebr.  xi,  6,  preached  at  Charlestown  South  Caro- 
lina in  which  he  vindicated  the  Reformers,  Mr.  Hervey  &c.  against 
Dr.  Bellamy,  who  said  that  Hervey  &€.  cannot  pj^operly  be  called 
Christians.  ]Mr.  Zubly  says  Mr.  Morgan  Edwards  of  Philadelphia 
has  been  there  to  receive  the  subscriptions  made  with  Mr.  Smith  for 
Rhode  I-sland  College.  Mr.  Edwards  told  him  "he  embraced  the 
Baptist  Principles  and  entered  into  the  Ministry  at  the  Age  of  Six- 
teen "  i,  e,  says  Mr.  Z. — "  at  ^Et.  16  he  was  a  very  forward  young 
Man,  &  to  become  a  preacher  at  once  became  a  Baptist."  Mr. 
Zubly  is  a  Man  of  wealth,  at  his  own  expence  he  built  a  Meetingh. 
at  Savanna,  which  continues  his  Property,  he  yearly  renting  the 
Pews. 

17.  Lord's  day.  A.M.  I  preached  Mat.  xxiv,  44.  P.M.  Rom. 
X,  12,  13.  Read  Mr.  Zubly's  Sermon  on  Faith.  Mr.  Miner'  a 
young  Candidate  preached  at  Mr.  Hopkins'  Meeting.  At  Night  I 
married  Robert  Carter  and  Mary  Lanaken. 

18.  Examined  R.  David  Kimchi  on  2''  Psalm. 

19.  \'isited  this  Morning  by  Dr.  Bellam^-and  Mr.  Hart  who  came 
yesterday  with  Mr.  Hopkins.     Received  a  Letter  from  Mr.  Whittel- 

'  Thomas  Miner  (Yale  1769). 


MAY    16-24,    1772  237 

se}'  of  New  Haven.  Mr.  Bird'  has  desisted  from  the  Ministrj-  at 
New  Haven,  and  his  Church  have  applied  to  Rev.  Mr.  Spencer,^ 
and  on  his  declining  to  Rev.  Mr.  Brainerd.^  This  Afternoon  rode 
to  Bristol  to  Convention. 

20.  Convened  at  Rev.  Mr.  Burt's  in  Bristol  the  Rhode  Island 
Convention  of  the  Congregational  Pastors.  Rev.  Mr.  Rowland  of 
Providence  preached  the  Lecture  on  Eph.  iv,  15,  16 — "  ma}-  grow 
up — edifying  of  itself  in  Love."  He  was  just  two  Hours \\\  Sermon, 
the  longest  Sermon  I  ever  heard.  It  was  very  instructive  and 
entertaining.  We  voted  him  our  Thanks  and  to  print  it.''  We  had 
a  very  agreeable  Interview  of  Pastors.  In  the  Afternoon  I  returned 
to  Newport :  where  were  Ministers  from  abroad — Rev.  Mr.  Brett 
Pastor  of  Freetown,  Rev.  Mr.  Stevens  Pastor  of  Kittery,  Rev.  Mr. 
Hart  Pastor  of  Preston,  and  Mr.  Miner  a3'oung  Candidate,  and  also 
Rev.  Mr.  a  Methodist  Preacher  at  Philadelphia  one  of  Mr. 
Westly's  Disciples,  this  last  I  did  not  see  as  he  went  immediately 
to  Providence. 

21.  M}^  kind  People  had  a  spinning  Match  at  my  House.  We 
had  seventy  seven  Wheels  going  all  da}-,  which  delivered  in  at  Night 
224  fourteen  knotted  skeins  of  Linnen  ;  which  they  gave  us.  The}- 
found  Flax  and  Provisions  and  sent  in  Ten  pounds  of  Tea  more 
than  used,  and  Gammons,  Sugar,  Rice  &c.  more  than  we  used. 
The  whole  innocent,  chearful,  decent. 

22.  Dined  with  the  Ministers  at  Major  Otis's  :  had  much  conver- 
sation on  Faith  &c.  and  the  Pecularities  of  the  new  Divinit}-.  In 
the  Evening  Dr.  Bellamy  preached  a  Lecture  at  Mr.  Hopkins' 
Meeting  on  i  Thess.  v,  17,  praj-  without  ceasing.  He  asserted  that 
it  was  the  D^lty  of  both  regenerate  and  2inrege7ierate  to  pray  &c. 
The  Aft.   &  Evening  I  spent  in  Company  with  Rev.  Mr.  Stevens. 

23.  In  Company  with  Mr.  Stevens,  Dr.  Bellamy  &c.  the  Doctor 
preached  for  Mr.  Maxsen  at  the  Sabbath-day  Baptist  Meeting  P.M. 

24.  A.M.  Dr.  Bellamy  preached  for  me  on  Luke  xv,  17.  P.M. 
Rev.  Mr.  Stevens  preached  for  me  on  2  Tinio.  i,  10.     After  Sermon 

'  Rev.  Samuel  Bird,  the  first  minister  of  the  church  which  separated  from  the 
First  Church,  New  Haven,  in  1742.  His  dismission  from  this  society  in  1768 
led  to  another  secession,  mainly  of  his  friends,  who  formed  a  new  church,  the 
pulpit  of  which  he  suppHed  for  sometime.     Cf.  above,  July  S,  1771. 

'^  Elihu  Spencer  (Yale  1746),  of  Trenton,  N.  J. 

^  John  Brainerd  (Yale  1746),  of  Mount  Holly,  N.  J. 

■*  This  was  printed  at  Providence  in  1772  (75  pp.),  with  title,  Catholicism  ;  or, 
Christian  Charity. 


238  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

I  admitted  Elizabeth  Bebee  Wife  of  Nathan  to  full  Communion  in 
the  Church,  and  baptized  Man-  her  Infant  its  Father  holding  it  up. 
Excessive  hot  all  day,  Fahrenheit  Thermometer  at  II"  P.M.  stood 
at  ninety  Degrees.  At  Vr'  Dr.  Bellamy  preached  again  at  Mr. 
Hopkins's  Meeting  on  Prov.  xv,  8,  to  a  crouded  Audience,  of  550 
or  600  Persons.     This  Sermon  I  disliked. 

25.  Reading  Perron's  Zend  Avesta.  Dr.  Bellamy  and  Rev.  Mr. 
Stevens  went  away.  I  sent  Letters  to  Dr.  Chauncy  and  Dr. 
Haven.     Conversed  with  Capt.  Balch  on  disinterested  Benevolence. 

27.  Received  a  Letter  from  Mr.  Agent  Marchant  dated  in  London 
17  March.  He  says — "  Since  I  wrote  3'ou  I  have  had  the  Happi- 
ness of  being  introduced  to  Mr.  Lucas  Treasurer  of  Gu^^'s  Hospital 
— Chairman  of  the  Deputation  of  the  three  dissenting  Denomina- 
tions. He  is  a  Gentlemen  of  an  excellent  good  Character,  a  great 
Friend  to  civil  and  religious  Liberty,  and  pos.sessed  of  a  ven*-  con- 
siderable Fortune.  During  my  Visit  to  him  Dr.  Gibbons,  a  worthy 
Dissenting  Clergyman  came  in,  and  we  had  a  ver}-  agreeable  &c. 

"  I  can  certainly  inform  you,  that  whatever  other  Business  Dr. 
Cooper  had  here,  and  he  had  doubtless  some — yet  Petitions  have 
been  presented  by  him,  and  the  President  of  Virginia  College 
(Horrox )  to  the  K—g,  the  A — ch  B^p  of  Canterbury,  the  B—p  of 
London,  and  Lord  H — h  praying  for  an  Aviericayi  Bishop.  But 
their  Petition  met  with  no  Countenance.  The  Chairman  of  the 
Deputation  of  Dissenters  was  notified  of  the  Application  b}'  a  lead- 
ing Lord  in  Administration,  and  informed  that  although  it  did  not 
seem  a  Question  but  that  Episcopalians  in  America  had  a  Right  to 
a  Bishop — yet  the  real  Necessity  of  it  did  not  appear — and  that 
political  Reasons  were  altogether  against  it  ;  and  that  he  might 
depend  upon  it  such  a  Measure  would  not  be  adopted  without  the 
Assent  of  the  Dissenters,  if  then. — And  that  it  might  be  depended 
upon  there  was  not  the  least  Inclination  to  give  Uneasiness  to 
America  either  in  civil  or  religious  Concerns.  As  to  7'eligious  mat- 
ters I  am  confident  it  is  true." — 

An  Ofiicer  in  Bengal  writes — "  In  1765,  when  the  Prince  and 
Father  of  Nabobs — shook  his  awful  Brow  and  said  let  there  be  a 
Monopoly  of  the  Necessaries  of  Life  for  the  Benefit  of  my  Famih" 
and  Friends,  he  signed  the  Death  Warrant  for  Two  Millions  of  his 
Fellow  Creatures.  And  when  he  said  let  the  Coin  be  adulterated, 
he  issued  an  Order  for  depopulating  Three  Thousand  Villages  !  I 
speak  from  Experience  and  ocular  Demonstration.     I  have  known 


MAY    25-31,    1772  239 

Bengal  for  many  years.  I  have  travelled  over  that  Country-,  when  it 
was  in  ReaUt}-  the  Garden  of  the  World,  when  the  A'illages  were 
large  populous  and  flourishing  &c. ' '  Extract  London  prints  Feb. 
5,  1772.  Remark  i.  Compact  settlements  in  an}-  Countn.-,  ma}-  be 
called  Cities,  A'illages,  Towns  &c.  Thej-  are  in  even,-  Coimtr^-,  and 
defined  bj-  some  militar},-,  ci\-il,  or  religious  Xame.  Thus  in  Eng- 
land are  Nine  Thousand  parishes  or  Church  Livings  &c.  Probably 
we  ma}-  rely  on  this  Traveller,  that  the  Region  of  Bengal  now 
imder  English  Government  contains  3000  lesser  Di\-isions.  Xow  if 
we  deduct  30  or  40  for  larger  Cities  and  ver\-  populous,  the  rest 
maybe  estimated  at  100  or  150  famihes  apiece:  and  this  would 
give  perhaps  half  a  Million  Families,  imph-ing  Two  Million 
Souls.  Rem.  2.  Under  the  Disgust  against  Lord  Clive  this  Officer 
might  represent  the  Desolation  of  the  late  epidemical  Sickness  and 
Famine  in  Bengal  greater  than  the  Truth,  and  consider  it  as  an 
almost  total  Depopulation  of  the  Country- ;  which  he  might  know 
(for  it  is  known  there )  contained  about  Two  Millions.  Rem.  3. 
Though  the  English  Government  in  Bengal  is  perhaps  no  better 
than  a  Usurpation  and  arbitrary-  Tyranny,  5-et  I  much  doubt 
whether  the  Monopoly  of  Food  was  the  onh"  Cause  of  the  Famine 
and  Deaths.  That  it  furnished  opportunit}-  of  exhausting  vast 
Treasures  is  true.  But  in  Fact  there  was  not  enough  Rice  &c.  for 
the  people.  The  populace  rose  and  forced  open  the  Stores  :  Hunger 
and  Famine  in  any  Country-  at  a  certain  desperate  Crisis  will  bring 
on  a  \'iolence.  which  no  Army  nor  T^-ranny  could  ever  suppress. 
Besides  why  should  the  Monopolizers  stan'e  people  ? — they  would 
rejoyce  to  feed  and  supply  them — it  was  their  season  to  get  Money  : 
to  what  purpose  to  keep  it  till  there  was  another  Crop.  There  were 
doubtless  some  Instances  of  hard  hearted  Cruelty.  But  the  great 
thing  was.  the  Staff  of  Life  was  cut  off.  Rem.  4.  I  expect  that 
this  unnatural  Government  of  the  East  Indies  by  Europeans,  will 
bring  on  a  most  terrible  Insurrection,  and  A'engeance  will  burst 
upon  the  Heads  of  the  Europeans. 

2S.  Wrote  a  Letter  to  Rev.  Dr.  Chauncy.  Attended  Mr.  Hop- 
kins Even'^'  Lecture. 

30.  Went  to  the  S\-nagogue  -^-ith  Mr.  Turner. 

31.  Lord's  day.  I  preached  all  day  on  Rom.  xiv,  17,  18.  The 
Kingdom  of  God  &c.  I  published  Mr.  Belcher  &c.  Afternoon 
Sermon  being  ended  I  descended  from  the  Pulpit  into  the  Deacons 
Seat   (as  I  always  do  for  Baptisms)   and  baptized  Peter  a   negro 


240 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 


Infant  Servant  of  Dr.  Bartlett  a  Connnunicant  in  my  Church  ;  a 
negro  woman  1  'iolet  the  Mother  held  it  up  :  the  Master  standing  in 
a  near  pew.  Previous  to  the  Administration  I  read  publickly  the 
following  Writing,  with  a  particular  Address  to  Dr.  Bartlett. 

"In  the  antient  Covenant  established  with  Abraham  God 
"  ordained  that,  he  that  is  born  in  thy  house,  and  he  that  is  bought  with 
''thy  J/ofwr  must  needs  be  circii»ieised.  Gen.  xvii,  13.  Baptism 
' '  succeeds  as  Seal  of  the  Covenant  in  the  room  of  Cireumcision  ; 
"  and  the  Subjects  of  both  are  the  same  ;  accordingly  we  read  that 
"  Lydia  and  her  Honsehold,  Stephanas  and  his  //ouseho/d  were  bap- 
"  tized.  This  Child  as  a  Servant  of  Dr.  Bartlett  our  Brother  and 
"of  his  Household,  is  to  be  baptized  on  Account  of  his  Master  : 
"  whom,  on  this  Occasion,  I  shall  lead  to  an  Engagement  used  by  a 
"  Minister  of  the  Apostolic  Age  and  who  w^as  ordained  by  the 
"Hands  of  the  Apostle  Pa?c/,  viz,  Dionysi2is  the  Areopagite,  w^ho 
"  says,  that  in  administering  Baptism  to  Infaiits,  those  who  assumed 
"upon  them  the  Care  of  their  Education,  made  the  following 
"Engagement, — to  which  you.  Sir,  will  please  to  attend.  Yoji 
''  engage  for  this  Child,  that  as  it  eomes  to  a  Mind  capable  of  under- 
"  standing  holy  Things,  you  will  by  yoiir  religious  Cotaisels  direct  and 
"persuade  it,  to  renounce  and  keep  itself  intirely  separate  from  Evil, 
' '  to  profess  our  holy  /Religion ,  and  to  live  according  to  such  a  profession. 
"Thus  you  promise."  The  Original  is  not  easily  rendered  into 
English  Words  or  phrases  expressive  of  the  Import  in  Greek.  The 
Word  o/AoAoyo)  and  0/i.oA.oyta  mean  more  than  the  English  Word  pro- 
fess, confess,  confession.  It  is  like  Confessio  in  Latin  con-fateor, 
talk  together.  It  denotes  a  Covenant,  an  Engagement,  a  mutual 
Stipulation,   ... 

June. 

2.  Writing  Letters  to  Father  Hubbard,  &c.  New  Haven,  to 
Mother  Stiles,  Dr.  Dana,  &c.,  &c.     Visiting. 

3.  Reading  Sir  Thomas  More's  Life.  He  denied  the  Ecclesias- 
tical Supremacy  to  be  in  the  King  (herein  he  was  right)  and  asserted 
it  to  be  in  the  Bishop  of  Rome  (herein  he  was  wrong).  He  said 
the  Parliament  could  not  make  Henry  VIII  Supreme  Head  of  the 
Church.  He  disapproved  the  Divorce  &c.  And  for  this  was 
belieaded.  Quere — did  he  die  a  Martyr  to  Christianity.  Gov. 
Hutcliinson  asserts  the  political  Supremacy  over  the  English  Col- 
onies in  the  King  and  Parliament  :  suppose   he  should   live  to   see 


JUNE    2-5,    1772  241 

that  point  decided  in  favor  of  America  as  effectually  as  &c.  at  the 
Reformation  ;  and  should  be  called  in  Question  by  his  Country  for 
advising  endeavoring  the  Introduction  of  a  foreign  Jurisdiction  ; 
what  could  he  sa}-  more  than  Sir  Thomas  More  ? — Meeting  of  mar- 
ried people  at  Mr.  Morse's,  I  preached  i  Tim.  ii,  4,  5,  6. 

[Before    this,    Rev.    Mr.    Wheeler  came    to    Town    to    settle    in 
Church  School.] 

4.  Reading  Mr.  Edwards'  History  of  the  American  Baptists 
Vol.  ist  12'""  printed  1770  at  Philadelphia.  I  am  told  that  Mr. 
Bordman'  a  young  Preacher  among  the  Westlean  Methodists  about 
28  years  of  Age  came  from  England  to  Philadelphia  a  3'ear  or  two 
agone.  He  passed  through  Newport  last  Week  via  Providence  for 
Boston.  Mr.  Pemberton  this  Week  from  Boston  tells  me  this  Gen- 
tlemen made  Application  to  the  Boston  pastors  for  Ordination.  It 
seems  the  Westleians  have  no  ordained  Ministers  among  them  but 
Mr.  Westh^  himself  and  yet  they  are  accounted  a  Body  one  hun- 
dred. Thousand.  They  form  separate  Assemblies,  but  receive  the 
Ordinances  of  Baptism  and  Eord's  Supper  at  their  respective  parish 
Churches.  They  have  man}-  preachers,  and  they  now  want  ordina- 
tion. The  English  Bishops  refuse  to  ordain  them.  IVestly  dont 
approve  of  applying  to  the  Dis.senters  for  Ordination.  But  Mr. 
Kelly  (wdio  is  acquainted  with  him)  sa3-s  that  this  Mr.  Pilmer 
wants  to  be  disconnected  from  Westly  and  set  up  for  himself,  and 
that  he  is  a  serious  popular  preacher. — Attended  Mr.  Hopkins' 
Evening  Lecture.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Colton^  of  Bolton  in  Connecticutt 
preached  on  Acts  xxiv,  25,— Felix  trembled. 

5.  Reading  Edwards'  Materials  for  Histor}-  of  the  Baptists. 
Mr.  Kelly  tells  me  that  the  Rev.  Mr.  Davis'  Pastor  of  2^*  Baptist 
Church  in  Boston,  a  j^oung  Man,  is  lately  become  blind.  He  has  been 
confined  the  Winter  past  with  the  Gout,  which  at  length  shifted 
and  settled  in  his  head,  and  has  unhappily  taken  awa}'  his  sight. 
He  has  preached  at  his  own  house,  but  intends  to  lay  down  his 
pastoral  Office.  He  is  a  sensible  Man,  had  an  academic  Education 
in  the  College  of  Philadelphia. 

^  Dr.  stiles  first  wrote  this  name  as  Pihner  ;  and  later  in  the  paragraph  has 
preserved  that  form  ;  but  the  person  meant  is  Richard  Boardman,  who  returned 
to  England  about  eighteen  months  later.  See  below,  June  24,  and  Sprague's 
Annals  of  the  Amer.  Pulpit,  vii,  8-1 1. 

-  George  Colton  (Yale  1756). 

^  See  below,  Feb.  20,  1773. 
16 


242 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


6.  Examining  Passages  in  Dion^'sius  and  Irenaeus.  Went  to 
the  S}-nagogue  with  Mr.  Colton  and  his  Wife.  Fasciculi  of  various 
Flowers  were  fastened  about  the  Candles  and  on  different  Parts  of 
the  Svnagogue,  to  morrow  Evening  being  Pentecost. 

7.  Lord's  day.  A.M.  Rev.  Mr.  Geo.  Colton  preached  on  Rev. 
vi,  i-] .  great  day — We  dined  at  Mr.  Chesebro's,  and  after  Dinner 
prayed  with  his  Xegro  Servant  Portsmouth  sick  of  a  Dropsy.  P.M. 
I  preached  on  Acts  xxiv,  25,  an  old  sermon. 

8.  Reading  Edwards'  History  of  the  Baptists  and  finished  it. 
Also  Reading  Dionysius  de  divinis  Nominibus.  Had  much  Dis- 
course with  Mr.  Hopkins  on  knowing  God,  personal  Identit}-,  and 
the  Prayers  of  the  Unregenerate  :  on  all  wiiich  we  think  somewhat 
differently.  This  day  is  Pentecost,  and  yesterday  was  Wliitsunda3\ 
This  P.M.  I  catechised  64  Children. 

9.  I  have  had  great  delight  this  daj^  in  meditating  on  Exod. 
xxxiii,  19,  and  xxxiv,  6,  compared  with  Romans  viii,  18.      .      .      . 

10.  East  Evening  I  married  Mr.  Joseph  Belcher,  Jr.  and  .Miss 
Cahoone.  At  Dartmouth  College  May  20,  1771,  Rev.  Messrs. 
David  McC/euer  2i\\6.  Levi  Fn'sbi  {hoth.  educated  b}'  Dr.  Wheelock) 
were  ordained  to  the  Ministry  with  a  special  View  to  a  Mission 
among  the  Indians  at  Muskinghavi  beyond  the  Ohio,  about  800 
Miles  off,  where  a  remarkable  Door  is  opened  for  the  Gospel. 

1 1 .  Translated  Ire^iaetis'  Letter  to  Victor  concerning  Easter,  and 
sent  it  to  Mr.  Rowland  of  Providence,  he  not  having  the  Original 
by  him.  .  .  .  This  Afternoon  I  attended  the  Funeral  of  Mrs. 
Mowat  :  And  Mr.  Hopkins'  Evening  Lecture  at  VII''  he  preached 
Ephes.  iv,  18.  The  Gaspee  Skooner  was  burnt  off  against  War- 
wick yesterday  Morning  about  II''  and  the  Captain  wounded." 

12.  Searching  Eusebius  concerning  Easter.  Attended  Friends 
General  Meeting,  heard  aged  Peter  Davis  speak,  set.  80,  &c. 

13.  Rev.  Atherton  Wales  of  Manshfield  came. 

14.  Lord's  day.  A.M.  Mr.  Wales  preached  on  Ps.  xxxvi,  2,  an 
excellent  Sermon.  P.M.  I  preached  an  old  Sermon  2  Pet.  iii,  11, 
and  baptized  two  infant.s — one  of  which  belonged  to  Mr.  Hopkins' 
Meeting  ;  the    Father  a  Quaker,   yet  consenting  his  Wife  .should 

'  The  schooner  Gaspee  had  been  stationed  in  Narragausett  Bay  to  enforce 
the  revenue  acts,  and  the  commander  had  made  himself  obnoxious  by  his 
ofTiciousness.  On  this  occasion  the  vessel  ran  aground  while  chasing  a  sloop, 
and  was  destroyed  by  a  party  of  patriot  volunteers  from  Providence.  See 
Arnold's  Hist,  of  R.  /.,  i,  309—14,  318—20, 


JUNE    6-15,    1772  243 

ha^-e  the  Children  baptized  :  She  had  owned  the  Covenant  but  was 
not  in  full  Communion,  though  had  had  4  or  5  Children  baptized 
before  and  is  of  good  Life.  I  baptized  it  upon  condition  she  wovild 
not  leave  Mr.  Hopkins'  Meeting. 

It  would  be  curious  to  consider  a  Platonist  under  several  views  as 
I .  Plato  himself  and  his  Disciples  still  continuing  in  Idolatry  :  this 
we  may  see  in  Nonius,  Plotinus  &c.  2.  One  become  a  Jew,  or 
one  being  a  Jew  yet  instituted  also  in  Platonism.  This  we  are  said 
to  have  in  Philo.  However  I  differ  from  the  whole  learned  world 
and  suppose  that  Philo  received  nothing  from  Plato,  but  took  all 
his  supposed  Platonism  from  the  Caballa.  3.  A  platonic  philosopher 
converted  to  Christianity.  This  we  have  in  Dionysms  the  Areopa- 
gite,  Justin  Martyr,  Clemens  Ale xandr inns  &c.  If  they  were  not 
particularl}'  platonists  3'et  they  were  philosophers,  who  imbibed  the 
most    important    Principles   of    Platonists.     4.    One    converted    to 

Mahometism Now   I  think    it    most    natural    to    consider 

Dionysius  particularly  as  an  Athenian  Philosopher,  after  his  Con- 
version, retaining  the  philosophic  Language  in  speaking  Gospel 
Truths,  as  the  Jewish  Christians  spake  of  them  in  Hebraisms,  and 
Converts  of  ever}'  nation  in  the  Idioms  of  their  respective  Lan- 
guages. The  Moravians  on  the  Volga  are  learning  the  Kalmuck 
and  Tangut  Language  and  the  phrases  in  which  they  express 
spiritual  Ideas  concerning  God,  Angels,  Religion,  that  the}'  may 
communicate  Christian  Truths  in  their  oriental  phraseolog}'.  The 
Language  of  the  American  Indians  expresses  the  Gospel  in  a  very 
peculiar  Manner.  A  Platonist  would  talk  of  Christianity  in  a 
different  Manner  from  a  Jew.  Hence  the  Peculiarity  of  Dionysius 
and  his  Master  Hierotheos.  He  calls  the  Svni  in  the  Firmament 
T7/S  ayaOoTTjTo^  6€ia<i-eiKwv-r)Xio^.  de  div.  Nomin.  Sec.  p.  555.  Col.  i,  15, 
Christ  etKOJv  Oeov. 

15.  Rev.  Atherton  Wales  was  born  1704  in  Brantree  in  Mr. 
Fiske's  day,  graduated  at  Harvard  College  1726 — married  a  Daugh- 
ter of  Rev.  Samuel  Niles — ordained  Pastor  of  2"  Church  of  Marsh- 
field  Nov.  20  1739  by  Imposition  of  Hands  of  Rev.  Messrs.  Bells 
of  Scituate,  JViles  of  Brantree  Father  in  Law,  Leivis  of  Pembroke, 
Bowen  and  Bass  of  Scituate,  and  his  Brother  Wales'  of  Raynham. 
His  Church  about  60  or  70  persons.  His  Father  was  Mr.  Nathaniel 
Wales  last  Ruling  Elder  in  the  first  Church  of  Brantree. 

^Rev.  John   Wales   (Harvard   1728),   father  of  the  Rev.  Dr.   Samuel  Wales 
(Yale  1767),  afterwards  Professor  at  Yale. 


244 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


1 6.   Reading  Dionysius  concerning  the  Origin  of  Evil. 

I  - I  had  Conversation  to  day  with  a  Gentleman 

Mr.  P .  who  asserted  that  God  was  the  intentional  Author  of 

both  S/fi  and  Holiness  in  the  Creature.  I  told  him  I  thought  this 
was  speaking  Evil  of  God,  and  Blasphemy  against  him. 

Being  indispo.sed  and  ill  of  a  Cold.  I  postponed  the  monthly  Meet- 
ing of  the  Church  till  next  Week. 

iS.  Reading  Origen's  Homilies,  particularly  that  on  the  LXX 
Weeks  of  Daniel  ;  one  on  the  second  Coming  of  Christ,  and  that 
on  V"'  Cap.  Romans.  I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins'  Lecture,  nor 
one  at  Mr.  Kelly s  by  a  Methodist  Westleian.  [This  day  sat  at 
Fairfield  the  annual  Convention  of  Episcopal  Clergymen — present 
20  Clerg>nien.] 

19.  Reading  ISIr.  Leaming's  2''  Defence  of  Episcopal  Church 
Government  printed  1770  in  Answer  to  Mr.  Wells.'  A  trifling 
Thing  ! 

20.  Reading  the  Baptist  Piece  ' '  The  Spirit  of  Liberty  ' '  but 
chiefly  on  the  Baptist  Controversy,  and  a  piece  of  Railing  against 
three  quarters  even  of  the  Baptists  and  all  other  Sects.  Among 
others  he  speaks  of  Mr.  Jl^rsf/j'.  Of  whom  the  Author  says — 
"  My  Thoughts  of  Mr.  JVes/cy  as  a  Gentleman  and  as  a  Scholar 
are  ver}-  respectable,  and  what  he  is  worthy  of, — //^a/  he  is  a  Man  of 
surprizing  parts,  a  great  Historian,   and  is   as  enteiprizing  as  he  is 

great, , — but  as  to  Mr.    Wesley  being   a  Christian,  I 

dare  not,    Theophilus,  attempt  to  deceive  him  or  3'ou  in   thinking 

so "      Methinks  here  is  a   little    Uncharitableness  ! 

I  have  no  Idea  of  Mr.  Westly's  being  a  great  Genius,  Scholar  or 
Divine. 

21.  Lord.sday.    I  preached.    .    .    Reading  Origens  Homilies. 

23.  Last  Evening  I  rec''  Letter  dated  12"'  Inst,  from  Dr.  Dana, 
who  says, — "Dr.  Bellamy  has  at  length  given  out  at  Litchfield 
South  Farms  \  and  after  five  Consociations ,  the  parties  have  now 
shaken  hands  and  agreed  to  practice  on  their  original  plan," — -which 
Dr.  Bellamy  calls  the  half  zvay  Covenant.  Mr.  Kelly  tells  me  the 
Author  of  the  Baptist  ^^■^\\v^\i\(i.\.  funius  jioiior,  is  Rev.  Mr.  Allen 
now  at  New  York — he  was  a  Baptist  Minister  in  England  who 
differed  from  and  with  all  his  Brethren  the  Baptists  there,  finding 

'  Hy  the  Rev.  Jcreniiali  Iveaniiiig  (Yale  1745)  in  answer  to  the  Rev.  Noah 
Welles  (Yale  1741). 

'  See  above,  Nov.  12,  1771,  and  Jan.  i,  1772. 


JUNE    16-24,     1772  245 

fault  with  all  :  he  came  over  this  Spring  to  New  York  and  is 
quarrelling  with  Mr.  Gano  and  the  Baptists  there.  Mr.  Gano 
asked  him  for  Testimonials,  he  said  he  had  none  but  what  he 
carried  in  himself  and  this  Book  which  he  said  was  a  sufficient 
Recommendation   of   him. 

24.  Wednesday  loth  Inst.  Rev.  John  Keep'  was  ordained  Pastor 
of  the  Church  of  Sheffield.  Rev.  Mr.  Strong  of  New  Malbro' 
began  with  pra3'er  ;  Rev.  Stephen  Williams  of  Springfield  preached 
Exod.  XXV,  8  ;  Rev.  Mr.  Farrand  of  Canaan  made  the  ordainmg 
prayer ;  Rev.  Mr.  Bidwell  of  Tyrringham  gave  the  Charge  ;  Rev. 
Mr.  Allen  of  Pittsfield  gave  the  Right  Hand,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Collins 
of  Lanesborough  made  the  concluding  prayer. 

The  ordination  of  Messrs.  Cleuer  and  Fri.sb}-  May  20  (see  June 
10)  was  performed  thus — ^"  Rev.  Mr.  Noble  made  the  introductory 
prayer  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Olcott  the  prayer  before  Sermon  ;  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Wheelock  preached  a  pertinent  Sermon  from  ]Matt.  xxiv,  45, 
and  gave  the  Charge  ;  the  Rev.  Mr.  Powers  made  the  praj'er  be- 
fore, and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Burroughs  after  the  Charge  ;  and  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Welman  gave  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship," — concluded 
with  an  Anthem  sung  by  the  Students. 

Mr.  Kelly  tells  me  that,  not  Mr.  Pilmore,  but  Mr.  Boardman  was 
the  Methodist  Preacher  who  lateh*  went  to  Boston,  and  on  his 
Return  preached  a  Lecture  last  Thursday  Evening  at  Mr.  Kellys. 
I  asked  him  [Mr.  Kelly]  about  the  Application  to  the  Boston  Minis- 
ters for  Ordination.  He  said  he  talked  with  him  about  it,  and  Mr. 
Bordman  told  him  that  he  was  not  seeking  for  Ordination  himself, 
but  was  urged  by  Dr.  Alison  of  Philadelphia  to  apply  to  New 
England  for  it  ;  and  accordingh'  Dr.  Alison  gave  him  two  open 
Letters,  which  he  was  to  seal  and  u.se  or  not  as  he  pleased  ;  one  to 
Dr.  Chaunc}'  of  Boston,  and  another  to  me  :  but  that  it  was  not  a 
Thing  he  was  sollicitous  about,  or  would  press  on  any.  He  did  not 
deliver  the  Letter  to  me.     He  sailed  for  New  York  friday  Morning. 

Mr.  a  Northampton  Man  visited  me  last  Evening.     He 

says  Mr.  Hooker's^  Congregation  is  near  three  hundred  Families, 
and  not  one  but  upholds  dail}-  family  prayer,  and  asking  a  Blessing 
at  Table.  Monthly  Meeting  of  the  Communicants  at  Brother 
Otis's,   when   I   preached   on   Cant.    viii.    5.     Next  to  be  at  Sister 

'  Yale  Coll.  1769. 

^  Rev.  John  Hooker  (Yale  1751)  was  settled  at  Northampton,  Mass.,  from 
1753  to  1777. 


246  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Davenport's  15th  July. — When  Mr.  Wales  was  here  he  told  me, 
that  soon  upon  his  Settling  a  wealthy  Member  of  his  Church  took 
offence  at  New  singing' — by  himself,  called  Ten  Councils — got  no 
Satisfaction — and  has  now  gone  over  to  Church  of  England. 

25.  Received  a  Letter  dated  23'^  Inst,  from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Whittel- 
sey  of  New  Haven,  with  the  Account  of  his  Ordination  there 
March  i,  1758  Copastor  with  Rev.  Jos.  Noyes,  by  Rev.  Messrs. 
Samuel  Hall,  Isaac  Stiles,  Jonathan  Merick,  Theo.  Hall,  Samuel 
Whittel-sey,  Jonathan  Todd,  Nathan  Birdsy,  Benjamin  Woodbridge, 
and  aged  Pastor  Mr.  Noyes.  Mr.  Samuel  Whittelsey  preached, 
Mr.  Hall  (Samuel)  Moderator  made  the  ordaining  Prayer  and  gave 
the  Charge,  Mr.  Stiles  gave  the  Right  Hand.  I  did  not  attend  Mr. 
Hopkins'  Evening  Eecture. 

27.  Reading  Origen. 

28.  Lord's  Day.  I  preached  .  .  and  appointed  the  Lds  Sup- 
per next  Ldsday,  &  a  preparatory  Lecture  on  Friday  at  V'  P.  M. 

29.  Mr.  Wilson  the  first  Minister  of  Boston,  Mr.  Davenport  first 
Minister  of  New  Haven,  Mr.  Cobbet  of  Lyn  and  Ipswitch,  Mr. 
Thatcher  first  Minister  of  Boston  Old  South,  and  sundry  others, 
were  ordained  twice  in  New  England  by  Imposition  of  hands.  It 
seems  to  have  been  superfluous.  But  I  find  a  similar  Instance  in 
the  primitive  Church  at  Jerusalem,  and  an  Instance  of  Collegue 
Bishops  or  Copastors. 

30.  Reading  Eusebius. 

July. 

1.  Religious  Meeting  of  the  married  people  at  Mr.  Davenport's. 
Mr.  Hopkins  went  with  me  and  made  the  first  pra3'er.     I  preached. 

2.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Even*?  Lecture  .  .  .  An  Excessive  hot 
day.     Therm"  91  at  Noon. 

3.  Mr.  Kelly  preached  my  Lecture  John  iii,  14,  15.  A  good 
Sermon.     Son  Isaac  broke  out  with  the  Measles. 

4.  Visited  by  Mr.  Pemberton.     A  long  Conversation. 

5.  Lord's  day.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Luke  xxiv,  35,  36,  and 
administered  the  Lord's  Supper  to  66  Communicants.  P.M.  2 
Thess.  iii,  i.  At  VT'  Mr.  Hopkins  held  an  Exposition  on  the 
shorter  Catechism  in  his  Meetinghouse,  as  some  time  past.  But  I 
have  not  yet  attended  it ;  it  interfering  with  my  Family  Devotions 
&c.  which  I  always  have  on  Lord's  days  just  before  Sunset. 

'  Singing  by  note  (or  by  rule),  introduced  into  New  England  about  1720-30. 


JUNE    25-JULY    10,    1772  247 

6.  A  new  Meetinghouse  for  Elder  Dawson  was  raised  this  day 
at  the  North  End  of  the  Town,  a  little  East  of  the  Tree  of  Eiberty, 
about  30  or  35  feet  square. 

7.  At  V  P.M.  I  catechised  15  Boys  30  Girls  and  3  Negroes, 
Total  48.  Many  Children  of  the  Congregation  sick  with  the 
Measles.  Rev.  Mess'''  Hopkins  &  Rusmeyer  at  my  house.  Mr. 
Rusmeyer  left  with  me  Congreg^  Accounts. 

9.  The  Church  under  Mr.  Hopkins  have  determined  to  joyn 
with  Mr.  Vinal'  in  calling  in  an  ecclesiastical  Council  to  advise  them 
on  the  mutual  Accusations  of  Mr.  Vinal  and  the  Church 
There  was  a  ver^-  great  Aurora  Borealis  between  IX  and  X  last 
Night.  Not  red  but  white,  the  luminous  Pillars  or  Corruscations 
reached  within  ten  degrees  of  the  Zenith,  some  arose  from  the 
North  East  some  from  North  West,  but  mosth'  from  under  the 
Pole,  ascending  a  little  East  of  the  Pole  Star  near  to  Alpha  Lyrae. 
But  the  most  remarkable  Thing  was  this,  Sheets  of  Light  ascended 
from  the  Northern  Horizon  in  frequent  quick  Successions,  rising 
aloft  like  luminous  Vapour  or  thin  white  cloud,  passing  40  or  fifty 
Degrees  in  a  second  or  two  of  Time.  These  sheets  were  60  or  80 
degrees  long  and  20  or  25  degrees  broad,  and  flowed  upward  with 
amazing  Velocity'.     I  never  saw  such  a  phsenomenon  before. 

This  Afternoon  I  visited  Mr.  Rusmeyer.  He  shewed  or  related 
to  me  some  of  the  Brethren' s  Usages.  None  but  baptized  persons 
are  admitted  to  Co7igregation  Meetings  for  reading  Accounts  &c. 
The  Minister  speaks  with  them,  and  finding  suitable  dispositions, 
says  at  a  Meeting  A  B  by  name  is  admitted,  and  so  they  sing  a 
Eiturgy  or  Y{.yvau.  When  a  Communicant  is  admitted,  it  is  also 
done  by  the  Minister  (sine  Suffragiis)  b}"  Imposition  of  Hands  of 
the  Minister  who  blesses  the  person  in  the  name  of  the  Lord,  by 
a  Kiss,  and  by  a  Liturgy  or  Hymn  ; — if  the  person  be  a  Brother  : — 
if  a  Sister,  it  is  performed  by  the  Deaconess  or  Eldress  (who  at 
present  is  Mrs.  Rusmeyer)  who  lays  on  hands,  blesses,  and  salutes 
with  a  Kiss.  Then  they  sit  down  together  to  the  Lord's  Supper  ; 
which  is  once  in  two  Months  and  alwaj-s  on  Saturday  Evening.  I 
attended  Mr.  Hopkins'  Evening  Lecture,  he  preached  i  Cor.  iii,  6,  7. 

10.  Reading  Origen  contra  Celsum.  I  have  Eighty  Communi- 
cants in  my  Church,  of  which  seven  are  Negroes.  I  directed  the 
Negroes  to  come  to  me  this  Evening  ;  when  three  Negro  Brethren 

^Rev.  Wm.  Vinal,  Mr.  Hopkins's  predecessor  in  office.  See  this  Diary,  May 
18,  1770,  and  Oct.  25,  1773. 


248  DIARY   OF    EZRA    STILES 

and  three  Negro  Sisters  met  in  my  Study.  I  discoursed  with  them 
on  the  great  Things  of  the  divine  Life  and  eternal  Salvation — 
counselling  and  encouraging  and  earnestly  pressing  upon  them  to 
make  their  Calling  and  Election  sure,  and  to  walk  worthy  of  their 
liolv  profession,  and  especially  to  maintain  a  daily  Intercourse  with 
heaven  in  holy  duties  and  divine  Contemplation  on  the  Love  of 
Christ.  Then  we  all  fell  upon  our  Knees  together,  and  I  poured 
out  fervent  Supplications  at  the  Throne  of  Grace  imploring  the 
divine  Blessing  upon  us,  and  commending  ourselves  to  the  hoi}" 
Keeping  of  the  Most  High.  We  seemed  to  have  the  delightful 
presence  of  Jesus. 

II..  .  .  I  find  in  the  Connecticutt  prints  that  June  24  past 
Rev.  Thos.  Brockway'  was  ordained  Pastor  of  the  vSecond  Church 
in  Lebanon  late  imder  Dr.  Wheelock's  pastoral  Care.  And  I  am 
told  that  in  June  also  was  ordained  at  Pequonock  Parish  in  Windsor 
Rev.  Mr.  Foster  not  of  Academic  Education. 

12.   Ldsdy.     A.M.  I  preached  2  Cor.  v,  8,  9.     P.M.  Jno.  xiv,  21. 

14.  This  day  my  Wife  is  41  years  old.  Rode  out  seven  Miles 
upon  the  Island  to  Mr.  McCorrie's  and  baptized  his  Infant  Son 
Andrew.  This  day  I  was  visited  by  Mr.  Samuel  Kennedy  a 
licensed  Candidate  from  the  North  of  Ireland.  He  has  been  in 
America  about  a  year  and  half,  and  has  been  preaching  to  an  united 
Congregation  on  Susquehanna  near  Juniata  River.  Those  Congre- 
gations have  lateh'  withdrawn  from  the  Jurisdiction  of  the  Presb}"- 
tery  of  Donnegal  and  the  Synods  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia. 
He  brought  with  him  a  Call  signed  by  108  Men  of  the  Congrega- 
tion engaging  a  Salary  of  ^100.  a  year.  And  came  to  ask  Ordina- 
tion among  the  New  England  Pastors.  He  brought  a  Letter  to  me 
from  the  Rev.  Mr.  Ewing  of  Philadelphia  dated  7*''  Inst,  recom- 
mending him  for  Ordination.  He  brought  ample  Testimonials  from 
the  Presbytery  of  Dinimore  in  Ireland.  This  Church  is  chiefly  of 
the  Old  Side,  and  desired  to  be  annexed  to  Philadelphia  2''  Presby- 
tery. But  the  late  Synod  refused  their  Request.  Upon  which  they 
withdrew  from  the  Synodal  Jurisdiction.  It  seems  the  Synod  have 
a  \' ote  or  Regulation  that  a  Minister  shall  be  ordained  by  none  but 
the  Presbytery  to  which  the  Congregation  belong.  Hence  said  2^* 
Presbytery  cannot  consistently  ordain  Mr.  Kennedy  :  and  he  does 
not  cluise  to  be  connected  with  or  under  the  Jurisdiction  of  Donegal 

'Yale  Coll.  1768. 

'■'  Dau  Foster,  became  a  Universalist. 


JULY    II-16,    1772  249 

Presbytery.  There  may  be  130  Ministers  of  the  Synod,  of  which 
perhaps  100  or  more  are  of  the  New  Side,  and  20  or  30  of  the  Old. 
And  the  New  outvote  the  Old,  and  are  endeavoring  to  break  them 
up.  A  Petition  was  brought  into  Synod  last  Session  from  some  of 
Dunegal  Presbytery  to  divide  the  2''  Presbytery  of  Philadelphia  and 
put  some  of  the  Ministers  to  Donegal,  and  swallow  up  the  rest  in 
Philadelphia  first  Presbytery.  This  was  offensive  to  Dr.  Alison, 
Mr.  Ewen  &c.  of  said  2''  Presbytery.  Hinc  illae  Lacrymge  !  Dr. 
Witherspoon  (to  whom  Mr.  Ewing  is  a  great  Enemy)  is  at  the 
Head  of  the  New  Side,  which  is  the  largest  party.  Mr.  Kennedy 
is  a  Presbyterian  and  would  gladly  joyn  the  Old  Side,  and  be 
received  into  Philadelphia  2''  Presbytery  with  Dr.  Alison  &c.  But 
the  Presbyteries  cannot  receive  a  Member  without  the  Concurrence 
of  the  Synod.  And  the  Synod  refuse  to  put  Juniata  under  Phila- 
delphia and  remove  it  from  the  Jurisdiction  of  Donegal.  I  dont 
find  that  Mr.  Kenned}^  has  applied  to  or  been  refused  by  the  Synod. 
But  under  all  these  Circumstances,  he  chuses  to  remain  unconnected 
with  the  Synod  :  and  so  is  seeking  Ordination  elsewhere. 

15 In  the  Evening  had  Church  monthly  Meeting, 

Mr.  Kenned}^  present,  but  I  could  not  persuade  him  to  preach.  I 
discoursed  upon  i  Cor.  i,  18.     Elder  Thurston  came  in  and  sat  with 

us Mrs.  Todd  of  New  Haven  Church  was  at  Meeting 

with  us.  I  find  by  the  prints  that  Monday  6*''  Inst.  Rev.  William 
Gordon  was  installed  Pastor  of  the  third  Church  in  Roxbury.  He 
was  formerly  13  years  Pastor  of  a  Dissenting  Church  in  Ipswitch  in 
England,  afterwards  several  years  Pastor  and  Successor  in  Dr.  Jen- 
nings' Church  in  Eondon  ;  and  came  over  to  America  1770,  to  live 
and  die  with  the  Puritans  in  New  England.     He  is  an  excellent  Man. 

16.  This  day  Mr.  Kenned}^  returned  for  Pensylvania,  without 
Ordination.'  I  thought  Mr.  Burt  and  Mr.  Townsend  &c.  would 
chuse  to  take  Time  for  Consideration  before  they  could  be  prevailed 
on  to  joyn  in  ordaining  him  ;  and  so  I  advised  him  to  make  no 
further  Application  least  it  should  be  fruitless. 

Dr.  Alison's  Congregation  in  Philadelphia  some  few  years  ago 
built  a  Meetinghouse  on  Societ}'  Hill,  and  became  two  Congrega- 
tions, though  but  one  Church  (as  in  New  York),  the  Meetinghouse 
belonging  to  the  Congregations  joyntly  :— the  Ministers  being  Min- 
isters of  both  without  distinction,  Dr.  Alison  and  Mr.  Ewing  alter- 
nately preaching  in  both  each  Sabbath.      It  belonged  to  the  second 

^  No  one  of  this  name  appears  to  have  entered  the  Presbj-terian  ministry. 


250  DIARY    OF    F.ZRA    STILES 

Presbytery  of  Philadelphia.  A  few  years  since  the  joynt  Congrega- 
tions called  Mr.  Akin'  to  the  Ministry  and  the  said  Presbytery  fixt 
him  there  :  and  the  Congregation  in  this  new  Meeting  seemed  to  be 
a  distinct  Church,  though  I  am  not  informed  that  it  was.  For 
Reasons  Mr.  Akin  has  been  removed.  And  the  people  of  that  new 
Congregation  (through  persuasions  of  the  New  Side)  have  been 
prevailed  upon  to  detach  themselves  and  act  separately  from  Mr. 
Ewings  stated   Congregation,  and  give  a  Call  to  Rev.  Mr.  Dufl&eld* 

of near  Susquahanna,  and  ai)plied  to  said  second  Presbytery  of 

which  Pr.  Alison  and  Mr.  Ewing  are  principal  Members  to  translate 
Mr.  Duffield.  or  to  concur  in  applying  to  the  S^'nod  for  that  purpose. 
The  Presbytery,  partly  because  Mr.  Duffield  was  new  side,  and 
partly  because  both  Congregations  being  joynt  proprietors  in  the 
Meetinghouse  it  was  judged  unjust  to  obtrude  a  Minister  contrary 
to  the  Con.sent  of  one  half  the  proprietors,  refused  to  concur.  Upon 
which  the  new  Congregation  applied  to  the  last  vSynod  which  sat  at 
Philadelphia  this  year,  and  asked  them  to  enforce  the  Call  and 
remove  and  settle  Mr.  Duffield  among  them. — The  Synod  accord- 
ingly approved  the  Call  :  which  has  given  great  Offence  to  Mr. 
Ewing  &c.  This  has  been  effected  very  much  through  the 
Influence  of  Dr.  Witherspoon  ;  who  upon  his  coming  to  America  in 
176-  did  not  meet  with  the  most  Cordial  Reception  from  Dr.  Alison 
and  Mr.  Ewing.  And  it  is  thought  that  Dr.  Witherspoon  takes 
pleasure  in  abolishing  the  Importance  and  Influence  of  Alison  and 
Ewing  ;  and  their  old  side  Connexions  ;  and  for  this  Reason  falls  in 
with  and  improves  the  New  Side  Party. 

I  wrote  Letters  to  Dr.  Alison,  Mr.  Ewing,  &  Professor  Davison, 
all  in  Philad'',  by  Mr.  Kennedy,  who  left  me  this  da}-.  I  did  not 
attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture. 

17.  M}-  daughter  Betsey  had  the  IMeasles  in  1759,  and  we  tho't 
Ezra  also,  being  then  a  sucking  child  six  weeks  old  &  then  had 
some  Eruption,  with  one  days  sickness.  However  yesterda}'  he 
unexpectedly  broke  out  ;  and  we  have  now  five  down  with  the 
Measles,  Ezra,  Kezia,  Emilia,  Ruth,  &  Mary,  that  is,  all  the  Chil- 
dren, except  Betsy  &  Isaac  who  had  them. 

19.  Lord's  day.  I  preached  A.M.  on  2  Cor.  iv,  3,  4,  and  P.M.  on 
Prov.  viii,  17  and  32  to  young  Children:  Samuel  Hatch,  aet.  i^/z 
being  drmvned  a  Week  ago.      Read  in  Zinzendorf's  Maxims  &c. 

'vSamuel  Kakin  (Princetou  Coll.  1763). 

'■'George  Duffield  (Princetou  1752),  of  Carlisle,  Pa. 


JULY    17-21,    1772  251 

20.  Last  Evening  I  received  a  Letter  from  London  dated  Ma}'  14, 
wherein  Mr.  Marchant  informs  me  that  he  had  gotten  the  raio  silk, 
we  raised  and  sent  over  to  him,  manufactured,  and  that  the  Silk 
Man  a  Capital  Man  in  the  Business  said — "your  Silk  was  of  the 
best  kind  he  ever  had  ;  much  better  than  the  Philadelphia  Silk 
which  he  used  for  the  Shute  only — the  zchole  icarp  is  of  your  ozvn, 
which  is  always  of  the  best  Silk.  He  was  surprized  to  find  it  so 
well  wound  off  by  a  person  untutored  in  the  Art,  for  those  little 
parcels  which  appeared  like  mere  Snarls,  all  wound  very  well  and 
with  little  Wast."  I  sent  home  about  21  Ounces  and  desired  Mr. 
Marchant  to  buy  some  raw  Philadelphia  Silk  if  a  few  ounces  were 
wanting,  that  the  whole  might  be  American  Manufacture.  The 
most  of  that  I  sent  was  wound  at  Charlestown  and  Philadelphia  by 
European  Winders  but  the  little  parcells  were  wound  by  my  Wife 
seven  years  ago,  and  b}'  much  handling  became  snarled,  yet  was 
well  wound  according  to  the  Italian  manner. 

Mr.  Marchant  says — "  I  dined  a  few  days  ago  with  your  Friend 
Mr.  Saj-er  in  Companj^  with  Mr.  Lee.  And  spent  most  of  the 
Evening  with  the  celebrated  Mrs.  Macaule}',^  I  had  the  pleasure  of 
saluting  that  matchless  spirited  Lady.  She  talked  with  pleasure  of 
the  two  Commonwealths  of  Rhode  Island  and  Connecticutt,  and 
was  surprized  that  amidst  such  Havock  and  Slaughter  of  Liberties 
and  Privileges,  there  should  at  this  da}^  exist  two  such  free  States. 
She  earnestly  hopes  we  shall  preserve  them  to  the  latest  Times. 
She  expressed  a  Desire  of  seeing  our  Charter,  and  I  have  sent  her 
the  volume  of  our  Colon}^  Statutes  &c. — I  sent  her  also  3-our  Sermon 
on  the  Christian  Union,  for  which  she  sent  me  a  Card  of  Thanks. 
She  very  politely  invited  me  to  call  upon  her  again,  which  I  purpose 
to  do.  She  is  in  a  very  infirm  State  of  Health  through  long  Confine- 
ment in  her  studies.  But  her  Spirit  rouses  and  flashes  like  Lightning 
Kpon  the  Subject  of  Liberty,  and  upon  the  Reflexion  of  any  Thing 
noble  and  generous — she  speaks  luidaunted  and  freely  lets  forth  her 
Soul — and  disdains  a  cozvardly  Tongue  or  Pen.'' 

This  day  the  Committee  of  the  Congregation  began  to  shingle 
our  Meetinghouse.  The  old  Shingles  have  lain  on  ever  since  it  was 
first  built  38  years  ago.  The  present  new  ones  are  so  much  better 
than  the  old  (however  very  good)  that  the\-  will  sustain  the  weather 
50  years  to  come. 

21.  Riding  out  2  or  3  miles  on  the  Island  in  a  Chaise,  I  .sat  reading 

'  Catharine  Macaulay — see  below,  Oct.  19,  1772. 


252 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLEvS 


in  a  little  pocket  ^'olume  (Edwards'  Hist,  of  Bapt.)  small  print 
black  Letter,  in  Sunshine.  At  length  the  Letters  on  the  page 
directly  before  my  eyes  all  appeared  red  as  if  printed  with  red  Ink. 
I  instantly  supposed  it  arose  from  the  Contraction  of  the  Pupil  by 
Abundance  of  Light,  or  some  Effect  on  the  Chrystalline  Humor  of 
the  Eve,  so  that  the  Pencil  of  Rays  reaching  the  Retina  consisted  of 
those  of  the  least  Refraction  or  of  the  red  rays  only  ;  or  that  though 
the  black  Letters  absorbed  the  most  of  the  rays,  yet  in  an  abund- 
ance of  rays  the  surface  of  the  letter  was  such  as  to  reflect  some  as 
well  as  transmit  or  absorb  others.  And  thus  I  rode  on  reading  as 
we  went,  but  I  perceived  my  E^'es  to  be  pained,  and  I  seldom  read 
riding,  or  abroad.  I  observed  the  other  lying  oblique  to  ni}"  Ej'e 
was  still  black  but  turning  it  down  it  became  also  red.  I  recollect 
that  I  went  to  Church  on  Christmas  about  1762,  and  coming  out  of 
the  Snow  and  sitting  in  pew  before  the  pulpit  and  looking  stedfasth^ 
at  the  Minister  I  observed  the  Cushion  and  Hanging  around  the 
Desk  to  appear  ^;y^?z  /  which  I  wondered  at,  as  I  knew  they  were 
of  red  J ' civet.  I  viewed  it  again  and  again  and  indeed  pretty  con- 
stantly while  at  Church — (thinking  with  myself  that  the  effect  of 
luminous'  Snow  on  the  pupil  was  the  occasion  of  it)  and  remarked 
that  the  green  Color  continued  perhaps  a  quarter  or  half  an  hour — 
then  the  red  returned  and  the  Cushion  looked  as  it  used  to  do.  By 
Xoon  to  day  the  workmen  finished  shingling  the  South  Side  of  the 
^^eetinghouse  which  is  42  feet  by  60. 

This  afternoon  I  received  a  Letter  from  Dr.  Rodgers  of  New  York 
dated  July  13.  Inst,  together  with  a  packet  of  Pamphlets,  Mr. 
Brown  of  Edinburgh  his  vSermon  before  the  Societ}^  for  Christian 
Knowledge  1769:  and  Dr.  Oswalds  before  the  same  1770;  and 
also  a  Tract  of  Abram  Jagel  the  So7i  of  Hananiah  Entituled,  Good 
Doctrine,  lately  translated  by  a  Jew  in  New  York, — and  a  printed 
Pastoral  Letter  of  the  Synods  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia  dated 
May  26,  1772  to  the  Churches  under  their  Care. 

This  evening  I  baptized  Thomas  son  of  Samuel  Weedon  and 
Abigail  his  Wife,  a  Child  of  two  years  old  dangerously  sick.  The 
Father  has  been  in  doubt  as  to  Infant  Baptism,  and  the  Mother 
originally  a  Baptist,  though  of  late  both  usually  attend  my  Meeting 
and  are  both  of  sober  Lives,  but -both  unbaptized.  Both  expressed 
their  desire  that  the  Child  might  be  baptized.  His  Sister  lived  with 
liim  Widow  Davis  a  Member  of  my  Church,  and  now  present,  with 
anotlier  Sister  of  the  Church.     I  asked  both  parents,  if  they  con- 


JULY    22-25,    1772  253 

sented  z.\\<\.  freely  gave  it  up  to  their  Sister,  so  far  that  she  should 
have  the  Command  of  its  religious  Education,  if  it  should  live? 
They  both  freely  consented.  Then  I  turned  to  Mrs.  Davis  and 
asked  her,  whether  she  freely  adopted  and  accepted  this  Child  for 
her  own,  and  promised  if  God  should  spare  its  Life  to  bring  it  up  in 
the  Knowledge  and  Fear  of  the  Lord,  and  as  her  own  now  gave  it 
up  to  God,  and  desired  baptism  for  it?  She  signified  her  free 
Assent.  Then  I  made  a  Prayer,  and  baptised  it  in  the  name  of  the 
Trinit}',  and  then  commended  it  to  the  divine  Blessing  in  a  finishing 
pra^'er.  There  were  many  persons  and  Children  present  in  the 
Room  during  the  whole  Time  of  ni}-  discoursing  with  the  parents  on 
the  Nature  of  the  Ordinance,  and  the  Administration  of  it  ;  and 
though  some  of  them  were  Baptists,  I  thought  they  seemed  to  be 
seriously  affected  with  the  Solemnity'  of  the  Transaction. 

22.  Mr.  Michael  Todd  here. 

23.  Rode  with  Company  out  upon  the  Island  to  an  Entertainment. 
Attended  Mr.  Hopkins'  Evening  Lecture,  he  preached  on  Rom.  x, 
13.  In  the  Evening  Rev  Samuel  West'  the  learned  Pa.stor  of  the 
Church  at  Dartmouth  visited  me,  and  lodged.  We  sat  up  till  after 
Midnight  discoursing.  He  is  writing  a  piece  on  Liberty  against 
President  Edwards'  Scheme. 

24.  This  forenoon  Mr.  West  went  away.  He  objected  against 
inferring  a  Trinit}^  from  the  plural  Names  of  God  in  Scripture.   .    . 

25.  Rev''.  James  Lockwood  A.M.  died  20th  Inst.  ^Et.  58.  He 
was  born  at  Norwalk,  graduated  at  Yale  College  1735,  was  Tutor  of 
that  College.  Ordained  Pastor  of  the  Church  in  Weathersfield 
Feb.  28,  1738  9  and  continued  in  the  ministr}-  there  ever  since.  He 
was  a  Man  of  little  Stature  ;  a  good  Classic  Scholar,  and  ingenious 
in  Mathematics  and  Philosophy.  Of  a  polite  Taste,  a  ready  Elocu- 
tion, and  performed  the  office  of  the  Ministry  in  the  House  of  God 
and  among  his  People  with  good  Acceptance.  He  was  a  Man  of 
Caution  and  Prudence  and  avoided  intermeddling  deeply  in  any  of 
the  religious  Controversies.  This  Caution  and  Wisdom  together 
with  the  goodness  of  his  public  performances,  made  the  World 
think  him  a  deeper  and  greater  Man  than  he  reall}'  was.  He  was  a 
pretty,  ingenious  Man  ;  not  a  great  Man,  neither  in  intellectual 
powers,  or  Acquirements.  He  was  formed  for  usefulness,  and  was 
an  honor  to  the  Ministry'.      He   was  a   Calvinist  ;   and   more   lately 

'  Born  1730,  graduated  at  Harvard  1754  ;  an  intimate  friend  and  correspondent 
of  Dr.  Stiles.     In  later  life  he  was  classed  as  a  Unitarian. 


254 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


has  been  supposed  to  incline  to  the  Xew  Divinit}- — his  Brother  Rev. 
Mr.  Lockwood  of  Andover  being  fully  in  it.  He  was  a  Gentleman 
of  sober  Deportment,  carrying  rather  a  grave  Severity  in  his  Coun- 
tenance, and  >-et  far  from  Moroseness  :  there  was  Vivacity'  in  his 
manner  ;  his  chearfulness  was  regulated  with  Prudence  and  Cir- 
cumspection. He  was  one  of  those  of  good  natural  powers,  who 
through  proper  Cultivation  soon  come  to  Maturity.  Besides  the 
Academic  Sciences,  he  applied  to  Systematic  Theology  ;  and  Ridgly 
and  [fWfl'rfl' contained  all  his  Knowledge  this  Wa)- .  He  soon  laid 
in  a  stock  from  these  and  a  few  such  Authors  which  he  spent  upon 
all  his  Life  :  and  I  am  inclined  to  suppose  he  was  as  great  a  Divine 
at  the  age  of  30,  as  at  his  Death.  I  was  intimately  acquainted  with 
him  24  years  ago,  and  occasionally  all  along  since.  He  spent  his 
Labors  in  a  large  parish  of  perhaps  300  Families,  who  are  said  to 
be  as  well  instructed  in  Religion  as  any  Church  in  Connecticutt. 
He  has  had  the  prudence  to  lead  that  Flock  in  great  Peace  and 
Love  through  his  Ministry.  He  preached  and  printed  two  Election 
Sermons  (which  I  heard  him  deliver)  in  1754  and  1759.  He 
printed  a  Sermon  on  the  Death  of  Rector  Williams,  and  perhaps 
some  others.  In  1737  he  was  chosen  Tutor  oi  Yale  College,  in  the 
Room  of  my  Uncle  Rev.  Abel  Stiles  settled  at  Woodstock.  [About 
1758  he  was  chosen  President  of  Jersey  College  but  declined.]  In 
1760  he  was  cho.sen  one  of  the  Corporation  of  Yale  College,  in 
which  are  Ten  Fell  on.' s :  [and  1767  was  elected  President  of  Yale 
College  but  declined  it.] 

A  Jew  spent  the  afternoon  with  me.  ...  At  Circumcision  the}" 
have  one  Godfather  &  one  Godmother,  avaSoxoi,  Prsesentatores  ;  the 
real  Father  maj-  be  God-father.  But  most  usually  some  near  Rela- 
tion is  desired,  &  they  are  fond  of  it  as  an  honor  done  them — as 
persons  are  fond  of  being  invited  as  Guests  or  Bridemen  at  Wed- 
dings. Their  office  is  this  :  the  Godmother  brings  the  Infant  in 
her  Arms  to  the  Door  of  the  Room  in  which  the  Circumcision  is 
performed,  or  door  of  the  Synagogue  if  it  be  done  there  ;  &  delivers 
it  to  the  Godfather,  who  receives  &  holds  it  during  the  Operation, 
&  then  carries  it  back  &  delivers  it  to  the  Godmother  waiting  at 
the  Door.  Neither  they  nor  the  Parents  (&  the  Father  is  present) 
make  any  promises  about  educating  the  Child  :  yet  in  ca.se  the 
parent  dies,  the  Godfathers  have  some  special  care  of  Minors.  At 
the  time  of  the  Operation  the  Godfather  makes  sundry  offerings,  & 
that  for  the  Child  is  sometimes  very  large.     Hence  poor  people  are 


JULY    25,    1772  255 

fond  of  having  rich  Godfathers,  &  so  the  rich  are  sometimes  greatly 
burdened.  To  remedy'  this  in  the  Sjaiagogues  in  London,  a  num- 
ber of  rich  Jews  are  associated  for  this  purpose,  to  stand  for  an}^ 
&  all  the  poor  children,  so  that  when  a  poor  child  is  born  one  of  the 
Associates  according  to  a  Lot  drawn  stands.  I  asked  whether  the 
Original  of  Godfathers  might  not  be  that  they  shd.  stand  as  Wit- 
nesses of  Circumcision?  He  replied,  he  tho't  not,  for  there  always 
were  eno"  present  at  the  Ceremony  for  Witnesses.  He  said  the 
Day  of  Circumcision,  the  Name  of  the  Child,  &  the  Names  of  the 
Godfather  &  Godmother,  were  recorded  &  kept.  But  he  said  it 
might  be  done  without,  for  Moses  a  parent  circumcised  his  own 
child  &  this  without  Godfather,  &c.  A  circumciser  ....  seldom 
circumcised  his  own  child.  An}'  one  might  circumcise.  It  was 
not  a  part  of  the  Office  of  Priests  or  Levites — neither  was  there  any 
ceremon)^  at  constitut"^  a  Circumci.ser — any  one  took  it  up  as  he 
pleased.  He  in  America  got  a  Living  by  it ;  but  not  so  in  Europe 
W'here  he  had  no  Fees,  but  accounted  it  an  honor  to  perform  the 
operation  besides  that  it  was  highly  rewarded  in  heaven.  If  any 
performed  the  number  of  his  Name  (or  about  250  or  300)  he  merited 
Heaven,  &  thenceforth  his  Name  of  Moel,  Circumciser,  was  very 
honorable.  So  that  there  were  eno'  in  Europe  fond  of  the  Perform- 
ance, &  kept  the  Foreskins  in  a  Box,  he  had  seen  some  30  years  old. 

He  said  he  knew  one  Family  in  Engl'd  (I  think  Coven tr^^)  not 
of  Jew  Blood,  but  English  &  a  Xtian,  viz.,  a  Man,  his  Wife  &  two 
Daughters — they  came  to  London  &  he  saw  them  renounce  Xtianit}- 
&  profess  Judaism,  &  that  the}-  became  more  strict  in  daily  S^'na- 
gogue  Pra3'ers  &c.  than  the  other  Jews.  He  ga\-e  me  an  Account, 
&c.  The  Man  was  first  circumcised,  after wds.  baptized  in  a 
Bagnio — in  which  there  are  vStairs  to  the  Bottom  where  one  stands 
to  his  Neck  in  Water,  then  his  head  is  plunged  three  Times  in 
Water.  The  Women  were  baptized  in  the  same  Manner.  I  asked 
if  this  was  performed  in  the  sight  of  the  Congreg^.  He  said  no  ; 
but  some  Jewesses  took  the  Women  aside  by  themselves  ;  &  so  as 
to  the  Man.  He  added,  that  the  more  strict  Jews,  baptize  relig- 
ioush^  by  trine  Immersion  three  -Times  a  3'ear,  at  Passover,  &  I 
think  Pentecost,  &  Da}'  of  Atoneme7it  :  that  is,  it  is  a  religious 
Purification  with  them.     But  such  a  Strictness  is  not  exacted. 

When  a  Woman  recovered  from  L3'ing  in,  she  went  to  Synagogue 
on  the  Sabbath.  Her  husband  was  that  day  called  up  as  one  of  the 
seven  to  read  the  Law  :— after  his  passage  was  read,   he  made  an 


256  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILEvS 

offering  for  his  Wife  in  money  instead  of  2  Turtle  Doves.  If  their 
Child  was  a  Daughter,  the  Father  now  gave  it  a  Name,  &  the  Reader 
proclaims,  that  her  Name  shall  be  called  in  Israel  A.  B.  But  there 
is  no  Baptism  of  an  Infant  Girl  of  Jew  Blood.  .  .  I  think  the 
Girl  is  not  bro't  to  the  vSynagogue  at  Naming,  nor  has  Godfathers 
&  Godmothers. 

26.  Lord's  day.  A  great  Aurora  Borealis  last  Night.  I  preached 
A.M.  on  2  Cor.  iv,  3.  P.M.  Col.  i,  10.  Read  Mr.  Hunt's  Sermon 
on  the  Death  of  Mrs.  Sarah  GilL  Wife  of  Mr.  Moses  Gill  of  Bos- 
ton Merchant,  who  died  Aug.  5,  1771,  aet.  43.  Daughter  of  late 
Rev.  Thos.  Prince  :  with  about  30  pages  of  Extracts  from  her 
Writings  or  Papers.  If  I  should  digest  a  Volume  of  female  lyives, 
as  I  meditate  to  do,  I  shall  number  Mrs.  Gill  among  them,  and 
in.sert  No.  2  and  3''  and  9'"  as  a  specimen  of  her  Genius  and  Writ- 
ing and  proof  of  her  sublime  Piety.  I  was  personally,  though  not 
intimately  acquainted  with  her,  from   1754  to  about   1766. 

At  Y  P.  M.  my  Wife  and  I  attended  the  Funeral  of  Billy  Marchaiit 
who  died  3-e.sterday  get.  3  years,  only  son  of  our  w^orthj'  Friend 
Mr.  Agent  Marchantm  London.  The  F'uneral  proceeded  in  fifteen 
Chaises.  Mrs.  Marchant  fainted  at  the  Grave.  He  cometh  forth 
like  a  Flower  and  is  cut  down  ! 

27.  Received  a  Letter  from  Rev.  Wm.  Hart  of  Say-Brook  dated 
July  18,  with  his  Piece  fresh  from  the  press,  "  A  Scriptural  Answer 
to  the  Question,  what  are  the  necessary  Qualifications  for  Attend- 
ance on  the  Sacraments?" 

It  is  customary  with  the  Jews  for  Parents  to  lay  their  hands  on 
the  Heads  of  their  Children  and  give  them  their   Blessing.     If  it 

be  a  son,  the  father  laying  his  hand  upon  him  says "  The 

Lord  make  thee  as  Ephraim  and  Mana.sseh."  Gen.  xlviii,  20.  If 
a  Daughter  "  The  Lord  make  thee  as  Sarah,  Rachel  and  Leah." 
This  is  frequently  done  at  Meals  and  Friday  Evening  after  Supper, 
when  the  Children  come  to  the  parent  for  the  Blessing.  I  have 
.seen  old  Mr.  Moses  Lopez  do  it  to  his  Boys  in  the  Synagogue,  after 
Service. — The   Beginning  of  this  July   died   Rev.    Mr.    Merick'   of 

'  Jonathan  Merrick  (Yale  1725),  of  what  is  now  North  Branford,  Conn.  His 
colleague  was  the  Rev.  Samuel  Eells  (Yale  1765). 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  a  letter  of  the  Rev.  John  Devotion,  of  vSay- 
brook,  to  Dr.  Stiles,  dated  April  25,  1768  : — 

Mr.  Mirick  of  N.  Branford  is  unable  to  ofTiciate,  desires  a  Colleague.  But 
the  People  press  a  Resignation  that  his  Estate  nui)-  help  support  the  Ministry — 
liard  Measure  I  think  towards  one  that  has  served  40  years. 


JULY    26-29,    1772  257 

Branford,  set.  70  circa.  He  has  labored  of  a  Palsy  several  years 
past — Mr.  Eelles  is  his  Co-pastor.  This  Afternoon  I  made  an 
Index  to  this  Diary. 

28.  Rev.  Asa  Dunbar  ordained  Collegue  Pastor  with  Rev.  Thomas 
Barnard  over  the  first  Church  in  Salem  Wednesday  22d  Inst.  Rev. 
Dr.  Appleton  of  Cambridge  preached. 

29.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Shaw'  of  Nantucket  &  I  went  to  the  Mora- 
vian Wednesday  Night  Meeting  &  heard  Rev.  Mr.  Rusmeyer 
preach. 

' '  A  Council  consisting  of  the  Elders  and  Delegates  of  the  First 
Church  in  Roxbury,  First  Church  in  Marblehead,  The  Church 
in  Wenliam,  The  Church  in  Chelsea,  Second  Church  in  Reading, 
with  Delegates  from  the  second  Church  in  Salem  and  the  West 
Church  in  Boston,  convened  at  Salem  for  the  Ordination  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Asa  Dunbar  as  a  Pastor  of  the  first  Church  there,  Colleague 
with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Thomas  Barnard  ;  and  after  solemn  prayer,  and 
proper  Inqziiry  and  Consideration  of  the  Character  and  Qualifications 
of  the  Candidate,  the  Council  unanimously  voted  to  proceed  to  the 
Ordination,  which  was  performed  in  the  presence  of  a  numerous 
and  very  respectable  Assembly  in  the  following  manner  :  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Adams  of  Roxbury  began  with  Prayer  ;  the  Rev.  Dr.  Apple- 
ton  of  Cambridge  preached  a  Sermon  suitable  to  the  Occasion  from 
2  Tim.  ii,  15.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Swain  of  Wenham  prayed  and  gave 
the  Charge  ;  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Paj^son  of  Chelsea  gave  the  Right 
Hand  of  Fellowship."  Rem.  i.  The  Churches  set  down  accord- 
ing to  Priority  of  Gathering — though  there  is  a  doubt  when  Mar- 
blehead shall  be  considered  as  a  Church,  whether  from  about  1643 
or  1684,  at  which  Time  it  was  gathered  or  regathered.  2.  The 
Church  of  Cambridge  is  not  there  in  Council  though  its  Pastor  was. 
Had  that  Church  appointed  a  Delegate  or  sent  the  Pastor  alone,  it 
would  have  been  in  Council.  Usually  the  Pastor  Elect  chuses  the 
Preacher,  and  usually  the  Church  send  to  him  and  his  Church  ;  but 
frequently  otherwise.  Thus  Mr.  Todd  of  East  Guilford  was 
desired  b}'  Mr.  Bartlet"  of  Reading  in  Connecticutt  to  preach — Mr. 
Todd  went  and  preached,  and  the  Council  voted  him  of  the  ordain- 
ing Council,  though  his  Church  was  not  sent  to.  3.  The  2d 
Church  of  Salem  was  present,  but  Mr.  Diman  its  Pastor  absent. 
There  is  great  Controversy  in  Town.     I  presume   he  absented  liim- 

^  Bezaleel  Shaw  (Harvard  1762). 

'^  Rev.  Nathaniel  Bartlett  (Yale  1749),  ordained  in  May,  1763. 
17 


25S  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES  , 

self  on  prudence.  4.  Tlie  \\'est  Church  Boston  present,  but  Mr. 
Howard  its  pastor  absent — providentially. 

30.   Attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Even^  Lecture.     Mr.  vShaw  preached  it. 

-^i Mr.  Shaw  tells  me  Nantucket  contains  about 

4500  souLs — perhaps  100  Indians  :  there  are  no  Baptists,  4  or  5 
Families  Churchmen,  and  150  to  170  Families  Congregationalists, 
the  rest  Quakers  and  Nothings.  There  is  no  Episcopal  Church, 
one  Quaker  Meeting  only  and  one  Presbyterian  or  Congregational 
of  which  Mr.  Shaw  is  Pastor.'  The  church  was  first  gathered 
Nov.  26.  1767  (the  day  of  Ordination)  consisting  of  about  a  dozen 
Brethren,  have  received  but  2  or  3  Brethren  since — Brethren  and 
Sisters  in  Church  now  between  40  and  50.  Sing  Tate  and  Brady's 
\'ersion — have  Lord's  Supper  once  every  two  months — baptized  on 
owning  the  Covenant  without  insisting  upon  coming  to  the  Lord's 
Table. 

Aug. 

1.  Reading  the  Life  of  Father  Paul  of  Venice,  &  his  Rights  of 
Sovereigns. 

2.  Lord's  day.  I  preached  A.M.  on  Rev.  xxii,  8,  9,  and  pub- 
li.shed  William  Coggeshall  and  Patience  R}'der. — P.M.  i  Kings  x, 
8.      Reading  Dion.  Areop. 

3.  Reading  Monthly  Rexiew  April,  1772.  "Human  Lymph 
probably  coagulated  in  a  heat  between  114  and  120^  Degrees  of 
F'ahrenheit's  Thermometer  :  that  the  Senon  requires  a  heat  of  160 
degrees  to  fix  it  :  and  that  consequently  the  Blood  cannot  be  coagu- 
lated even  b}-  the  most  morbid  degree  of  animal  Heat,  which  ne\'er 
rises  above  112  in  the  most  ardent  Fever. ' '  p.  424.  Blood  heat  96. 
F'everii2.  Coagulation,  114  to  i2o}4.  How  nigh  to  death  is 
Fever?  but  2  or  3  degrees  jierhaps.  I  have  known  it  loi  degrees 
al^road  in  a  shade. 

'  The  followinj^  statistics  respecting  Nantucket  are  taken  from  Dr.  vStiles's 
Itinerary  : — 

.\u><.  5,  1 761.  Conversation  with  Mr.  Peckhani  of  Nantucket.  Al)out  Soo 
FaniiHes  as  he  judged  ;  of  which  50  or  60  fain.  Presln-terians.  Not  above  50 
Indian  Men. 

.\ug.  8,  1761.  Mr.  Josiah  Barker  of  Nantucket  told  me  that  that  Island  .  . 
had  about  Soo  families  on  it.  Was  originally  settled  by  20  persons  who  divided 
the  whole  into  20  shares  ;  afterwards  thej-  associated  7  more,  &  so  now  the 
whole  is  in  27  shares.  They  have  about  6  or  7000  Sheep.  They  buy  50  or  60 
Shcej)  from  the  main  yearly.  They  plant  900  or  1000  acres  Indian  Corn 
together. 


JULY    30-AUGUST    5,    1772  259 

4.  Received  a  Letter  from  Rev.  vSanuiel  West  of  Dartmouth   .    . 
This  Day  Mrs.  Channing  presented  me  with  a  Hebrew  Bible  of  her 
former  husband  Dr.  Robinson. 

5.  Monthly  married  Meeting  at  Mr.  Rngli.sh's,  I  discoursed  on 
Cant,  viii,  5.  Next  at  Mr.  Peckham's  2d  September.  In  the 
Boston  print  of  3d  Inst,  it  is  said. 

' '  A  Monument  has  been  cut  in  this  Towm  by  Mr.  Henry  Chris- 
tian Geyer,  Stone  cutter  at  the  South  End,  to  be  sent  to  Connecti- 
cutt :  it  is  executed  in  the  composit  Order  with  twisted  Pillars,  and 
the  other  proper  Ornaments,  having  a  Cherub's  Head  on  Wings, 
and  the  following  Label  from  his  Mouth  Rev.  xiv,  6,  7. — On  the 
Tomb-stone  is  this  Inscription. 

Here  lies 

Until  the  Resurrection 

The  Body  of 

ROBERT   SANDEMAN' 

A  Native  of  Perth,  North  Britain, 

who  in  the  face  of  continual  Opposition 

From  all  Sorts  of  Men 

Long  and  boldly  contended 

For  the  antient  Faith  : 

That  the  bare  Work  of  JESUS  CHRIST, 

without  a  Deed,  or  Thought,  on  the  part  of  Man, 

Is  sufficient  to  present 

The  chief  of  Sinners 

Spotless  before  God  : 

To  declare  this  blessed  Truth 

As  testified  in  the  holy  Scriptures 

He  left  his  Country — he  left  his  Friends, 

And  after  much  patient  Suffering 

Finished  his  Labors 

At  DANBURY 

2^  April  1771, 

aged  53  years. 

Deigned  Christ  to  come  so  nigh  to  us 

As  not  to  count  it  shame 
To  call  us  Brethren — shall  we  blush 

At  aught  that  bears  his  Name. 

Nay  let  us  boast  in  his  Reproach 

And  glory  in  his  Cross, 
When  he  appears,  one  smile  from  him 

Shall  far  o'erpay  our  Loss." 

iThe  founder  of  the  sect  of  Sandemanians.     Dr.  Stiles  collected  in  1764-65 
materials  for  his  history,  which  are  preserved  in  a  MS.  volume. 


2  6o  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

6 Attended  Mr.   Hopkins'   Evening  lyccture  ;  he 

preached  on  Ps.  xxxvii,  4.  In  company  with  Mr.  Peck  Separate 
Minister  at  Rehoboth.  Mr.  Hopkins  did  not  ask  him  to  preach. 
He  seems  to  be  a  serious  pious  Man. 

7.  Mr.  Peck  dined  with  me,  and  gave  me  an  Account  of  the 
general  conference  of  thirty  Churches  met  by  Delegates  in  1753  or 
1752  at  Exeter  in  Elder  vSprague's  Meetinghouse — Mr.  Peck  was  a 
Member  present.  Near  half  and  half  Baptist  and  Congregational. 
\'oted  open  Communion  between  Baptists  and  Psedobaptists,  through 
the  Separate  Interest.'  Mr.  Samuel  Peck  is  now  66  years  old.  He 
learned  Latin  about  1725  enough  to  enter  College  and  was  designed 
bv  his  Father  for  a  College  Education — but  prevented.  He  was 
ordained  over  a  Separate  Church  in  Rehoboth  as  Pastor  Oct.  1751 
by  the  La>'ing  on  of  the  Hands  of  Mr.  Solomon  Payne  of  Canter- 
bury. Vlx.  Thos.  Stevens  of  Plainfield,  Mr.  Shepherd  of  Attle- 
borough.  Teaching  Elders  among  the  Separates,  and  also  Deacon 
Richmond  of  Providence  who  laid  on  hands.  We  had  much  Con- 
versation. 

8.  Writing  or  copying  a  Letter  to  Astracan  near  the  Caspian 
Sea 

9.  Lord's  day.  I  preached  all  da}'  upon  Isai.  xl,  31,  and  noti- 
fied Catechising  to  morrow  at  V  P.M.  This  day  Rev.  Mr.  Ru.ss- 
meyer  and  his  wife  sailed  for  Philadelphia. 

10.  This  day  Son  Isaac  ret.  9  &  began  to  go  to  Mr.  Pemberton's 
Grammar  School.  Catechised  22  Boys,  33  Girls,  5  Negroes,  Total 
60  Children.  This  day  sailed  for  London  a  Raft  or  Ship  of  Tim- 
ber consisting  of  a  thousand  Tons  of  square  Timber  and  300  Tons 
of  Pine  wharf  Logs  :  the  Premium  for  the  Timber  40  shillings  ster- 
ling a  Ton,  will  produce  ^2000.  sterling,  besides  the  Sale  of  Tim- 
ber. The  Sailors  were  procured  with  great  Difficulty,  as  the 
Safety  was  much  doubted.  It  was  built  at  Warren.  I  read  out 
Mr.  Hart's  Piece  on  Qualifications  for  Bapti.sm  and  the  Lord's  Sup- 
per.     Painting  Inside  Meetinghouse. 

12.  Visited  Mr.  Touro  the  Jew  Priest  or  Reader,  and  discoursed 
with  him  on  sundry  Texts  in  Hebrew.  Monthly  meeting  of  the 
Brethren  and  Sisters  of  my  Church.  I  discoursed  on  Ruth  i,  16. 
We  had  a  sweet  and  full  meeting 

'  I-"or  a  fuller  account  of  this  conference,  and  of  :\Ir.  Peck,  see  the  Proceed- 
inj(s  of  the  Mass.  Historical  Societ}-,  viii,  220-23. 


AUGUST   6-17,    1772  261 

13 Rev.  Samuel  West  of  Dartmouth  spent  the  day  with 

me.     He  preached  Mr.  Hopkins'  Evening  Lecture,  Gal.  iii.   .   .   . 

14.  Mr.  Hopkins  and  Mr.  West  at  my  Study  discoursing  largely 
for  3  hours  on  metaphysical  points,  respecting  Liberty,  Prescience, 
Decree.  Mr.  Hopkins  supposed  Prescience  was  founded  on  Decree, 
because  Decree  onlj-  rendered  Futurition  certain  in  Nature.  Mr. 
West  supposed  this  would  make  God  the  Creator  of  his  own  Knowl- 
edge ;  whereas  he  supposed  Omniscience  was  not  a  moral  but  natural 
perfection,  so  depended  not  on  the  divine  Will  or  choice — any 
more  than  his  omnipotence  or  self-existence.  Mr.  West  and  I 
examined  and  criticised  on  many  Hebrew  words 

15.  Visited  by  Mr.  Kaulbach  of  Nova-Scotia. 

16.  lyOrd's  day.  I  preached  A.M.  on  John  iv,  24.  P.M.  John 
iii,  36.     Mr.  Hopkins  sick  and  no  preaching  in  his  Meeting. 

17.  Mr.  Kaulbach  is  an  Elder  in  the  German  Calvinistic  Church 
at  Lunenburgh  Nova  Scotia,  and  is  sent  out  to  collect  Monies  for 
Building  a  Meetinghouse.  He  was  one  of  about  200  Germans 
which  came  from  the  Rhine  and  settled  in  Nova  Scotia  A.D.  1750. 
They  first  sat  down  in  Halifax,  then  settled  at  Lunenburg  about 
1753  or  1754.  They  are  now  above  sixt}'  Families — have  been 
destitute  of  a  Minister  from  the  Beginning  ;  but  assembled  on 
Lord's  daj'S  prayed  sang  and  read  a  Sermon  together  at  Mr.  Kaul- 
bach's  house.  The}'  applied  to  the  Germans  at  Philadelphia  to 
send  them  a  Minister  but  without  success.  The  Episcopalians  had 
built  a  Church  in  Eunenburgh  and  the  Clergymissionaries  preached 
there  (though  onl}^  2  or  three  Episcopal  families  in  Eunenburgh) 
and  endeavored  to  dissuade  the  Germans  from  meeting  by  them- 
selves, would  have  them  break  up  and  come  to  Church.  Many 
went  to  Church.  But  Mr.  Kaulbach  upheld  his  Meeting.  The 
Episcopalians  thinking  the}'  should  carry  their  point  if  they  could 
discourage  and  dissolve  this  Meeting,  used  every  Stratagem  and 
Art  to  affect  it,  and  even  proceded  to  Measures,  threatening  to 
inform  against  the  Germans  as  disaffected  to  the  civil  Government 
— and  sometimes  came  to  the  House  and  authoritatively  forbad  Mr. 
Kaulbach  to  have  a  Meeting,  which  they  called  Sedition  and 
Rebellion.  Some  were  intimidated.  The  Germans  Children 
speaking  English,  they  now  wanted  a  Minister  that  could  preach 
in  both  Tongues.  Mr.  Bruin  Romcas  Comingoe,  commonly  called 
Mr.  Brown,  (now  at  the  Age  of  46)  came  over  among  the  Germans 
about    1752.     Had   not    an    University    Education    but    had    been 


262  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 

brought  up  iu  the  family  of  a  Germau  [Dutch]  Calvinistic  Minister 
aud  understood  Latin.  From  1764  to  1770  he  had  lived  under  the 
Ministry  of  Rev.  Mr.  Seccomb  Pastor  of  a  Congregational  Church 
in  Chester  near  Halifax  :  who  very  much  formed  him  in  Theology. 
His  countrymen  at  Lunenburgh,  discouraged  as  to  expecting  a 
Minister  from  Philadelphia,  at  length  united  in  calling  Mr.  Comin- 
goe  to  the  Ministry.  And  determined  to  apply  for  his  Ordination 
first  to  the  English  Presbyterian  or  Congregational  Ministers  in 
Xova  Scotia,  and  if  they  declined,  then  to  send  him  to  Philadelphia 
to  ask  Ordination  of  the  German  Ministers  there.  They  accord- 
ingl}"-  applied  to  four  Presbyterian  Ministers,  who  assembled  upon 
the  Occasion  not  at  Lunenburg  but  at  Halifax.  Deacon  Ferguson 
of  Halifax  and  Mr.  Kaulbach  were  acquainted  &c.,  and  agreed  to 
inform  the  latter  when  more  than  one  Minister  was  in  Halifax, 
when  they  might  come  thither  and  apply  for  Ordination.  Rev. 
Dr.  More  Presbyterian  Minister  in  Halifax  was  absent  in  England 
raising  a  Fund.  Rev.  Mr.  Seccomb  frequently  and  usually 
preached  at  Halifax.  Mr.  Seccomb  and  Mr.  Lyon  being  in  Town 
Information  was  sent  to  Lunenburg.  Mr.  Kaulbach  and  Mr. 
Shuply  carrying  the  Call  in  the  Behalf  of  the  German  Congrega- 
tion, accompanied  Mr.  Brown  the  Pastor  Elect  to  Halifax  80  or  go 
Miles.  When  there,  it  was  thought  best  to  have  more  Ministers 
to  give  Solemnity  to  the  Transaction,  as  it  was- vehemently  calum- 
niated b}'-  the  Churchmen  as  if  the  Presbyterian  Ministers  headed 
and  countenanced  Sedition  among  the  Germans.  Accordingly  Mr. 
Kaulbach  rode  50  or  60  Miles  further  &  across  to  the  Menis  Towns 
and  procured  Rev.  Mr.  James  Murdoch  a  Presbyterian  Minister  in 
I  think  Horton,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Lyon  Pastor  of  a  Congregational 
Church  in  Cobequid  and  Rev.  Mr.  Phelps  Pastor  of  a  Congregational 
Church  in  Cormcal/is.  The  two  last  with  Rev.  John  Seccomb 
(<'Et.  65  cir. )  had  been  ordained  by  Congregational  Ministers 
in  New  England.  Mr.  Murdoch  was  ordained  in  Scotland  among 
the  Seceede?'s,  and  came  over  a  Seceder,  but  accepted  a  Call  to  a 
Congregational  Church  ;  and  I  believe  has  introduced  Elders,  as 
the  Congregational  Church  in  Halifax  and  sundry  Congregational 
Churches  in  New  England  have  2  or  more  Elders  besides  the  Pas- 
tor to  this  day.  His  Church  do  not  consider  him  as  a  Seceeder  but 
only  as  a  good  preacher  and  a  worthy  Man  :  and  he  troubles  his 
Congregation  with  his  Presbyterian  &  Seceeding  principles  as  lit- 
tle as  Dr.  Ladly  a  Scotch  Presbyterian  Minister  now  in  the  Dutch 


AUGUST    17,    1772  263 

Church  in  New  York.  These  4  Ministers  being  assembled  at 
Halifax  (without  lay-Delegates  and  Elders  from  their  respective 
Churches),  after  the  Manner  of  an  Ordination  Council  in  New 
England  ; )  did  publickly  in  the  Presbyterian  Meetinghouse  there, 
ordain  Rev.  Bruin  Romcas  Comingoe  a  Minister  of  the  Gcspel  to 
the  Dutch  Calvinistic  Congregation  at  Eunenburg,  by  the  Eaying 
on  of  the  Hands  of  the  sd.  Rev.  Messieurs  Seccovib,  Phelps,  Murdoch^ 
and  Lyon.^  Mr.  Seccomb  preached  on  John  xxi,  15,  16.  Mr. 
Murdoch  read  the  Result  of  the  Council,  or  as  it  is  called  a  Repre- 
sentation of  the  depressed  state  of  the  Dutch  Calvinists  in  Eunen- 
burgh,  with  Reasons  of  their  proceeding  in  Vindication  of  them- 
selves as  well  in  ordaining  a  Minister  for  Germans,  as  one  not  of 
academic  Education,  declaring  that  thej^  had  examined  him  as  to 
"his  Knowledge  of  speculative  and  practical  Religion  ;  his  Ability 
rightly  to  divide  the  Word,  the  Articles  of  his  Faith  &c."  "  And 
we  can  assure  this  Audience  (and  others)  that  he  has  given  us 
ample  Satisfaction  in  all  these  particulars.  And  if  we  are  Judges 
of  these  Matters,  his  Knowledge  of  the  Scriptures  makes  that  com- 
monly received  Maxim  among  the  Schools  true  concerning  him, 
bomis  Textuariiis  est  bonus  Theo/ogiis."  Mr.  Murdoch  then  put  the 
Question  publickly — "  Mr.  Kaulbach  and  Mr.  Shuply,  do  you  as 
Commissioners  from  the  Congregation  of  Calvinists  at  Eunenburg 
renew  in  their  Behalf,  your  Call  to  Mr.  Bruin  Romcas  Comingoe?" 
Quest.  2.  "  Do  you,  Mr.  Br.  R.  Comingoe  accept  of  the  said  Call 
and  Invitation  to  be  their  Pastor?"  Both  Questions  answered  in 
Affirmative.  Then  he  put  9  Questions  to  Mr.  Brown,  respecting 
his  Belief  of  the  Scriptures,  the  Heidleburgh  and  Asseniblys  Cate- 
chism, promise  10  adhere  to  the  Doctrine  and  Discipline  and  Gov- 
ernment of  the  reformed  presbyterian  Churches  with  Allegiance  to 
King  George  III''.  This  done  Mr.  Eyon  gave  the  Charge,  and  Mr. 
Phelps  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship.  —  This  zvas  the  first  Ordina- 
tion performed  in  Nova  Scotia,  21  3^ears  after  its  Settlement  as  an 
English  province.  The  province  was  settled  1749 — this  Ordination 
was  on  Tuesday  July  3,  1770,  his  Excellency  the  Rt.  Hon.  Lord 
William  Campbell  Governor  of  the  Province  with  a  Number  of  his 
Majest^^'s  Council  and  persons  of  several  Denominations  were  pres- 
ent on  the  Occasion. 

Upwards  of  Sixty  Families  Germans  are  under  Mr.  Brown's  Care, 
engaging  to  give  him  for  Salary  a  Dollar  a  Famil}^  and  a  Bushel  of 

'  See  also  this  Diary,  Aug.  10,  1771. 


264  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Wheat  yearly.  Having  received  Ordination  he  went  to  Lunen- 
burg and  was  received  with  great  Joy  by  his  people,  to  whom  he 
preached  the  next  Lord's  day  on  "  Peace  be  to  this  House  " — when 
the  whole  Congregation  wept  Tears  of  Joy.  He  immediately  led 
the  Congregation  to  chuse  three  Elders  Mr.  Kaulbach,  Mr.  Lay, 
and  Mr.  Shuply,  and  nine  Deacons,  which  Elders  and  Deacons  he 
ordained  by  prayer  and  laying  on  of  his  hand  and  blessing  them 
in  the  name  of  the  Lord.  The  Elders  are  officers  for  Life  usually, 
the  Deacons  only  for  two  years  when  new  ones  are  chosen  and 
ordained.  The  Deacons  do  not  serve  at  the  Lord's  Table,  but  visit 
and  inspect  the  Conduct  of  those  in  their  Neighborhoods  :  and  as 
the  families  live  scattered  some  6  or  10  miles  off,  so  they  appoint  a 
Deacon  for  every  neighborhood.  The  Minister  and  Elders  receive 
and  repel  from  the  Lord's  Table,  and  admitted  immediately  about 
80  or  90  Communicants,  among  whom  Mr.  Brown  administers  the 
Lord's  Supper  four  Times  a  3^ear.  This  is  the  forming  a  Congre- 
gation. They  do  not  sign  a  Confession  of  Faith  and  Church 
Covenant  as  in  gathering  Churches  in  New  England.  All  the 
writing  and  subscription  there  was  at  Lunenberg  was  only  to  a 
paper  signifying  their  Desire  to  have  Mr.  Brown  their  Minister  and 
promising  individually  to  give  him  so  much  yearly.  The  Idea  of 
the  Reformed  seems  to  be  this,  a  promiscuous  Congreg-'  of  bap- 
tized and  unbaptized  agree  to  call,  and  call  a  Minister  and  chuse 
persons  in  their  Behalf  to  present  the  Call;  and  the  Minister  receiv- 
ing the  Call  seeks  Ordination,  then  comes  to  his  Flock  and  enters 
on  the  pastoral  Office  and  Charge  without  further  Ceremon3\  He 
leads  them  to  chuse  Elders  &c.  which  he  ordains.  Then  he  and 
the  Elders  have  the  care  of  the  Church  jo^nitly.  The  Minister 
soon  notifies  in  the  Congregation  that  the  next  Lord's  day  he  pur- 
poses to  administer  the  Lord's  supper,  and  notifies  any  and  all  that 
desire  to  partake  to  meet  at  a  place  and  Time  appointed  before  the 
Elders  ;  when  the  Minister  and  Elders  examine  the  persons  as  to 
their  Knowledge,  Faith  and  Lives,  and  judging  them  qualified 
approve  them,  and  the  Pastor  gives  each  Communicant  a  Note 
or  Certificate.  The  day  before  the  Sacrament  is  a  preparation 
day  and  a  Sermon.  At  the  Sacrament  the  Communicants  bring 
and  deliver  to  the  Pastor  his  Certificate  and  receives  the  Com- 
munion thus  :  The  Minister  coming  to  the  Sacramental  Table, 
which  stands  just  before  the  Pulpit,  makes  a  prayer  over  the  Bread 
and  Wine  ;  the  Communicants  then  come  up  and  stand  around  the 


AUGUST    17,    1772  265 

Table  (10  or  a  dozen  at  a  Time)  as  many  as  can,  and  in  a  standing 
posture  receive  both  Elements  at  the  hand  of  the  pastor,  who  in 
delivering  the  Sacrament  to  each  person  repeats  the  words  in  i 
Corinthians  xi,  24-26.  They  retiring  others  come  up  to  the 
Table  &c.  &c. 

Now  this  Examination  for  Communion  is  to  be  repeated  every 
Time  :  so  that  there  doth  not  seem  to  be  a  body  of  Communicants 
having  a  right  of  Course  to  partake  (as  in  the  Congregational 
Churches)  but  the}-  are  to  be  made  anew  and  settled  every  Time 
the  Ordinance  is  administered.  In  the  Congregational  Churches, 
if  they  are  once  admitted  and  embodied,  they  are  intituled  to  all 
Privileges  of  Course,  till  the  Church  discipline  them  for  Scandal. 
But  this  is  not  the  Idea  of  the  Scotch  or  Dutch  Presbyterian 
Churches,  in  which  the  Communicants  are  a  Bod}'  by  themselves 
only  for  the  present  Participation,  and  then  are  dissolved,  and  to 
be  gathered  or  formed  or  prepared  anew  :  and  for  this  end  they  are 
to  be  spoken  with  by  the  Elders  every  Time.  When  a  person's 
Qualifications  have  been  once  thoroly  tried  and  approved,  'and  he 
continues  to  lead  an  exemplary  and  steady  Life,  he  needs  do  no 
more  but  signify  his  Desires  to  the  Elders  and  he  is  received  again. 
But  the  Thing  must  all  be  done  anew  ever}^  Time.  If  the  Elders 
find  Scandal  &c.  they  refuse  and  the  person  is  repelled,  till  he 
repents  and  in  some  Cases  makes  a  Confession  in  the  publick  Con- 
gregation. These  Examinations  previous  to  Communion  being 
carried  to  great  Severity  introduced  auricular  Confession  of  secret 
Sins  to  the  priest  for  obtaining  absolution  in  the  romish  Church. 
Though  this  is  not  exacted  in  the  protestant  Churches,  yet  in  all 
a  preparation  is  required— and  in  most  a  sort  of  Absolution  or  new 
Approbation  is  exacted. — The  Calvinist  Ministers  baptize  the 
Children  of  all  persons  of  good  Lives  or  free  from  Scandal,  whether 
Communicants  or  not. — Mr.  Kaulbach  has  been  to  Philadelphia 
asking  Contributions  towards  their  Meetinghouse  35  and  40  feet — 
received  Monies  not  only  from  Germans,  but  the  two  English 
Presbyterian  Churches  in  Philadelphia  Mr.  Ewing's  and  Mr. 
Sprout's  about  /^i2.  each. — Also  contributions  in  the  Congrega- 
tions in  New  York  and  Albany.  He  applied  at  New  Haven,  but 
they  declined. 

In  1750  arrived  at  Halifax  one  Ship  with  four  hundred  souls 
Germans,  (Mr.  Kaulbach  among  them,  now  43  years  old)  ot  which 
full    one  half  died  the  first   year.     In    1751   two  small   ships   less 


266  DIARY   OF    EZRA    STILES 

crouded,  and  in  1752  one  more — in  all  brought  perhaps  250  Ger- 
man passengers.  None  came  afterwards.  Those  that  lived  through 
the  Seasoning  might  be  400  souls  or  80  or  90  Families.  From  them 
derive  all  the  Germans  in  Nov^a  vScotia,  originally  Lutherans  and 
Calvinists  the  greater  part  the  former,  and  both  without  Ministers. 
They  sat  down  at  Halifax  till  1753,  when  in  June  the  most  ot  them 
removed  and  settled  at  lyunenburg  about  60  miles  West  of  Halifax. 
When  they  first  came,  both  Halifax  and  Lunenburg  were  Wood 
and  Forest  ;  there  came  to  them  at  Lunenburg  a  small  body  25  or 
30  Families  of  French  protestant  Families  from  Europe  with  their 
Pastor  Rev.  Mr.  Moreau  or  Maurieau.  The  Church  Politicians 
per.suaded  him  to  take  Orders  from  the  Bishop  of  London — and 
introduce  a  French  Translation  of  the  Church  of  England  Liturgy 
into  his  Congregation,  under  a  Salary  from  the  Society  &c.  The 
Lutherans  met  by  themselves  on  Lord's  days,  and  so  did  the  Cal- 
vinists and  read  Sermons  &c.  At  length  the  Church  Polititians 
lookt  out  a  Lutheran  Minister  to  churchify  or  episcopize  them. 
They  fbund  Rev.  Paid  Prezeliiis  a  Swedish  Lutheran,  who  came 
over  a  Minister  to  a  Swedish  Lutheran  Congregation  in  Pensyl- 
vania.  He  was  a  changeable  Man — became  successively  in  America, 
a  Lut/ieraji,  ^  Mcnnonist,  a  Tiinker  Baptist,  a  Moravian,  and  now  an 
Episcopalian.  Him  they  persuaded  to  be  reordained  by  the  Bishop 
of  London,  take  a  Salary  from  the  Society,  and  become  a  Mission- 
ar)^  to  the  Lutherans  at  Lunenburg.  He  is  said  to  be  not  only 
mutable  as  to  his  religious  principles,  but  of  an  unsteady  Conduct 
and  doubtful,  jovial,  merry  Morals.  To  finish  the  Conversion  of 
the  Lunenburg  Germans  to  the  Church  of  England,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Breynton  Episcopal  Missionary  at  Halifax  went  to  London  1770 
and  brought  over  300  Church  of  England  prayer  Books  translated 
into  German  and  distributed  them  at  Lunenburg — it  being  given 
out  by  Mr.  Prezelius,  that  it  was  expected  whoever  received  them 
became  Church  men.  About  1769  died  Rev.  Mr.  Moreau.  The 
Church  Polititians  found  Rev.  Mr.  De  la  Rosh  a  French  Calvinist 
Minister  educated  at  Geneva,  reordained  by  the  Bishop  of  London, 
took  a  Salary  from  the  Society  and  is  come  an  Episcopal  Clergy- 
man to  the  French  in  Mr.  Moreau' s  stead.  He  is  a  learned  serious 
good  Minister.  These  are  the  religious  Stratagems  of  the  Church 
to  episcopize  Lunenburg. 

They  are  a.ssiduous  in  civil  and  political  Stratagems.     Mr.  Zuber- 
bulher  was  a  German  Calvinist  brought   up   in  Switzerland.     He 


I 


AUGUST    17,    1772  267 

had  a  learned  Education  in  a  University.  The)^  have  made  him  a 
Councillor,  and  Judge  of  a  Court — they  episcopized  him  and 
depended  on  his  Influence  to  draw  over  and  secure  the  German 
Calvinists,  and  to  confirm  the  French  Converts.  The  Deputies  in 
General  Assembly  from  lyunenburg,  3  of  which  are  German,  are 
episcopized.  Great  Assiduity  used  to  persuade  the  people  that  all 
would  soon  conform  to  the  Church,  and  that  it  would  be  fruitless 
to  stand  out.  Thus  every  Thing  cooperated  towards  swallowing 
up  all,  and  the  Calvinists  among  the  rest,  in  the  Gulph  of  Epis- 
copacy. Judge  Zviberbulher  once  a  Brother  Calvinist  now  a  zeal- 
ous Chhman,  forbid  them  to  assemble  for  Worship  at  a  private 
house  and  called  Mr.  Kaulbach  to  account  for  convening  the  people 
saying  it  was  seditious.  They  were  threatened  with  civil  prosecu- 
tions, assured  that  the  civil  Authority  would  not  permit  them  to 
have  their  Minister  ordained  in  Nova  Scotia,  given  to  expect  the 
Frowns  of  Government,  Loss  of  Offices  &c.  &c.  Pains  was  taken 
by  the  Church  part)^  to  discourage,  intimidate  and  prevent  the 
Ministers  from  proceeding  at  the  very  Time  of  Mr.  Bruin's  Ordina- 
tion. Every  Art  was  used  to  subdue  and  extinguish  the  Calvinists. 
But  Mr.  Kaulbach  and  others  assumed  Spirit  &  Resolution  & 
went  through  with  it,  to  the  Amazement  of  the  Germans  themselves 
as  well  as  Court  Polititians.  It  was  determined  if  the  Presbyterian 
Ministers  declined  ordaining,  Mr.  Brown  should  go  to  Philadelphia 
for  Ordination.     This  settled  the  point. 

Mr.  Brown  being  ordained,  they  begin  to  be  treated  with  more 
Respect  and  less  Acrimony.  About  30  Men  have  subscribed  to 
build  a  new  Meetinghouse  30  or  35  and  40  feet,  but  for  this  were 
obliged  to  hire  ^100  or  ^150  sterling  of  which  near  /"loo  is  yet 
unpaid.  They  have  raised  and  covered  but  not  glazed  the  House. 
The}^  have  bought  a  Ministry  House  half  finished  for  ^50.  Mr. 
Kaulbach  will  carry  home  a  Collection  of  about  ^100.  Philadelphia 
money  ;  of  which  ^^^33.  collected  in  the  German  Calvinist  Church  in 
Philadelphia. 

Now  1772  there  are  about  300  Families  in  Lunenburg.  Thus 
estimated 

150  Families  Lutherans )       •         •      ,     Rev.  Paul  Prezelius 
^  ,-  episcopized 

45  "         French        3  Rev.  Mr.  De  la  Roche 

60          "         Calvinists  Rev.  Bruin  R.  Comingoe 

40  to  43    "         no  Religion. 

2  "         English  Episcopal. 


268  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

The  Lutherans  excited  by  the  Example  of  the  Calvinists  are  seek- 
ing a  Lutheran  Minister  and  may  perhaps  draw  off  into  a  Lutheran 
Congregation.  So  that  the  Episcopization  of  Lunenburg  is  yet 
critical.  There  is  a  Lutheran  Congregation  at  Halifax  which  have 
built  themselves  a  Meetinghouse  and  constantly  assemble  there  on 
Lord's  days  and  read  Sermons  &c.  in  the  Lutheran  Manner,  but 
without  a  Minister.  The  Church  Polititians  have  persuaded  them 
to  suifer  Mr.  Breynton  to  baptize  their  children — and  he  sometimes 
goes  to  their  Church  and  administers  the  Lord's  Supper  to  them  ; 
they  have  been  persuaded  to  have  it  written  over  the  Door  in  gold 
Letters  ''King  George's  ChiDx/i''  instead  of  King  JESU'S  Church. 
And  what  is  the  most  surprising  part  of  this  Church  Craft  Intrigue 
and  Hypocrisy,  this  place  of  worship  is  certified  in  the  Society's 
Abstracts  as  one  of  the  Chapels  belonging  to  the  Mission. 

There  are  about  60  Communicants  in  Mr.  Bruin's  Church,  16 
Brethren,  rest  Sisters.     The  first  Church  Officers  thus 

Rev.  Mr.  Brown        Pastor  9  Deacons 

Mr.  .  .  Kaulbach  \  Martin  Bourn         Valentine  Wightman 

Mr.  Michael  Lay    -  Elders  Baubist  Beckman  Leonard  Urick 
Mr.  Shuph'  )  Philip  Herman       Jacob  Moser 

Peter  Swicker         John  \"akel3^ 

Henry  Coch 

19.  By  the  Prints  I  find  the  Bill  in  Parliament  to  free  Dissenters 
from  Subscription  to  the  39  Articles,  was  rejected.  The  Bishop  of 
London  told  the  House  that  he  was  authorized  to  sa}^  that  manj' 
of  the  most  eminent  dissenting  Ministers  were  against  the  Bill. 
Dr.  Priestls',  a  Presb5'terian  Minister  was  handled  with  great 
Severit)'  b}'  the  Bishop  of  Landaff,  who  read  passages  in  the 
Doctor's  Writings,  at  which  Mr  Pitt  (Lord  Chatham)  shrugged 
and  groaned  wnth  Horror  and  Disapprobation.  Mr.  Pitt  spoke  in 
favor  of  the  Dissenters  or  for  the  Bill. 

At  Concord  in  Massachusetts  July  3.  ult.  convened  at  the  call  of 
the  Church  and  aggrieved  there,  a  mutual  Council  consisting  of  13 
Churches.      Present  by  their  Elders  and  Delegates 

The  I  St  and  2d  Churches  in  Stoughton 
The  I  St  and  2d  "         in  Rowley 

The  ist  and  2d  "         in  Newbury 

The  Church  in  Nottingham  West 
The  2d  Church  in  Cambridge 


AUGUST    19-24,    1772  269 

The  Church  in  Newbury  Falls 

The  2d  Church  in  Shrewsbury 

The  Church  in  Upton 

The  Church  in  Groton 

And  I  St  Church  in  Portsmouth  by  their 

Delegate  Rev.  Samuel  Dunbar  Moderator. 

This  shews  the  Church  has  right  to  call  Churches  promiscuously 
and  at  a  Distance  as  they  please.  An  ex  parte  Council  had  sat 
there  a  little  before  convened  by  certain  aggrieved  Brethren. 
Concord  has  been  used  to  Councils  30  years  past.  The  mutual 
Council  disapproved  some  Indiscretions  and  Imprudencies  in  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Emerson'  Pastor  of  Concord,  as  well  as  some  things  in 
the  aggrieved— then  concluded  not  to  go  through  all  the  Articles 
of  Charge,  but  to  advise  a  mutual  Amnesty  and  Forgiveness. 

20.  The  small  pox  is  in  Town  brought  here  by  a  Vessel  last 
from  Virginia,  she  arrived  here  13th  Inst.  7  or  8  days  on  her 
passage  from  Virginia.  Tuesday  one  White  Man  and  two  Negro 
Boys  were  carried  to  Coasters  Harbor.  This  daj'  Daughter  Ruth 
seven  years  old. 

The  Letter,  that  Publius  Lentulus  the  Proconsul,  wrote  from 
Jerusalem  to  the  Roman  Senate,  describing  the  Person  and  Character 

of  JESUS  CHRIST This  Letter  in  Latin  I  have 

not  seen.  It  is  generall}^  considered  as  a  Forgery.  I  see  nothing 
in  it  but  what  would  be  natural  for  an  observant  Proconsul  to 
write  ;  and  it  seems  to  be  in  the  free  epistolary  way.  I  extract  it 
from  Examen  de  Ingenios  or  Tryal  of  Wits  originally  written  in 
Spanish  by  Dr.  Juan  Huartes,  (who  says  he  holds  it  for  a  true 
Relation)  &  translated  into  English  by  Mr.    Bellamy  A.D.    1698. 

21.  No  Lecture  at  Mr.  Hopkins'  Meet'g  last  night. 

22.  Reading  Dionysius  :  also  Rev''  Elisha  Fish  of  Upton  his  ser- 
mon on  Gen.  ix,  27. 

23.  Lords  day.  I  preached  A.M.  Ps.  civ,  34.  P.M.  i  Jno.  iii,  3. 
Both  old  Sermons.  Reading  Bp.  Lewis  Count  Zinzendorfs  Max- 
ims ;  and  also  in  Dionysius  Areopagita. 

24.  Instance  of  Court  Fraud  and  Knavery.  Count  Struensee 
.  .  .  beheaded  Apr.  28,  1772  ...  In  the  Ages  when  Persia  or 
the  Medo-Persian    Empire    claimed    Greece    as    a  Member  of  the 

•William  Emerson  (Harvard  1761),  grandfather  of  Ralph  Waldo  Emerson. 
The  difficulties  arose  principally  from  the  rejection  of  a  person  who  had  offered 
himself  for  admission  to  the  church. 


270  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Empire,  and  sent  Armies  for  the  Reduction  of  it  together  with  the 
lesser  Asia,  they  used  great  address  to  draw  over  the  Athenian 
Nobles  and  Generals  into  their  Interest.  Carrying  them  home  to 
the  Court  of  Persia  and  shewing  them  the  Extent  and  Splendor 
and  Power  of  the  Empire,  enobling  and  pensioning  them  highly — 
they  sent  them  back.  .  .  .  — Gov.  Hutchinson  for  a  Pension  of 
^1500.  sterling  is  laboring  the  Persian  Interest  with  his  Country. 
25 In  the  late  Combinations  of  the  American  Mer- 
chants against  Importations  &c.  and  against  the  exorbitant  Fees 
of  the  Customhouses — some  Merchants  kept  themselves  from  the 
Combinations.  Mr.  Aaron  Eopez'  a  Jew  Merchant  in  this  Town  is 
one.  For  this  the  Collector  &c.  shew  him  all  Lenity  and  favor. 
He  has  above  twenty  Sail  of  Vessels,  and  his  Captains  are  all 
exempted  from  Swearing  at  the  Customhouse,  and  make  their 
entries  &c.  without  Oath.  But  the  Oath  is  strictly  exacted  of  all 
who  were  concerned  in  the  Non-Importation  Agreement.  This  I 
was  told  yesterday  by  one  of  Mr.  Lopez's  Captains  long  in  his 
Employ.  The  Man  o'  War  yesterday  seized  his  Vessel  and  Wines 
by  Accident  and  Folly  of  the  people  who  in  5  row  Boats  were 
endeavoring  the  night  before  to  run  41  Quarter  Casks  of  Wine.  The 
Vessel  and  Wines  will  be  condemned — but  it  is  said  they  will  be  set 
up  at  a  Trifle  and  Lopez  will  bid  them  off  at  far  less  than  Duties  ; 
so  that  he  shall  make  his  Voyage  good.  Favor  and  Partiality  !  And 
yet  these  Customhouse  Men  are  perpetually  clamoring  on  cheating 
the  King  of  his  Revenue.  The  Customhouse  in  Newport  produces 
;i^200o  or  ^3000  sterling  per  annum  to  the  Revenue  Chest  at 
Boston  ; — a  fourtnight  ago  they  shipt  ^800  sterling  to  Boston,  and 
retained  ^200  for  Contingencies.  There  is  such  a  swarm  of 
Officers,  that  like  the  plague  of  Locusts  they  devour  all  before 
them.  They  very  particularly  torment  the  Sons  of  Libert)^  and 
all  who  opposed  the  Antiamerican  Measures  of  the  Parliament  and 
Ministry.  This  Summer  Mr.  Christopher  EHery's^  Vessel  fell  into 
their  hands,  a  Sailor  having  a  bag  of  20  lbs.  of  Tea,  this  was  the 
only  Thing :  He  was  obliged  to  go  to  the  Commissioners  at  Boston 
and  it  cost  him  60  or  80  Dollars  to  get  her  delivered.  I  have 
known  Collector  Dudly'  refuse  a  present,   a  Cask  of  Wine  or  &c. 

'  See  this  Diar}-,  June  8,  1782. 

'•"Son  of  Dep.  Gov.  William  Ellery,  born  1736,  died  1789;  his  wife  was  Mary, 
daughter  of  Samuel  Vernon. 

"Charles  Dudley  was  Collector  of  Customs  at  Newport  from  1768. 


AUGUST    25-26,    1772  271 

and  tell  the  Owner  (whom  he  went  to  befriend)  that  he  was  obliged 
to  refuse  all  Gratuities  and  dare  not  take  any  Thing — neither  did 
he  from  him  in  several  Voj^ages.  The  Collector  answered  his  End 
— this  Man  believed  it,  and  trumpetted  through  Town,  that  the 
Collector  received  nothing  but  lawful  Fees.  Much  about  the  same 
Time  I  heard  a  Captain  say  that  his  people  had  wheeled  home  to 
the  Collector  Wines  Fruits  &c.  and  they  were  not  rejected  nor 
returned.  I  have  been  informed  of  much  higher  Customhouse 
Frauds  and  Peculations.  How  did  Dudly  get  his  Office  ?  His 
Father  is  an  Episcopal  Clergyman  in  the  West  of  England  in  some 
of  those  diminished  Towns  where  30  or  40  Freeholders  elect  two 
Members  of  Parliament :  the  Father  was  the  omnis  Homo  of  the 
Parish  and  could  by  his  Influence  command  the  Election.  He  set 
his  price,  as  is  said,  that  his  son  shd  have  the  CoUectorship  of 
Rhode  Island.  The  Member  of  Parliament  procured  it  for  him. 
Dudly  behaves  in  Office  as  well  as  any  of  them  :  but  bad  is  the 
best.  I  w^ould  not,  for  10  Thousand  Worlds,  administer  so  many 
Oaths  to  known  false  Accounts  or  be  knowingly  accessory  to  the 
daily  Perjuries  which  he  midwifes  into   the  World  of  Error  &  Sin. 

This  Day  the  Town  of  Newport  voted  for  Inoculation  for  the 
Small  Pox.  A  Bill  was  preferred  to  the  Assembly  sitting  here  last 
Week  for  lyiberty  of  Inoculation.  The  Assembly  referred  it  to  the 
Sessions  in  October  ;  and  directed  that  the  several  Towns  in  the 
mean  Time  should  signify  their  Approbation  or  Disapprobation 
and  instruct  their  Deputies  accordingly.  A  vote  is  carried  in  this 
Town  to  instruct  their  Deputies  to  vote  for  it  the  next  Sessions. 
But  it  is  very  offensive  to  a  great  part  of  the  Town,  who  fear  it 
will  occasion  the  spreading  of  the  Small  pox  in  the  natural  Way. 
The  Negro  Boy  died  of  it  last  Sabbath  :  but  the  other  two  are 
likely  to  do  well.     This  day  Daughter  Mary  is  five  years  old. 

26 Mr.  Checkly  shewed  me  a  Collection  of  Church 

papers  respecting  the  Congregational  Church  in  Providence,  latelj'- 
received  from  Rev.  Josiah  Cotton  their  former  Pastor,  and  chiefly 
respecting  the  Convulsion  in  which  the  Separation  was  formed. 
That  Church  was  gathered  Oct.  23,  172S  when  Mr.  Cotton  was 
ordained.  Continued  in  Peace  till  1741  ;  when  the  Church  con- 
sisted of  about  Members.  Deacon  Joseph  Snow  (Father  of 
him  afterwards  Minister)  led  off"  and  headed  the  Separation.  Four 
of  the  Separates  wrote  a  Letter  dated  Apr.  2,  1743  to  Mr.  Cotton 
desiring  a   Council  to   consider  Articles  of  Charge  against  him. 


2-2  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Upon  which  Mr.  Cotton  appointed  a  Fast  to  seek  God  &c.  Mr. 
Cotton  was  a  pious  Man  and  orthodox,  but  an  Opposer.  They 
accused  him  as  a  dull  general  preacher — for  holding  Sanctification 
the  best  Evidence  of  Justification  &c.  At  length  thej^  stuck  up 
over  rhe  Deacon's  Seat  a  Notification  dated  Sept.  lo,  1743  and 
appoint  a  Church  Meeting  in  which  is  among  other  Things,  as  fol- 
lows.— "  Reason  2.  That  we  suppose  that  every  Member  of  a 
Church  hath  a  Right  both  by  the  Gospel  and  our  Platform  to  be 
heard  of  the  Church  in  the  Cause  of  Offence  from  any  one  or  more 
of  the  members.  Reason  the  3".  That  though  the  power  of  Office 
is  vested  in  the  Elder  or  Elders  of  a  Church,  yet  the  power  of 
Priviledge  is  vested  with  the  Brethren  in  common  ;  so  that  they  have 
right  to  call  the  Church  together  in  extraordinary  cases  tvithout  the 
Elder  or  Elders.  Reason  4*''.  That  oicr  present  Cause  is  extraordi- 
nary. For  i"  Mr.  Cotton  our  Elder  and  Pastor  is  the  Offender 
himself  and  2^.  that  Mr.  Cotton  has  refused  the  Brethren  their 
Right  of  being  heard,  which  is  theirs  according  to  the  Platform, 
therefore  We  appoint  a  Meeting  of  this  Church  to  be  held  at  the 
house  of  Joseph  Snow  junior  to  begin  at  one  of  the  Clock  on  thirds 
day  Next  in  the  after  noon,  then  and  there  to  cJiuse  one  or  more  of 
the  Brethren  to  head  and  moderate  and  lead  this  Church  in  said 
Meeting  according  to  Platform  and  hereby  notify  both  Pastor  and 
Brethren  to  be  present,  in  order  to  here  the  agreved  Members  and 
Mr.  Cottons  reply  to  them,  and  to  act  and  do  in  that  and  all  other 
respects  that  the  Church  shall  see  fit  to  act  upon  according  to  the 
Word  of  God  &  our  Platform. 

Jabez  Ross  Joseph  Snow 

Benjamin  Cary  John  Ta5^1er 

Peter  Tefft  Solomon  Searll 

Jo.seph  Snow  jun.  Thomas  Knolton 

Barzilla  Richmond  John  Pain 

Alex^  McRary  Samuel  Tefft  " 

"  A  true  Copy  of  the  Original  Notification  which  is  Signed  by 
the  mager  part  of  the  sd  Church." 

Tliis  I  tran.scribe  from  the  Original  sent  to  Mr.  Cotton  being  in 
Deacon  Snows  Hand  Writing.  Soon  after  this  John  Taylor  rased 
out  his  name,  Thomas  Knowlton  turned  Baptist,  John  Tift  con- 
fessed his  fault,  Jabez  Ro.ss  married  his  Wife's  Sister  and  removed 
to  Topsfield. 


AUGUvST    26,    1772  273 

Those  that  met  upon  this  Notification  chose  Joseph  Snow  jun. 
Moderator  and  his  Father  Deacon  Joseph  Snow  sen.  Clerk,  and 
adjourned,  and  met  again  Sept.  27  1743,  Mr.  Cotton  not  present. 
They  sent  Mr.  Searl  and  Mr.  Ross  a  Committee  to  wait  upon  Mr. 
Cotton  with  their  Articles  of  Complaint  and  request  him  to  appear 
before  them  and  answer.  Mr.  Cotton  refused  to  go  but  gave  them 
a  Boston  print  of  Sep.  6  1743,  containing  the  Testimony  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Stone'  of  Harwich  concerning  the  Times.  They  thereupon 
drew  up  a  Paper  in  which  they  call  themselves  the  Church,  wherein 
they  write  among  other  Things — "  it  was  proposed  to  the  Church 
whether  Mr.  Cotton's  extraordinary  Conduct  was  a  sufficient  Rea- 
son why  this  Church  should  proceed  to  Reject  and  depose  him  from 
the  ministerial  Office  in  this  Church. — Voted  in  the  Affirmative. 
Furthermore  it  w^as  debated  whether  the  above  Reason  was  suf- 
ficient Ground  for  the  Church  to  ad))ionish  him  as  a  Member  and 
Brother. — Voted  in  the  Affirmative."  This  was  signed  by  the 
Moderator  and  Clerk  and  a  copy  certified  by  the  Clerk.  Then  on 
the  same  paper  was  subjoyned  a  Declaration  "furthermore  do  sig- 
m.{y  to  you  that  this  Church  doth  reject  and  depose  You  from  the 
ministerial  Office  in  this  Church" — together  with  an  Adiiionitioyi. 
After  the  Admonition  was  added  on  the  same  paper — "  Providence 
Sept  29  1743.  We  the  Subscribers  Members  of  the  Congregational 
Church  of  Christ  in  Providence  do  hereby  signify  our  joynt  Con- 
currence with  the  foregoing  lyctter  in  full 

John   X   Tayler  J^^ez  Ross 

mark  Benjamin  Cary 

Samuel  Tefft  Solomon  Searll 

Alex'  M'^Crery  Jo.seph  Snow 

John  Pain  Barzilla  Richmond 

Peter  Tefft  Joseph  Snow  jun." 

Between  signing  the  first  paper  and  this  Thomas  Knowlton 
became  Baptist,  which  was  the  reason  of  his  not  signing.  Samuel 
Tift  voluntarily  erased  his  name  Dec.  22  1743,  as  did  J.  Taylor 
13  Febry  following. 

The  Pastor  and  his  adhering  Brethren  as  the  Church  dealt  with 
the  separating  Brethren,  and  administered  an  Admonition  and  Sus- 
pension  dated   March   22    1743/4.  read  to  them  March  25  by  Mr. 

'  Nathaniel  Stone  (Harvard  1690),  pastor  of  the  ist  Parish  in  Harwich,  after- 
wards part  of  the  town  of  Brewster,  on  Cape  Cod. 
18 


274 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


Coniptou   and   Mr. 
Separates. 

Benj.  Cary 
Deacon  Snow 
Thos.  Knowlton 
Alex^  ^rCrearj' 
Solomon  Searl 
Peter  Tifts 
John  Pain 
Joseph  Snow  jun' 
Ebenezer  Knight 


Marshall.     The   Names   shew   the    number   of 


Barzilla  Richmond 
Elizabeth  Snow 
Sarah  Snow 
Sarah  Snow  jiin' 
Sarah  Hunter 
Thankful  Carj' 
Hannah  Pain 
Hannah  Cook 
Ann  Taylor 


lo  Zerviah  Field 
Sarah  Ames 
Ann  Ames 
Kezia  Knowlton 
Susanna  Knowlton 
Elizabeth  Searl 
Sarah  Richmond     15 

10  Brethren 

15  Sisters. 


These  were  the  Foundation  of  the  Separate  Church  in  Providence. 
This  Admonition  was  read  publickly  Apr.  29  1744  to  the  whole  Con- 
gregation. It  was  read  again  afterwards  Aug.  14  1745,  "  at  a  reg- 
ular Church  Meeting  in  the  Meetinghouse,  I  read  this  Admonition 
&c.  (it  being  Tuesday)  to  our  separate  Brethen.  There  being  there 
present,  eighteen  Brethren,  equallj^  divided.  J.  C."  Five  of  the 
Separates  wrote  a  Letter  to  Mr.  Cotton  May  25.  1745  desiring  him 
to  call  a  Council,  by  Advice  of  Rev.  Geo.  Whitfield.  Mr.  Whit- 
field had  advised  them — to  take  back  their  Admonition — return  to 
the  Lord's  Table — Mr.  Snow  fo  leave  off  preaching — and  call  a 
Council  to  conciliate  them.  They  declined  3  Articles  of  Advice, 
and  asked  a  Council.  This  brought  on  a  Church  Meeting  called 
by  the  Pastor,  who  with  his  Adherents  readily  agreed  to  a  decisive 
Council  ;  but  some  of  the  Separates  insisting  it  should  be  onl}^ 
advisory,  nothing  was  done,  but  administer  the  Admonition. 

Before  this    "at  a  regular  Church  Meeting  began  14  Aug.  1744 

&c We  the  Subscribers  being  members  of  the  Church  of 

Christ  in  Providence  whereof  the  Rev.  Mr.  Josiah  Cotton  is  Pastor 
have  heard  and  considered  the  thirteen  Articles  exhibited  hy  our 
sepperrate  Brethren  against  our  Reverend  pastor — do  judge  the 
matters  and  Things  alledged — not  proved  &  of  no  Validity  at  all. 
We  therefore  deem  him  as  the  regular  Pastor  of  our  Church  now  as 
ever.  And  whereas  our  separate  Brethren  to  the  number  of  Eleven 
or  12  did  promise  and  engage,  that  if  our  Rev"  Pastor  could  make 
out  that  those  Brethren  which  were  of  the  standing  part  of  the 
Church,  were  the  majority  that  they  would  acknowledge  that  they 
were  wrong  in  what  they  had  done  and  would  return  again. 
Whereupon  the  Brethren  desired  the  Pastor  to  call  over  the  names 


AUGUST    26,    1772  275 

of  the  standing  part  of  the  Church,  which  was  done,  and  found  to 
be  fourteen  in  Number,  besides  two  more  not  then  mentioned, 
which  makes  sixteen  in  the  whole  ;  which  promise  they  fell  from 
&c.  Upon  the  whole,  when  we  consider  the  Carriage  and  Conduct 
of  our  separate  Brethen  towards  our  Rev"  Pastor  and  his  Adherents 
we  cant  but  judge  that  they  are  in  a  great  measure  led  by  a 
spirit  of  Prejudice,  Error  and  Delusion ;  from  which  we  pray  the 
God  of  peace  and  Truth  to  deliver  tliem.  We  further  desire  that 
our  Rev"  Pastor  would  make  a  Church  Record  of  what  is  con- 
tained &c.  Witness  our  hands. 

Matthew  Short  Thos.  Field 

his  Joseph  Bagley  Deacon 

Thos.  X    Dexter  Benj.  Belknap  Deacon 

mark  John  Johnson 

John  Ames  Benj.  Marshall  " 

"A  true  Copy  &c.  attested  by  me  Benj.  Marshall  Scribe." 
The  separate  Meeting  was  upheld  from  1742  or  1743  to  1746/7 
by  many  Preachers  and  Exhorters  among  them,  and  these  indiffer- 
ently Baptist  or  Presbyterian — for  this  meeting  coalesced  all  of  any 
Denomination  caught  with  the  exhorting  Spirit  of  those  Times. 
But  they  had  no  Church  formed  nor  Ordinances  of  Baptism  and 
Supper  administered.  At  length  they  resolved  to  embody  and 
ordain  Mr.  Snowjun''  Pastor,  agreeing  in  two  fundamental  Con- 
cessions that  au}^  Brother  should  have  Liberty  of  speaking  and 
exhorting  &c.  in  the  Congregation,  &  that  the  mode  and  subjects 
of  Baptism  should  be  indifferent  and  no  Bar  of  Communion — the 
Pastor  to  baptize  Infants  &c  by  vSprinkling  and  those  who  desired 
it  by  plunging.  Accordingly  they  gathered  their  mixt  Church  by 
a  Doctririe  of  faith  and  Church  Covenant,  as  usual  in  Congregational 
Churches,  in  1746/7.  The  first  Separate  Ordinations  by  Laymen 
in  those  Times  began  1746  at  Mansfield  in  Connecticut  by  Messrs. 
Pain,  Denison,  Stevens  &c.  who  went  the  rounds  in  Connecticutt, 
&c.  ordaining  Elders  &c.  They  were  sent  to  ordain  Mr.  Snow, 
and  some  of  them  came,  and  Mr.  Snow  was  ordained  by  the  lay- 
ing on  of  hands  of  Mr.  Solomon  Pain  and  Mr.  Thos.  Stevens  sep- 
arate Elders  in  Connecticut,  and  one  lay  Brother  of  the  Church 
(as  Mr.  Snow  himself  told  me)  on  Feb.  12,  1746/7.  Previous  to 
which  Mr.  Cotton  sent  this  Letter. 


276  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

"  Providence  9  Febr.  1746/7. 
To  Messrs.  Deacon  INIarsh,  Sol"  Pain,  Mr.  Denison  and  Thomas  Stevens. 

Gexti.EMEN — Having  been  informed  a  few  days  since  by  my  Brother  Peter 
Tift  that  the  12"'  of  this  Inst.  February  was  to  be  ordained  over  him  and  our 
other  separating  Brethren,  Brother  Joseph  Snow  jun'  as  their  pastor  and  that 
by  yourselves,  I  thought  it  my  indispensable  Duty  in  conjunction  and  at  the 
request  and  by  the  united  Consent  of  the  adhering  Members  of  my  Church  to 
take  this  first  opportunity  of  bearing  open  and  explicit  Testimony  against 
either  their  proceedings  or  yours  in  any  thing  of  this  nature.  Assuring  }^ou 
that  Mr.  J.  S.  jun'  (with  10  or  12  more  of  our  Brethren)  lays  under  Scandal 
with  this  our  Church  ;  and  ergo  according  to  the  Rules  of  the  Gospel  and  our 
Church  platform  he  and  they,  with  twice  that  Number  of  Sistci's,  have  some  of 
them  had  2  Letters  of  admonition  and  suspension  sent  to  them  formerly,  & 
others  more  lately  one  Letter  of  suspension  and  admonition.  Therefore  we 
do  now  protest  against  your  and  their  present  process,  till  they  shall  be  first 
regiilarly  by  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  and  according  to  Platform  dismissed 
from  us  ;  and  also  he  the  said  Snow  examined  and  approbated  with  regard  to 
his  Qualifications  as  a  INIinister  &  experience  &  Evid.  as  a  Xtian  &c.  &c." 

J.   CoTTOX." 

But  it  had  no  Effect.  It  seems  as  if  12  Brethren  and  20  sisters 
or  more,  or  about  30  Members  Communicants  left  Mr.  Cotton  and 
united  in  Mr.  Snow's  Chh. 

So  early  as  Apr.  11  1743  the  Separates  proposed  a  Council — but 
it  was  with  a  view  to  get  Mr.  Cotton  dismissed.  They  complain 
of  Refusal.     The  following  Letter  shows  that  matter. 

"  Provid.  19  July  1745. 
"  Mv  VERY  DEAR  DE.\R  Brethrp:n. — Yesterday  P.M.  after  our  solemn 
Thanksgiving  (and  before  the  Catechising)  was  read  twice  in  our  Church  a 
Letter  dated  25  May  1745  signed  J.  S.,  E.  K.,  S.  S.,  P.  C.  and  J.  S.  jun'  wherein 
3'ou  seem  to  request  a  Coi;ncil.  On  which  I  reply  as  I  have  truly  before  and 
repeatedl}',  viy  good  will.  But  my  dear  Church  think  themselves  no  way  con- 
cerned therein  being  totally  overlookt  neglected  and  slighted  by  your  taking 
no  Notice  of  them  in  any  form  whatsoever  in  said  Epistle  and  desire  me  thus  to 
write  their  INIinds  to  you.  But  as  soon  as  they  shall  properly  be  addressed  by 
you,  they  will  be  ready  with  my  ufiworthy  self  their  and  your  Elder  to  come 
into  a  Council  in  order  for  a  Reconciliation,  and  in  the  mean  Time  We  remain 
your  aggrieved  Brethren  and  hearty  friends. 

JosiAH  Cotton  Pastor  (in  their  Behalf.)" 

These  are  extracts  from  the  Original  Papers  now  in  the  Hands 
of  Mr.  Checkly,  lately  procured  from  Mr.  Cotton,  being  in  the 
hand  writing  of  Mr.  Cotton,  Deacon  Snow,  and  Mr.  Marshal. 
Remark  i.  If  the  Separates  in  1743  were  a  Majority  of  the  Breth- 
ren,  yet  their  proceedings  were  violent  and  disorderly.     2.   If  a 


AUGUST    26,    1772  277 

Minority  (as  by  the  Declaration  of  Pastor  and  his  adherent  Breth- 
ren in  1744  when  the  standing  Brethren  were  14  and  Separates  12) 
then  they  were  highly  censnrable  and  the  Suspension  of  the  vSep- 
arates  i74}i  disabled  them  from  acting  till  reconciled.  They 
might  form  another  Church  but  could  never  after  act  as  members 
of  Mr.  Cotton's  Church.  The  Congregational  Church  therefore, 
did  not  go  with  the  separates  but  continued  with  Mr.  Cotton  and 
his  Brethren.  3.  This  Church  dismissed  Mr.  Cotton  about  perhaps 
1748/9,  when  he  removed  and  became  Pastor  of  the  Church  of  San- 
down  in  New  Hampshire.'  About  1751  or  1752  the  Congregation 
of  Mr.  Cotton  procured  Rev.  Mr.  Bass  of  Ashford'  and  he  preached 
8  or  10  years,  but  did  not  administer  the  Ordinances.  He  died 
there  1762.  The  Church  and  Congregation  were  reduced  to  a  low 
and  disconsolate  State.  Rev.  David  Sherman  Rowland,  lately 
Pastor  of  Plainfield,  came  and  accepted  a  Call  of  the  Church  and 
Congregation  Apr.  1763.  About  this  Time  and  I  think  a  little 
before,  there  was  a  Daj'  of  Fasting  and  Praj^er  held  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Burt  Pastor  of  Bristol,  Rev.  Mr.  Carnes'  Pastor  of  Rehoboth  &c. 
who  with  their  Churches  were  Feoffees  in  Trust  holding  the  Meet- 
inghouse in  Providence  for  a  Congregational  Church  &c.  At 
which  Time  there  was  a  Revival  of  the  Church,  a  recovenanting, 
and  several  new  Members  admitted  and  Baptism  administered. 
Mr.  Rowland  settling  took  the  pastoral  Care  (without  Instalment) 
accounting  himself  a  Minister,  and  immediately  administered  Bap- 
tism and  lyord's  Supper,  and  admitted  Communicants.  During 
the  prostrate  state  from  Mr.  Cotton's  Departure  the  Succession  of 
the  Church  survived  in  but  a  few  :  I  think  only  four  Brethren, 
Belknap,  Johnson,  Marshal,  Dexter,  appeared  before  Mr.  Burt  «&c. 
to  declare  themselves  continuing  on  the  Original  Foundation  of 
the  Church  in  1763.  By  the  Blessing  of  God  on  Mr.  Rowland's 
Labors  the  Congregation  has  flourished  again,  and  in  1770  were 
become  equal  to  60  or  seventj^  families,  the  church  consisting  of 
between  30  and  fourty  Communicants  or  more  (for  Mr.  Rowland 
then  gave  me  a  L,ist)  of  which  perhaps  15  or  20  Brethren.  So  that 
it  is  now  in  as  flourishing  an  Estate  as  before  New  lyight.      Mr. 

^  He  was  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1722. 

^John  Bass  (Harvard  1737),  ordained  in  Ashford,  Conn.,  1743,  dismissed 
June,  1 75 1. 

^John  Carnes  (Harvard  1742),  pastor  in  that  part  of  Rehoboth  afterwards  set 
off  as  Seekonk. 


278  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

Snow  carried  off  the  bigger  half  of  the  Congregation  :  and  asso- 
ciating the  Separate  Baptists  formed  a  Congregation  of  now  100 
Families  and  80  or  90  Communicants,  chiefly  Baptists.  The 
Majorit\-  of  the  Church  being  Baptists,  will  chuse  a  Baptist  for 
their  next  Minister  after  Mr.  Snows  Death,  and  so  that  church 
will  terminate  Baptists,  some  few  perhaps  in  that  Case  returning 
to  the  original  Church.  Mr.  Manning,  Baptist  President,  preaches 
for  Mr.  Snow  at  Times  ;  he  did  so  lately  on  the  day  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  and  previous  to  that  administration  he  went  out  of  the 
Meeting,  declining  to  communicate  with  them,  alledging  he  is  for 
close  not  open  Comvmnion  ;  as  all  the  Baptist  Churches  with  Baptist 
Elders  are,  unless  perhaps  Elder  Babcock's  at  Westerly.  The 
Town  of  Providence  is  now  1772  about  400  houses,  500  families — 
I  estimate  100  families  real  Baptists — 140  political  Baptists  and 
Nothingarians — 140  Mr.  Snow's  Congregation  73  Baptists  and  yi 
Presbyterian — 60  pasdobaptist  Congregational — 40  Episcopalian — 
20  families  Quakers — a  few  Sandemanians — and  perhaps  20  or  40 
persons  Deists. 

27.  Visited  by  Mr.  Checkl}-  in  the  Evening  &  did  not  attend  Mr. 
Hopkins  Lecture. 

29.  In  conversation  with  a  Gentleman  from  Tobago,  he  told  me 
there  were  5500  souls  Negroes  there,  and  but  300  White  Men,  of 
which  four  only  had  \\'ives  himself  being  one.  Probabl}-  200 
Soldiers,  100  Planters  &  Overseers.  A  most  unnatural  &  absurd 
Colonization  !  Sundry  Baptist  Ministers  are  in  Town  conven^  for 
Provid.  Commencement.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Rogers  of  Philadelphia 
preached  at  the  Sabbatarian  Meeting  this  Forenoon  :  and  in  the 
Afternoon  Rev.  Mr.  Gano  of  New  York  preached  there.  The 
Exercise  began  a  little  after  II'',  and  ended  at  IVj4".  After  the 
Congregation  was  dismissed;  Rev.  Mr.  Maxsen  administered  the 
Lord's  Supper  to  his  Church,  which  did  not  end  till  half  after  Five 
o'clock. 

30.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Eph.  iv,  24.  P.M.  on  i 
Cor.  iii,  1 1. 

31.  At  V  P.]\L  I  catechised  13  Boys,  39  Girls,  4  Neg.  56 
Children. 

September 

2.   Ivxamining   Poli  Synopsis   on    Christ's    Sermon    on   Mount. 
Spent  the  Afternoon  in  Conversation  with   Dr.    Bartlett 


AUGUST    27-SEPTEMBER    3,    1772  279 

We  had  a  long  Discourse  concerning  the  Authenticity  of  the  vScrip- 

tures There  are  in  Town  persons  that  are  Unbelievers. 

Dr.  Bartlett  is  a  sensible  and  firm   Believer  in   Revelation  ;  under- 
standing the  Doctrines  of  Jesus  in  the  sense  of  the  Calvinists. 

3.   Reading    2    lyCtters    of  Mr.    Israel    Dewey    to    Rev.   Samuel 
Hopkins    dated    Sheffield    Dec.    14,    1757 — and   January    9,    1759. 
Upper   Sheffield    was   since    called    Great-Barrington,    where   Mr. 
Dewey  lived  under  the   Ministry   of  Mr.    Hopkins.     Mr.    Hopkins 
had    preached    on     "the    I^ord    reigneth    &c."    and    asserted    the 
Decrees,  the  eternal  Plan,  and  that  nothing  could  possibly  happen, 
but  what  was  right  and  ought  to  be  rejoyced   in,    because  all  was 
exactly  as  God  ivould  have  it,  even  Events  the  most  vile  and  enor- 
mous.    The  next  Sermon  was  on  using  the  World  &c.  in  which  he 
discussed  this  Inquiry,  when  we  abused  the  World  ?     Answer,  then 
only    "when  we  used  them   contrary   to  the   Intention,  End   and 
Design    for   which    they    were    given."       Mr.    Dewey    in    a    visit 
observed — "  if  God — ordained  and  appointed  all  the  Wickedness 
that  comes  to  pass  among  men  and  Devils,   then  certainly  it  must 
be   allowed,    that   that   wickedness  of  men  in   abusing  the  World, 
could  not  be  contrary  to  the  Intention,  End  and  Design  of  God  the 
Giver,  but  exactly  agreeable  to  the   appointment   and   Determina- 
tion of  God." — "  You  did  not  attempt  to  reconcile  these  2  sermons 
— But,  Sir,    the  drift  of  your   Discourse   was  to   this  purpose,    in 
declaring  that  we  were  to  believe  these  Things  to  be  so,   and  that 
God  the   allwise   Governor  of  the  Universe,    saiv  it  best  that  Sin 
should  enter  into   the    World,    alledging  this  Reason,    that  if  Men 
and  Devils  had  not  sinned  God  zvould  have  had  no    Opportunity  of 
discovering  his  Hatred  against  Sin,  nor  his    Wisdom  and  Goodness  in 
the  Redemption  of  Man  :  so  that  upon  the  whole   Sin   teas  best  and 
that  it  served  the  greatest  and  noblest  purposes  ;  and  particularly  the 
fall    and    Apostasy  of  Man   was   actually   best   for  this   Reason,    it 
brought  the  greatest   Glory  to  God;  alledging  that  if  God   had  not 
seen  Sin  best  upon  the  whole,  viewing  the  whole  plan  he  had  before 
him,  he  7iever  would  have  permitted  Man   to   have  sinned;  therefore 
Gods  permitting    man    to  sin   was  proof  eno'   that   it  was   really 
best."     Mr.  Dewey  replies  by  deducing  a  consequence, — God   had 
then  actually  put  Man  under  a  I,aw,  which  it  was   "best  upon  the 
whole  should  not  be  observed,  but  broken."     In  his  2''   Eetter  to 
Mr.  Hopkins  he  acknowledges  the  receipt  of  Mr.   Hopkins'  Letter 
in  Answer  dated  4  Feb.  1758:  observing  that   Mr.   H.   says  in  his 


28o  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Letter — ''  \\\d.\.  all  the  exercises  of  Men'' s  Hearts,  and  all  the  Actions 
and  Events  depending  thereon,  are  real  and  necessary  Parts  of  the 
government  and  wise  Plan  &c.  —that  therefore  nothing  comes  to  pass 
but  zchat  is  exactly  as  God  zao?(ld  have  it."  He  endeavors  to  fix  this 
absurdity  on  Mr.  H.  viz.  that  Sin  is  infinitely  contrary  and  hateful 
to  God,  and  yet  that  it  is  not  so — .  ' '  I  would  entreat  you  to  con- 
sider what  you  do,  by  your  attempting  to  prove  that  God's  Hatred 
against  sin  is  not  infinite ;  for  sin  is  an  infinite  Evil  and  for  that 
Reason  deserves  infinite  punishment.  Now  if  God's  hatred  against 
sin  is  not  infinite  his  hatred  is  not  agreeable  to  the  Thing. — You 
endeavor  to  prove  and  say,  that,  if  God's  hatred  against  sins  taki7ig 
place  is  inf?n'te,  then  he  is  infinitely  the  most  miserable  of  any  Being 
in  the  Universe,  p.  6."  Dewey  alledges  Texts  of  Scripture  to  show 
that,  Sin  is  not  the  7cill  of  God : — and  deduces  certain  Consequences 
from  Mr.  H.'s  principles — as  that  God  willing  Sin  and  Evil,  God 
and  the  Devil  are  of  one  Mind,  and  united  in  carrying  on  th&t 
work,  which  God  has  eternally  willed  and  planned  out  for  him  ; 
''the  will  of  God  a) id  the  luill  of  the  Devil  are  perfectly  united  in  the 
matter  of  Sin,  and  that  they  are  aiming  both  at  one  and  the  same 
Thing."  Texts  Ezek.  33,  11,  Matt.  23,  37.  2  Pet.  3,  9. — i  Timo. 
2,  4.  Mr.  Dewey  then  conjectures  (but  he  is  mistaken)  that  Mr. 
H.  took  his  Notions  from  Mr.  Bellamy's  Writings,  in  which  he 
computes  like  a  Merchant  Profit  and  Loss  hy  Permission  of  Sin  ; 
shewing  that  in  the  collective  Universe  not  above  i  soul  in  17 
Thousand  will  perish — and  that  the  Fall  of  Men  and  Angels  will 
be  attended  with  much  greater  Quantity  of  Happiness,  than  could 
have  taken  place  without  vSin,  that  Si)i  luill  prove  9600  Millions 
clear  Gain  &  profit  to  the  Universe. 

"  And  now  Rev'' and  Dear  Sir — I  would  just  observe  that  the 
plain  and  manifest  Design  of  the  Scriptures  is  to  declare  against 
Sin. — Nor  can  it  be  true  that  Sin  should  be  contrary  to  God's  Lazv, 
Nature  and  Will,  and  at  the  same  Time  be  perfectly  agreeable  to 
his  good  Will  and  Pleasure,  and  exactly  as  he  zuould  have  it,  as  you 
are  pleased  to  express  it.  And  now,  Sir,  as  you  stand  in  the  Rela- 
tion of  a  Pastor  to  me  and  mine  and  also  a  Teacher,  I  think  it  my 
Duty  and  Interest  to  oppose  you  as  long  as  you  oppose  the 
Truth. — If  1  live  and  you  don't  dismiss  your  Principles,  you  may 
rationally  expect  I  shall  oppo.se  you  &  endeavor  3'our  Dis- 
mission." 

Some  person  printed  Mr.  Hopkins'  Letter  in  An.swer  to  the  first 


SEPTEMBER   4,    1772  281 

of  Mr.  Dewey's.  This  prompted  Mr.  Dewe}^  to  print  both  his  ;  I 
have  not  seen  Mr.  Hopkins'  Letter.  He  tells  me  he  has  them  all  : 
and  saj^s  Mr.  Dewej^  on  a  sick  bed  seemed  to  be  sorr)^  for  his  Let- 
ters, but  recovering  to  health  returned  to  his  former  sentiments 
again.  Ten  3'ears  after  this  Dispute  Mr.  Hopkins  asked  and  was 
dismissed.  I  consider  the  Foundation  of  it  partly  laid  in  this  Dis- 
pute with  Dewey. 

A  mutual  Ecclesiastical  Council  at  Concord  July  3  past  gave 
their  Result.  A  part  of  said  Council  entered  a  Protest  and  formed 
a  separate  Transaction  or  Result  4  Jul)^ :  published  in  Boston 
Gazette  31  Aug^  past.  The  5*"^  &  last  Article — ' '  5.  With  regard  to 
the  Aggrieved  ive  farther  declare,  that  we  think  they  had  Cause  of 
Complaint  against  the  Pastor  and  Church,  are  justifiable  in  with- 
drawing from  the  Communion  of  the  Church,  and  have  in  the 
whole  management  of  their  Controversy  behaved  with  as  much 
Prudence  and  good  Temper,  as  could  possibl}-  have  been  expected 
under  their  Trials — and  rather  merit  Praise  than  deserve  Blame. 
And  zve  accordingly  bid  them  Welcome  to  our  Communion,  and  recom- 
mend them  to  the  Communion  of  all  the  neighboring  Churches. — The 
rather  as  even  our  Brethren  of  the  Council  have  not  explicitly 
blamed  them,  however  in  this  not  consistent  with  themselves." 

Elders  Delegates 

Nathan  Merril  James  Stone 

Jedidiah  Adams  Nath.  Holmes 

Concord  Samuel  Cook  Amos  Lawrence 

Jul}^  4,  1772.   Eben.  Morse  Silas  Pear.son 

John  Tucker  William  Cutler 

Samuel  Dana  Ebenezer  Cummins 


Cop5^     Attest 


Devi  More 


Ebenezer  Morse  Scribe. 


I  was  once  on  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  where  we  meditated 
opening  the  Doors  of  our  Churches  to  certain  aggrieved  Brethren 
in  Case  they  were  not  restored.  But  not  having  any  direct  Pre- 
cedent or  Example,  we  let  that  alone.  In  1647  the  Church  of 
Roxbury  approved  such  an  Expedient,  in  the  Case  at  Hingham. 

4 Lieut.  Gov.  Young  of  Tobago  being  in  Town  sent 

and  desired  me  to  come  and  see  him.     I  waited  upon  him  and  his 
Lady,  and  spent  three  hours  with  him.     He  wanted  to  be  informed 


282  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILES 

on  the  History  of  the  New  England  Colonies.  In  the  Afternoon 
fell  in  Company  with  Mr.  Channing  lately  from  Philadelphia  and 
New  York.  He  was  told  that  the  City  of  Philadelphia  contained 
fourtv  thousand  Souls,  in  4400  or  at  most  4600  Dwelling  Houses. 
The  Houses  had  been  lately  counted — the  Inhabitants  not ;  were 
only  estimated  at  9  or  10  persons  to  a  house.  This  is  too  large; 
more  probably  5  or  6  to  a  house  :  so  the  Total  of  Inhabitants  in 
Philadelphia  25,000  Souls.  He  said  about  three  months  ago  the 
Houses  and  Inhabitants  in  the  City  of  New  York  had  been  num- 
bered. The  Number  of  Inhabitants  were  about  Thirty  Thousand, 
and  15  years  ago  were  but  15,000,  so  had  doubled  in  15  years.  I 
think  he  said  the  Houses  were  but  three  Thousand  or  3100.  I 
suspect  the  Number  of  Inhabitants  too  large  and  only  estimated 
and  not  a  direct  Numeration.  This  Afternoon  visited  by  Mr. 
Seargeant  of  Stockbridge  &c.  At  V'  I  preached  my  sacramental 
Lecture  on  Col.  i,  21,  22,  23,  without  Notes.  Commencement  at 
Providence  College  Wednesday  last.  Mr.  Kelly  sent  me  the  Theses 
and  Catalogue,  the  first  Catalogue  ever  printed  there  :  it  contained 
61  Graduates,  of  which  only  23  educated  there,  &  of  the  61  there 
were  26  Ministers 

5.  Mr.  Sergeant  with  me  &c. 

6.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Cant,  iii,  16,  17,  and  adminis- 
tered the  Communion  to  64  Communicants.  P.M.  Jer.  viii,  20. 
Mr.  Smith  preached  for  Mr.  Hopkins  who  is  gone  on  a  Journey. 

7.  I  .set  out  with  my  Wife  and  Miss  Nabby  Hammond  on  a 
Journey  into  Connecticutt. 

[The  more  detailed  account  of  this  Journey,  preserved  in  Dr. 
Stiles's  Itinerary,  is  as  follows  : — 

Sept.  7.  Mr.  EUery  &c  gave  me  first  Ferriage.  2d  Ferry  3/  for  self  &  8'^  for 
Miss  Hamniond.  Lodged  at  Dr.  Torrey's,  2/8.  My  Ferriages  not  to  be 
reckoned. 

8.  At  Charlestown  oats  for  both  7>^d.     Lodged  at  Mr.  Parks. 

9.  At  Russels  3/4.  N.  L.  Ferry  &  oats  &c  3/1.  Lodge  Durfys,  Rope 
Ferry. 

10.  At  Durfys,  whole  account  8/.  Connect.  Ferry,  mine  1/2.  Dinner  Say- 
brook,  whole  2/9.     Lodged  at  Dr.  Gale's. 

11.  At  Guilford  Hay,  Oats  ^^.     Oats  at  Branford  2.     Ferry,  N.  H.  1/ 

13.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  for  Rev'  Mr.  Whittelsey  i  Jno.  iv,  19.  P.M. 
Mr.  White  of  Windham  preached  for  hun.  Mr.  Hopkins  of  Newpt.  preached 
for  Mr.  Edwards  A.M.  &  Mr.  Lothrop  of  Gilead  P.M.  &  Mr.  Hopkins  preached 
an  Even'g.  Lecture  there.  :\Ir.  Smith  &  Mather  preached  at  New  &c. 


SEPTEMBER  5-13,    1772 


283 


Mr.  Whittelsey's  Meet- 
inghouse is  about  70  X  50 
feet.  He  told  me  he  counted 
500  Persons  in  the  Congre- 
gation. I  counted  the  north 
half  below — in  Wall  pews 
not  So,  in  the  square  Body 
40,  perhaps  43  ;  Tot.  near- 
est 120  persons.  In  the 
Front  Gallery  80,  side  Gal- 
lerys  90,  perhaps  20  or  30 
Negroes.  The  S".  half  be- 
low I  judged  about  as  full 
as  the  north  ( both  of  equal 
Bigness).     So  about 

250  below 

200  in  the  Galleries 


Revd  Mr  WHITTE1.SEYS  Meetinghouse 


40  Girls 


coQ 
o  P 


50  Men  &  Boj-s 


Total  450     persons   in    the 
Congregation. 

Mr.  Whittelsey  judges 
Mr.  Edwards  Congregation 
near  as  large  as  his  own. 

Mr.  Cook,  one  of  the 
new  or  3'^  Chh.  tells  me 
he  judges  their  Congreg". 
about  60  or  70  families,  that 
they  have  about  60  or  70  Names  on  their  List  that  pay  Rates — &  that  their 
Congreg*  usually  consists  of  200  persons.  The  most  of  the  Farmers  belong 
to  this  Congregation. 

There  are  about  328  Dwellinghouses  in  Town,  the  compact  part,  &  perhaps 
50  or  60  at  the  Farms,  contain*-'  perhaps  1600  Souls  (besides  the  College),— of 
which  Two  Thirds  or  1200  may  attend  Meeting.  There  are  about  a  Dozen 
Sandemanian  Families  settled  here  last  Spring.  The  Chh.  of  Engld.  may  be  50 
families,  of  which  30  or  35  live  in  Town,  rest  at  the  parishes  out  of  Town. 
The  Summer  past  a  Family  of  Jews  settled  here,  the  first  real  Jews  (except  two 
Jew  Brothers  Pintos  who  renounced  Judaism  &  all  Religion)  that  settled  in  N. 
Haven.  They  came  from  Venice,  sat  down  some  little  Time  at  Eustatia  in  W. 
Indies,  &  lately  removed  here.  They  are  three  Brothers  (Adults)  with  an 
aged  Mother,  and  a  Widow  &  her  Children,  being  in  all  about  10  or  8  Souls 
Jews,  with  six  or  8  Negroes.  Last  Saturday  they  kept  holy  ;  Dr.  Hubbard  was 
sent  for  then  to  see  one  of  them  sick  : — he  told  me  the  Family  were  worships 
by  themselves  in  a  Room  in  which  were  Lights  &  a  suspended  Lamp.     This  is 

the  first  Jewish  Worship  in  New  Haven These  Jews  indeed  worship  in 

the  Jewish  Manner  ;  but  they  are  not  eno'  to  constitute  &  become  a  Synagogue, 
for  which  there  must  be  12  Men  at  least.  So  that  if  there  slid,  hereafter  be  a 
Synagogue  in  N.  H.  it  must  not  be  dated  from  this.     Besides  these  there  is  a 


284  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

few  in  Town  that  belong  to  none  of  these  Meetings  Init  are  Separates  &  asso- 
ciate with  others  scattered  in  the  neighboring  parishes.  I  estimate  of  those 
1200  which  are  able  to  attend  pub.  Worship, 

500  Rev.  I\Ir.  Whittelseys  Presid'.  Daggets  Estimate 

4S0  Rev.  Mr.  Edwards  Families  160  Mr.  Whittelsey 

200  .     .     New  Church  200  /  ^^-  Edwds  & 

150  Episc.  Rev.  Mr.  Hubbard  >-       new  Meetg 

30  Sand"'  Rev.  Mr.  Chamberlain  &  Smith  40    Chh.  of  Engld 


1360    besides  little  children  &  aged.  400     Families 

Scholars  120  Yale  Coll.  Rev.  Mr.  Daggett 

INIr.  Daggett  judges  the  new  Meet?  about  40  families  or  more ;  says  their 
Secession  was  scarcely  felt  at  Mr.  Edwd's  Meet? — yet  he  after^'^'  said  Mr. 
Edw'"*  Meetinghouse  was  thin  in  many  places,  &  would  contain  40  or  50  Fam. 
more.  Since  the  Secession,  he  thinks  it  not  quite  so  large  a  Congreg"  as  Mr. 
Whittelseys.  He  .saj's  a  few  W.  Haven  Chlimen.  attend  here,  the  N.  H.  ^ 
Chhmen.  hold  Chh.  by  themselves. 

14.  Visiting  in  New  Haven. 

15.  Mr.  Chamberlain,  Elder  of  the  Sandemanian  Chh.  in  New  Haven  (Mr. 
Smith  is  the  other  Elder)  told  me  they  had  but  Twelve  Brethren  (Elders 
included)  and  One  Sister.  The  2  Elders  were  educated  at  Yale  Coll.  and 
ordained  Missionaries  to  the  Indians  by  Rev.  Sol«.Wms.,  Dr.  Wheelock  &  the 
other  Indian  Commissioners  at   Lebanon.     After  they  changed  their  religious 

sentiments,  Mr.  Chamberl"   says  he  was  again  ordained  at  Boston  by  Mr. 

and  Mr.  Barrell,  the  two  Elders  of  the  Chh.  of  Boston,  the  former  of  which 
came  an  Elder  from  Scotland.  I\Ir.  Smith  was  afterwds,  again  ordained  at 
B".     .     . 

In  Mr.  Noyes'  Librarj^  I  found  an  old  Folio  Book  of  Accounts'-  with  sundry 
Chh.  Entries,  &c.  &c.  in  a  miscellaneous  manner.  It  is  principally  for  Entries 
of  Chh.  Contributions,  &  Disposal  of  Chh.  Monies  &  the  secular  Affairs  of  the 
Congreg".  of  N.  Haven.     I  extract  a  few  things,  &c.     It  begins  A.  D.  1655. 

"The  AcC  of  w'.  have  bin  disbursed  out  of  the  C.  tresery  to  Mr.  Blindman 
sense  his  coming  to  New  Haven  Febry.  i  :  57. 

for  4  Weekes  Diote  with  me  1.8 

for  I  Barill  befe  3. 

for  his  famiely  passadge  by  Broth.  Alsop  4.10  &c.  &c. 
To  Amot.  ^46.  4.  2." 

This  shews  that  Mr.  Blinman,  Minister  first  at  Marshfield,  then  at  C.  Ann, 
then  preacher  at  N.  London,  afterwds.  came  &  lived  some  little  Time  at  N. 
Haven.  But  it  don't  shew  that  he  ever  preached  or  assisted  there  as  a 
Minister 

No.  16,  1653.  'i^he  Names  of  all  the  seferall  parsons  in  there  seferal  Quarters 
as  they  give  in  ther     .     .     to  the  Church  Tres.     . 

'  North  Haven. 

-  This  book  is  not  now  to  be  found. 


SEPTEMBER    14-15,    1772 


285 


Mr.  Etuus  qr. 

Mr.     .     Eatoun,  jun. 

Mr.  Newman 

Mr.  Tutell 

Sister  Boner 

Will  Bradly 

Ab.  Bratly 

John  Aline 

Brot.  Bishop 

Sist  Bradly 

Bro.  Kiniberly 

Watson 

Bro.  Gilberds  qr. 
Mr.  Sanfurd 
Bro.     .     .     . 
Mr.  Augur 
Bro.  Nash 
Bro.  Talmig 
Tim  Nash 
Mr.  Molbone 
Sist.  Wiglsworth 
Hester  Tod 

Bro.  Liadells  qr. 
Bro.  Pecke 
Good  Lindall 
Bro.  Elsey 
Bro.  Hull 
Sist.  Preston 
Sar.  Jefer}' 
Bro.  Heriman 
Broth.  Seley 
D     .     .     Preston 

Johnson 
John  Chidsy 
Ephr  :  Peninton 
John  Basset 
Ab.  Dowlitell 
Rog.  Aline 
Bro.  Bracket 
Josef  Nash 

Mr.  Goodyirs  qr. 
Mr.  Grigson 
Mr.  Daniel 
Bro.  Jo.  Nash 
Rich.  Miles 


Bro.  Michell 

Bro.  Dauis 

Bro.  Whitwell 

Ed.  Perkins  [erased] 

Widow  Banister 

Sister pe 

Mr.  Hookes  qr. 
J  W  66  [erased] 
Sro  Fowler 
B..-~-   Osburn 
Bro.  Gibes 
Bro.  Glofer 
Bro.  Gilburt 
Mr.  Wackeraan 
Bro.  Bennom 
Bro.  Atwater 
Tho.  Whelur,  jun. 
Bro.  lyarimore 
Mr.  C  -  . .  sins 
Widow  Grene 
Daniel  Grene 
Rob.  Jonson 

Punderson 

Mr.  Yale 
Tho.  Johnson 
Tho.  Powell 
Oliver  Balle 

Bro.  Boykins  qr. 
Mr.  Casidg 
Will  Ludettson 
Samuel  Hogkins 
Bro.  Thai-pe 
Bro.  Beman 
Bro.  Hill 
John  Jonson 
Bro.  Lowe 

Mr ings  qr. 

Bro.  Monson 
Bro.  Cooper 
How 

Bro.  Mansfield 
Thomas  Meks 
Mr.  Goodinhous 
Irvin  How 
Ed.  Parker 


J Bishop 

Henry  Line  [doubtful] 
Bro.  Whitids  qr. 
Bro.  Winstone 
Tho.  Bech 

Atkin.son 

Sist.  Charls 

John  Aliu 

Sist.  Pecke 

Good  Barker 

Bro.  Bristow 

Bro.  Winston 

John  Andsun 

Capt.  Howe 

Mr.  Underford 

Henery  Gibins  [erased] 

Job  Meacker 

Edward  Preston 

Peter  Malery  [erased] 

Will  Thompson 

John  Thomson 

Bro.  Laurison 

John  Thomas 

Peter  Malery 

John  Wackfeld 

Tim  Foord 

The  Sea  Side  qr. 
Rob.  Pig 
Math.  Row 
Mr.  Alurton,  sen. 
Mr.  Allurton,  jun, 
James  Rosell 
Henery  Gibins 
Will  Gibens 
Bro.  Moris 
Will  Holt 
Bro.  Martin 
Josef  Alsop 
Will  Andrew,  sen. 
Bro.  Russell 
John  Hall 
Georg  Pardy 
Bro.  Brone 
Will  Paine 

Morgine,  sen. 

Henry  Morell 
Will  Blidon 


286 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 


(After  entries,  but  sub- 
joiued  to  above  in  contin- 
uation.) 

Nath.  Meriman 
Tho.  Barns 
Nico.  Baty 
Ab.  Kimberly 
Josh  Benham 
Sanill  Mash 
Ed  Pattison 
Josef  Waters 
Humphry  Sping 
Tho  Hog. 
Tho  Bech 
Antony  Thomson 
John  Thomson 
Rich.  Huball 
John  Bower 

Remark  i.  This  shews  the  Inhab.  in  1654  with  the  Additions  of  Rateables 
till  1656.  2.  The  Erasures  I  suppose  shew  the  Deaths.^  3.  I  take  the  List  to 
have  been  made  for  Entries  of  Sabbath  Contributions ;  &  the  Pages  or  Lines 
being  filled,  a  new  List  was  made  in  1656,  more  full  than  this.  This  contains 
180  Names,  that  about  260,  of  which  70  an  addition.  4.  The  List  took  by 
Quarters,  as  Eatons  Quarter,  &c.  5.  The  second  List  is  dated  Nov.  16,  1656, 
doubtless  intended  for  the  Taxes  or  Contrib.  of  the  year  1657  &  served  for  sev- 
eral 3'ears  :  the  last  Addition  of  Names  being  M.  i,  63.  6.  In  this  List  is  the 
Names  of  the  following  Ministers  :  Mr.  Davenport,  Mr.  Hooke,  Mr.  Street,  Mr. 
Blindman.  The  2  first  Pastor  &  Teacher  of  the  Chh.  Only  Davenp't.  & 
Hook  in  the  List  of  1656  at  its  formation  ;  Blindman  &  Street  after  additions. 
Now  Mr.  Hook  went  to  England  in  1656,  and  Mr.  Street  succeeded  as  Teacher. 
7.  In  both  Lists  by  Brother  &  Sister  I  suppose  the  Chh.  Members  are  dis- 
tinguished. 8.  I  find  the  name  of  Edward  Church  in  the  last  List  in  the  body 
Entries   in   the  second  List  drawn  more  fairly  &  better  spelled 


Farmers 
Bro.  Atwater 
Bro.  Potter 
Bro.  Baset 
Bro.  Moltrop 
Bro.  Andrew 

John arkman 

Samuell  F 

Henery  Line 
John  Thomson 
Rich.  Bech 
Henery  Bowtell 
John  Downs 
Timothy  Nash 
Jeams  Etun 
James  Clarke 
John  Mos 


Will  P 

Elsebet  Godman 
Tho.  Wheler,  sen. 
John  Thomson 
Will  Strabridg 
John  Totell 
And"-  Hollwell 
Will  Willmot 
Tho  Trobredg 
Ed  Hichkoke 
Caturn 
John  Potur 
Joseph  Benham 
Rich.  Miles 
Henery  Karter 
Osburn  Wackman 
Tho  Tutull 
Serena  Jonson  " 


of  it.     The 
contain 


156  Names  original  or  first  Entries 
35  after  inserted  in  the  Ou'rs.  &  among  Erasures 

191 

41  Additions  before  1663 
26  do.  in  &  after  166^ 


258 

9.  The  Insertions  and  Additions  consist  of  a  few  new  Names,  both  mostly  of 
the  old  names,  implying  them  to  be  natural  Increase.  10.  By  this  Time  I  find 
the  more  distant  Farms  began  to  be  settled,  viz.,  Goodyear  Farms,  East  Farms, 
and  No.  Haven,  &  E.  Haven  ;  &,  I  think,  Wallingford.     11.     By  this  time  Mr. 

'  An  incorrect  inference. 


i 


SEPTEMBER    15,    1772 


287 


Davenp't.  grew  uneasy  &  wanted  to  remove :  the  Charter  come  &  a  new  Mode 
of  Taxing,  &c.  &  Confusion  arose;  and  the  List  ends.  12.  I  can't  determine 
who  was  the  Writer  or  Keeper  of  these  Accounts.  Only  I  find  in  another  part 
of  the  Book,  "No.  16,  1653.  The  Account  of  the  weekly  Contributions  for  the 
Church  Treasury  received  by  me,  R.  M."  These  receipts  were  "in  Money, 
Wampum  &  Bills."  It  begun  weekly — then  every  other  month  weekly,  in 
165S  once  a  month,  &  ceased  in  1659.  ^^  seems  to  be  an  Attempt  to  raise 
monies  which  did  not  succeed,  &  so  was  dropt.  This  with  other  Difficulties 
discouraged  Mr.  Davenport.  Perhaps  this  R.  M.  was  Richard  Miles.  13. 
These  were  the  Times  of  Mr.  Hook  &  Mr.  Street,  when  the  Congreg"  seems  to 
have  consisted  of  about  230  or  240  Families,  of  which  120  or  130  in  the  Town 
Plot  or  Square,  &c.,  the  rest  Farmers.  That  is,  about  1650  the  Town  Plot  was 
as  fully  inhabited  as  1750  or  nearly,  for  then  it  did  not  contain  above  150  or 
170  Dwellinghouses,  if  so  many.  Indeed  upon  Recollection  I  can't  suppose 
100  fam.  Farmers  in  1650  or  1660,  &  so  the  Square  must  have  then  contained 
150  families  or  more.  Mr.  Prout  (graduated  at  Y.  Coll.  about  1706)  tells  me  he 
remembered  when  the  T"  Sqr.  had  more  Dwellinghouses  than  it  had  1750  & 
circa,  &  this  he  often  told  me  about  20  years  ago.  So  I  conclude  the  T°  Sqr. 
as  full  of  Inhabitants  in  Mr.  Davenp'ts  Day  as  in  Mr.  Noyes's  Days,  or  1660  as 
1750.  In  1758  I  took  an  Ace"  &  found  in  &  about  the  T"  Sqr.  just  Tzao  Hun- 
dred Dwellinghouses  &  perhaps  2  or  3  more  or  less.  Now,  1772,  it  is  said  to  be 
300. 

Rev.  Bela  Hubb'd.  tells  me  he  has  80  Episc"  Families  in  New  Haven, 
Bethany,  &  West  Haven. 

I  find  in  Itinerary  1762  New  Haven  old  Meetinghouse  40  X  60.  Deac.  Mans- 
field, aet.  above  So,  says  60  &  25  addition,  means  that  the  original  length  was 
60,  &  as  to  Breadth  whatever  it  was,  there  was  25  feet  addition.  Constable 
Hotchkiss  says,  60  X  55,  I  think.  The  Ruins  or  Trench  of  the  Underpinning 
was  plain  1762,  scarcely  distinguishable  now  1772.  I  measured  it  in  1762,  tho' 
hastily.     On  the  whole  it  was  not  sixty  foot  square. 


60 


40 


N 

\ 

A- 
S 

25 

1  1 

1  1  1  1 

1   Pew 

- 

1 

I  ;  ! 

' 

__ 

— 

1  i 

MM 

28S  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

In  the  Winter  1769  Dr.  Carrington  counted  271  Dwellinghouses  in  Town  in- 
clusive the  jiubHc  Buildings.     The  pub.  Buildings  1772  are 

2  Colleges  &  a  Chapel  3 

Mr.  Whittelsey's  Meetinghouse  i 

Mr.  Edwards  do.  i 

INIr.  Hubbards  Episc"  Chh.  i 

New  Meetinghouse  i  erected  1770. 

Two  Schoolhouses  2 

Court  House  i 

Goal  I 

Printing  House  i 

12 

Judge  Ingersoll  counted  them  this  Summer  past  &  found  the  Number  440. 
This  included  ever}-  Store  &  Shop  with  a  Fireplace.  In  1757  w-ere  197  Dwell- 
inghouses (besides  Colleges)  in  the  same  Limits. 

16.  IMiss  Hammond  went  with  INIr.  Whittelsey  to  Wallingford. 

17.  Rode  to  Stone  house  &  lodgd  at  Sister  Hubbard's,  Widow  of  Billy. 

18.  Dined  at  Laws  %,  Stratford  Ferr\'  10'',  &c  2''.  Arrived  at  Br.  Sillimans 
at  Fairfield. 

19.  Visited  Judge  Silliman,  &c.     Barber. 

20.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  all  day  for  Rev''  Mr.  Hobart.  His  Meetinghouse  I 
judge  60  X  40.  P.M.  140  or  150  in  the  Galleries  ;  84  in  N"  half  below,  so  total 
below  about  170,  or  160,  for  the  S"  half  not  so  full.  Total  below  i6o-(-  140=300 
persons  in  the  Congregation,  3'et  judged  a  very  full  Meeting.  Not  so  many  in 
Forenoon.     Assembly  serious  &  attentive. 

21.  Eng.  Transla.  of  N.  T.  from  Lat.  Vulgate  on  one  side  :  in  old  Eng.  print. 
4'".  Originally  belonging  to  Major  Selleck  of  Fairfield — now  Mr.  Silliman's  by 
his  Wife,  Abigail  Selleck.     Ouere.  Wickliffs? 

Fairfield  Meetinghouse  23  Miles  fr.  N.  H.  Set  out  homewards  4/.  Dined 
Stratfd.  1/6.     Ferry  10''.     Arrived  at  New  Haven. 

22.  Postage  2  Letters  1/9.  Dined  at  Mr.  Babcocks.  Spent  Aft.  in  Company 
with  Rev.  Mr.  Whittelsey  &  Rev.  Sam'  Hopkins  of  Hadley  at  Rev.  Mr.  Edwds'. 
&  at  Mr.  Hillhouse's. 

23.  To  Postage  Lett,  to  Newpt.  1/2.  To  Children  2  Pisterenes.  Mend'g 
Chaise  4/.  To  Br.  Billys  Store.  Stock  Buckle  6/.  Lodged  at  Br.  Isaac's  at 
North  Haven. 

24.  Sister  Stiles's  Pattern  of  light  brown  Grosgrain  giving  8X  yds.  being  29 >^ 
Inches  wde  &  I  weighed  it  two  pounds  Averd.  exactl}-,  cost  ^5.  11.  o,  L.  M., 
being  13/  per  yard.     To  children  2  pist. 

Dined  at  Br.  Munson's,  Br.  Isaac  &  Wife  riding  with  us  there  &  to  visit 
Mother  Stiles  at  Br.  Bradlj-s  at  Mount  Carmel. 

25.  To  Mother  a  Dollar.  Dined  at  Dr.  Dana's  in  Wallingford,  &  rode  to 
Meridcn.     Meriden  Meetinghouse  64  X  44. 

27.  I/lsdy  :  jireached  all  day  for  Br.  Hubbard.     The  Cong.  200  :  rainy  day. 

28.  Training  Day  at  Meriden.  Company  93  Rank  &  file — 119  in  the  List. 
Not  above  3  or  4  above  jet.  40.     Usually  when  above  tet.  40  become  excused. 


SEPTEMBER    16-OCTOBER    10,    1772  289 

Haddam  new  Meetinghouse  65  X  45,  cost  ^800.  L,.  M.     East  Haven  60  X  40, 
now  building. 

29.  Yesterday  P.M.  about  So  Men  &  100  Boys  at  Training  besides  the  Sol- 
diers. It  was  said  as  many  boys  in  the  field  between  te.  10  &  16  as  in  the  Body. 
There  seemed  &  was  judged  to  be  the  most  of  the  Males  in  the  parish  except 
Infants. 

30.  Went  to  a  Wedding  in  Meriden. 

Oct.  I.  Deacon  Whiting,'  set.  78,  tells  me  he  was  born  at  So'hampton  on  L. 
Isld.,  son  of  Rev''  Mr.  Whiting,  Minister  there  :  that  Mr.  Tayler  preceded  his 
father.  The  Deacon,  son  of  Min'  at  So'  Hampton,  son  of  Rev.  Mr.  Sam.  Whit- 
ing of  Linn,  I  think.     Deacon  Br.  to  Revd.  Mr.  Whiting  at  Concord. 

Oats,  Becklys  2''.     Dinner,  &c.  3/     Hooker's  Serm.  1/6     Ferry  6''. 

2.  At  Woodb.,  E.  Hartf'd.  3/4.  Mending  1/3.  1500  Military  Adventurers 
under  Gen.  Lyman.  Dined  at  Uncle  Stiles  at  No.  Coventry.  A  new  parish  at 
E.  Hartfd.  made  last  year,  of  166  Fam.  116.     Lodged  Mansfield. 

3.  At  Conants  5/4,  whole.  At  Ashf''  Flips'',  whole.  Dined  at  Ashf'd.  2/10. 
Arrived  at  Uncle  Stiles  at  Woodstock.  He  has  an  Electr.  pointed  Rod  on  his 
house. 

4.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached.  P.M.  Uncle.  His  Congreg"  125  below,  50  in 
front  Gallery,  30  W.  side  Gallery,  12  E.  do.  &  15  in  pews  over  stairs.  Tot. 
230.     Parish,  70  Families.     Woodstock  No.  Meetinghouse  about  50  X  45. 

5.  Training  Day  at  Woodstock. 

6.  Dined  at  Felchers  i/io  ;  reached  Sales's  in  Gloucester. 

7.  Detained  at  Sales  by  N.  E.  Storm. 

8.  N.  E.  Storm  continues.  Sales  Tot.  8/10,  mine  5/4.  Rode  i>^  Mile  to 
Sq.  Wilmots  in  Gloucester,  16  M.  from  Providence.  At  Wilmots  1/9 ;  rode  4 
M.  &  lodged  at  Bussys  12  M.  from  Providence.  Mrs.  Buss}-  aet.  37  looks  much 
like  my  sister  Kezia  Munson  deceased. '^ 

9.  Bussys,  Tot.  6/     Dined  at  Olnys  at  Provid.  4/3  Tot.     Ferry  9'^,  oats — 
10.   Bristol  Ferry  2/.     Oats  Turners  2)4.     To  mend?  Chaise  6/.     Arrived  home 

before  I  P.M.  with  2  Doll,  left.] 

Oct. 

10.  Arrived  at  Newport,  where  I  found  one  Mr.  John  Murray,' 
aet.  32  who  was  formerly  a  Westleian  Methodist  Preacher.  Differ- 
ing with  them,  he  ceased  preaching :  then  was  rebaptized  by 
Plunging — originally  born  and  brought  up  a  Churchman.  Then 
he  jo3'ned  Mr.  Whitfield  and  partook  of  the  L,ord's  Supper  in  the 
Tabernacle.      Two    3'ears    ago,    and  just   before    Mr.    Whitfield's 

^  Ebenezer  Whiting,  of  Meriden,  youngest  son  of  Rev.  Joseph  (Harvard  1661). 

-  Kezia  Stiles  married  Basil  Munson  on  May  2,  1751,  and  died  on  Oct.  17, 
1768,  aged  37  >^  years. 

^  Afterwards  best  known  as  the  promoter  of  Universalist  doctrine  in  America. 
This  experience  of  Dr.  Stiles  unsettled  his  congregation  to  some  extent.     Cf. 
Holmes's  Life  of  Stiles,  174-76. 
19 


290 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


Death,  he  came  to  America— resided  chiefly  at  Philadelphia — 
resumed  preaching  in  private  Houses,  but  was  admitted  into  no 
Meetinghouse,  till  he  came  to  New  York,  where  he  preached  in 
Mr.  Gano's  Baptist  Meetinghouse,  though  not  at  Mr.  Gano's 
Desire.  He  was  at  New  Haven  at  the  Commencement  last  Month. 
Preached  at  Norwich  in  Mr.  Lord's  Pulpit  tho'  not  at  his  Desire, 
and  .so  at  Chelsea,'  and  at  Preston  in  Mr.  Hart's  pulpit,  Mr.  Hart 
present  to  hear  but  did  not  a.sk  him.  He  came  to  Newport  with 
Mr.  Hopkins,  who  did  not  ask  him  to  preach.  But  some  Gentle- 
men of  my  Congregation  desired  him  and  he  preached  all  Lord's 
day  Sept.  27. — and  on  Monday  at  III''  P.M.  and  at  Evening  VI  to 
IX.  Then  he  went  to  Providence  and  preached  there  at  Mr. 
Snow's  and  at  East  Greenwich.  Returning  he  preached  in  my 
Meeting  last  Thursday  and  Friday  Evenings.  This  Evening  he 
visited  me.  I  told  him  I  could  not  a.sk  him  to  preach  at  present, 
he  having  no  Credentials. 

11.  Lord's  day.  A.M.  I  preached  on  i  John  v,  3,  and  published 
Gideon  Cornell  and  Mary  Milward.     P.M.  Acts  xvii,  27,  28. 

12.  Mr.  Murray  preached  at  Mr.  Kelly's  Baptist  Meeting  5-ester- 
day  :  and  at  the  Close  notified  a  Lecture  on  Monday  Evening,  and 
had  the  Assurance  to  notify  it  to  be  in  my  Meetinghouse — which 
he  did  without  my  Privity  or  Consent.  In  the  Afternoon  I  went 
with  Mr.  Hopkins  to  Seconet. 

13.  Attended  Association  at  Rev.  Mr.  Campbell's  at  Tiverton  : 
present  nine  Mini.sters. 

14.  After  Lecture,  returned  with  Mr.  H.  to  Newport.  I  found 
that  Mr.  Murray  preached  in  1113^  Meetinghouse  on  Monda)'  Even- 
ing : — at  Major  Otis's  held  a  Conversation  on  Tuesday  E\'ening  : 
— &  went  out  of  Town  Wednesday,  or  this  Morning  accompanied 
to  the  Ferries  by  Capt.  Newton.  On  Sabbath  Evening  or  After- 
noon arrived  Rev.  Mr.  Thompson  Baptist  Minister  at  Warren,  and 
brought  from  New  York  a  Report  that  Mr.  Murraj^  had  changed 
his  Name  from  Jeff  or  Jeffers  or  &c. ,  and  had  a  Wife  in  London 
(though  he  asserts  he  is  a  Widower)  playd  Cards  and  gamed 
aboard  Ship  in  the  pas.sage,  had  been  an  Actor  on  the  Stage,  &c., 
in  general  that  his  Character  was  doubtful  and  exceptionable  ;  and 
that  Mr.  Gano  of  New  York  informed  Mr.  Murray  of  these  Stories 
and  offered  to  .send  for  the  Captain  or  Mate  of  the  Ship  then  in  the 

'  Chelsea  Society,  at  the  Landing,  in  Norwich,  of  which  the  Rev.  Ephraini 
JudsfJD  was  pastor. 


OCTOBER    II-I4,    1772  291 

City — but  Mr.  Murra}'  refused  to  wait  to  see  him,  and  took  his  hat 
and  went  away.  This  Story  I  was  told  by  Gov.  Lyndon  who  came 
to  inform  me  of  it  on  Lord's  day  Evening,  three  Gentlemen  of  my 
Congregation  being  then  at  ni}'  house.  Mr.  Thompson  went  out 
of  Town  in  the  ^Morning.  Afterwards  the  Story  bruited  about 
Town  and  made  great  Noise.  Capt.  Belcher  determined  to  have 
Mr.  Murray  and  ■Nlr.  Thompson  face  to  face — accordingly  with 
Capt.  Xewton  went  to  Mr.  Rogers  where  he  lodged  and  found  Mr. 
Thompson  was  gone.  Mr.  Rogers  told  the  Story.  Mr.  Murray 
denied  it  all,  said  it  was  an  old  Story  and  false.  Mr.  Rogers  asked 
him,  wh}'  he  did  not  sta\'  when  Mr.  Gano  sent  for  the  Man  &c.,  he 
replied,  because  he  did  not  want  to  be  confronted  with  a  drunken 
Sailor  who  would  lie  and  say  and  sware  to  any  Thing.  Mr.  New- 
ton and  Mr.  Belcher  were  satisfied — and  it  soon  began  to  be  bruited 
abroad  that  Mr.  Thompson  a  Baptist  Minister  had  brought  a  false 
and  malicious  Story  and  run  off  and  dare  not  face  Mr.  Murray — 
and  the  opinion  of  the  populace  and  Gentry  took  a  Turn  in  Mr. 
Murraj-'s  Favor  and  the  Report  was  disbelieved  and  disregarded  : — 
&  Capt.  Newton  «S:  Capt.  Belcher  &  their  Wives  &  two  other 
Gentlemen,  rode  out  on  the  Island  with  him  out  of  Respect. 

In  the  Evening  he  preached  on  Isaiah  53,  i,  7cho  hath  believed  oicr 
Report?  and  went  largely  into  a  Vindication  of  himself.  In  order 
to  which  he  first  stated  the  Accusations  against  himself,  heighten- 
ing them  bej'ond  what  they  were — as  representing  him  to  have 
been  a  transported  Convict  &c,  He  did  this  with  such  Success  as 
to  approve  himself  innocent  to  the  whole  Assembh'.  He  denied 
the  Facts — he  adduced  and  expatiated  on  the  Examples  of  the 
Prophets,  Christ  and  the  Apostles  as  Sufferers  of  Reproaches — and 
said  finall}',  be  his  Character  as  it  might  good  or  bad,  this  ought 
not  to  hurt  the  Truth  he  delivered — ^and  illustrated  thus,  if  a  Mes- 
senger brings  3"ou  a  Letter  which  3^ou  know  comes  from  your 
Friend,  you  dont  refuse  to  open  and  receive  and  act  on  the  Con- 
tents of  the  Letter,  till  you  inquire  the  Character  of  the  Messenger. 
The  Message  he  brought,  not  the  good  or  ill  Character  of  the  Mes- 
senger, was  the  Thing  to  be  attended  to.  And  thus  he  artfully 
took  off  the  public  Attention  from  the  Report. 

At  a  former  Lecture  he  preached  on  the  parable  of  the  Merchant 
selling  all  and  buying  the  Pearl  &c.:  &  explained  it  thus — the 
Merchant  was  Jesus  Christ ;  the  Pearl  of  great  price  and  Value  was 
the  Church  ;  Christ  sold  all  to  bu}-   it.     At  another  Lecture — on 


292 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


the  parable  of  the  Net  and  fishes — caught  Fish  of  all  kinds,  all 
Fish  were  caught,  to  save  all,  and  all  that  that  was  cast  away  was 
their  Sins — only  Sins  cast  away,  not  Sinners.  Yet  this  was  mixt 
up  with  such  doubtful  expressions,  that  while  some  understood  him 
to  hold  forth  Universal  Salvation,  others  perceived  no  such  Thing. 
[Mr.  Murray  left  America  and  sailed  for  Europe  Dec'  1787.] 

15.  Gov.  Hutchinson  in  Town.  This  day  the  Printer  dispersed 
a  Ballad  of  Mr.  Murray's  entituled  "A  Caution  to  those  who  hold 
Calvinism  &c."     I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins'  Evening  Lecture. 

16.  Mr.  Agent  Marchant  arrived  here  from  London  Via  Boston 
24"' of  last  Month.  Aug.  4  died  Rev.  Gideon  Mills' of  Symsbury 
jet.  57.  In  Ministry  28  years.  In  May  last  Rev.  Mr.  Tennent* 
ordained  at  Greenfield  ;  and  about  same  Time  Rev.  Mr.  Drummond' 
ordained  at  Canaan  in  Norwalk.  In  August  Rev.  Mr.  Brockway^ 
ordained  at  Lebanon  Crank  ;  and  same  month  on  Dartmouth  Col- 
lege Commencement  Week  Rev.  Mr.  Burroughs'  (late  pastor  of 
Killingly)  installed  at  Hanover  over  the  Town  Church,  60  Fami- 
lies. There  are  60  families  settled  in  Norwich  adjoyning.  And 
September  23,  1772  Rev.  Jon^'  French  ordained  Pastor  in  S° 
Parish  Andover  in  room  of  venerable  Mr.  Phillips. 

18.  Lord's  day.  At  IX"  I  married  Wni.  Coggeshall  and  Patience 
Ryder  at  Widow  Ryder's,  and  preached  A.M.  i  John  iv,  14-17. 
P.M.  Philip,  iii,  8. — full  Congregation.  In  the  Evening  visited 
by  Mr.  Marchant  &c. 

19 Saturday   Evening  Mr.  Marchant  sent  in  a  Piece 

of  Silk,  green  Ducape,  striped  and  spriged,  ten  yards  and  a  quarter, 
22  ''  ,,  Inches  or  nearest  twenty  three  Inches  wide  i.  e.  above  half  j'ard 
and  half  quarter ;  Selvedge  one  Tenth  of  an  Inch  ;  weighing 
Eighteen  Ounces  and  2/3  oz.  Avoirdupois.  Mr.  Marchant  procured 
it  to  be  manufactured  in  London,  out  of  about  twenty  one  ounces  of 
raw  Silk  raised  by  my  Wife  and  sent  over  to  him  last  Winter  ;  he 
procured  of  Dr.  Franklin  some  Philadelphia  Silk  (i.  e.  of  American 
Culture)  to  make  out  enough.  The  manufacturing  cost  £2.  14.  6. 
and  the  Philadelphia  Silk  iis.  3d.  So  the  whole  cost  ;^3.  5.  9. 
sterling  which  Mr.  Marchant  paid  and  generously  presented  to  us. 

'  Yale  Coll.  1737. 

"•  William  M.  Tenneut  (Priuceton  College  1763). 

■  William  Dnimmond,  a  Scotchman  ;  in  what  is  now  New  Canaan. 

*  Thomas  Hrockway  (Yale  1768),  in  what  is  now  Columbia. 

*  Eden  Burroughs  (Yale  1757). 


OCTOBER    15-20,    1772  293 

And  this  Day  it  is  making  up  into  a  Gown  ;  which  my  Wife  gives 
(after  she  has  done  with  it)  to  Betsy,  or  the  oldest  Daughter  sur- 
viving her  ;  to  be  preserved  as  a  Memorial  of  her  once  having  a 
Silk  Gown  made  of  Silk  of  her  own  Raising. 

Mr.  Marchant  also  brought  me  three  Letters  from  lyondon  :  one 
from  Dr.  Franklin,  one  from  Mr.  Sayre,'  and  one  from  the  cele- 
brated female  Historian  Mrs.  Catharine  Macaulay  which  she  sent 
me,  with  a  fine  Edition  of  her  Works  in  4^"  neatly  bound  gilt  and 
lettered,  being  5  Volumes  of  her  History  of  England,  and  one  on 
political  Subjects  Hobbs,  Paoli  &c.  which  she  sent  to  be  deposited 
in  the  Redwood  Library.  In  Conversation  with  Mr.  Marchant  she 
expressed  the  highest  Opinion  of  the  two  Republican  Colonies  of 
Connecticutt  &  Rh.  Island. 


COPY   OF   MRS.    MACAULAY'S   LETTER. 

"Sir 

By  the  Favor  of  Mr.  Marchant  iu  whose  company  I  have  been 
"  very  happy  during  some  time  of  his  Stay  in  England  I  am  acquainted  with 
"the  eminent  abilities  of  the  Author  of  the  Discourse  on  the  Christian  Union. 
"  I  take  the  opportunity  of  Mr.  Marchant's  return  to  America  to  send  you 
"  Sir  thanks  for  the  pleasure  which  the  perusal  of  that  performance  gave  me 
' '  and  to  request  it  as  a  favor  that  you  will  give  a  place  in  the  Redwood  Eibrary 
"to  my  Publicatious  as  a  small  Testimony  of  my  Regard  to  the  people  of  the 
"  free  Colony  of  Rhode  Island. 

I  am  Sir 

Your  Very  Obedient 
and  obliged 
London  Humble  vServant 

July  10:  1772  Catharine  Macaulay." 

"To  the  ReV^  Dr.  Styles." 

20.  A  Letter  from  Dr.  Alison  5th  Inst,  gives  an  account  of 
uncomfortable  Agitations  among  the  Presbyterians  in  Philadelphia 
occasioned  b}^  forcing  open  Doors  to  give  Mr.  DufQeld^  the  Posses- 
sion of  the  New  Presb.  Church  in  that  City  the  last  Lds  day  in 
September. 

At  the  Commencement  at  Nassau  Hall  30th  ult.  the  Degree  of 
Doctor  in  Divinity  was  conferred  on  the  Rev''  Henry  Hunter  of 
London,  and  Rev''  John  Adam  of  Greenock  in  Scotland.  Mr. 
Marchant  used  to  accompany   Mr.    Grant    and  Wife  to  this   Mr. 

^  See  below.  Diary  for  Jan.  18,  1776. 
'^See  above,  July  16,  1772. 


294 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


Hunter's  Meeting  in  London,  and  Mrs.  Grant  (formerly  of  my 
Church,  and  Daughter  of  David  Chesebro'  Esqr.  of  my  Church)  is 
now  a  Communicant  in  his  Church.  Mr.  Marchant  speaks  of  him 
a  sincere  sensible  good  Man,  in  earnest  to  do  all  the  good  he  can. 
His  Meetinghouse  (not  so  large  as  mine)  but  very  full.  In  general 
Mr.  March'  says  the  Dissenting  Meetings  are  fuller  than  he 
expected. 

His  Excellency  Gov.  Hutchinson  was  in  Newport  last  week.  I 
was  invited  to  dine  with  him.  He  said  that  Mr.  Murray  of  Booth- 
bay  near  Kennebec,  who  was  once  a  Presbyterian  Minister  in 
Philadelphia  and  has  been  convicted  of  Forgery  and  yet  is  a  most 
popular  Preacher  to  the  Eastward,  is  now  about  to  take  the  Gown 
and  is  negotiating  with  Mr.  Brown  Episcopal  Missionary  at  Ports- 
mouth to  be  his  Assistant  and  Successor.  He  was  for  forging 
Credentials  censured  and  rejected  by  the  General  Synod  in  Ireland 
— and  afterwards  by  the  second  Presbytery  in  Philadelphia — and 
by  the  united  Synods  of  New  York  and  Philadelphia.' 

At  a  Convention  of  the  Episcopal  Clergy  at  Boston  last  Month 
young  Dr.  B3des  preached  and  gave  great  Offence  both  to  Church- 
men &c.  Among  other  Things  he  inveighed  against  the  Hypoc- 
risy of  occasional  Conformit}',  or  persons  partaking  of  the 
Communion  with  the  Church  of  England  for  secular  Offices,  and 
not  coming  over  intirely  to  the  Church.  This  was  supposed  to  be 
aimed  at  the  Governor,  Lieut.  Governor  &c.  Mr.  Chesebro' 
mentioning  it  to  Gov.  Hutchinson  the  Governor  told  him  that  no 
man  zuas  obliged  to  qualify  for  Office,  in  the  Colonies,  by  receiving  the 
Communion  with  the  Church  of  England :  that  indeed  the  Governors 
and  other  Crown  Offlcers  in  America  had  done  it,  but  it  was  only 
out  of  Politeness  and  respect  to  the  Church  of  England,  not  of 
necessity  ;  and  added  that  the  Act  of  Parliament  exacting  this  quali- 
fication for  Office,  did  not  extend  to  America,  but  was  limited  to 
England.  I  believe  this  is  a  new  Determination  at  home,  and  that 
it  has  never  yet  been  made  known  in  New  England  or  any  part  of 
America  :  For  it  is  the  constant  usage  of  the  Crown  Officers  in 
America  to  partake  frequently  at  Church.  This  is  done  by  the 
Mini.stry,  i.  e.  this  Relaxation  is  permitted,  to  take  in  the  Presby- 
terians and  American  Dissenters,  which  they  well  know  at  home 
are  collectively  more  than  three  Quarters  of  the  Whites  in  x\merica  ; 
and  of  the  Million  Souls  Whites  in  the  northern   Parts  from  Pen- 

'  See  above,  Dec.  17,  1771. 


OCTOBER    21-22,    1772  295 

sylvania  inclusive  to  Nova  Scotia,   the  Episcopalians  of  the   Chli 
of  Engld  are  not  the  thirtieth  Part. 

21.  The  new  South  Church  in  Boston  late  Mr.  Bowen's,  last 
v^^eek  gave  a  call  to  Mr.  Joseph  Howe  senior  Tutor  of  Yale  College 
to  the  pastoral  Office  over  them.  Mr.  How  is  a  most  ingenious 
and  excellent  Man,  a  good  Scholar  and  the  Ornament  of  the  Col- 
lege, of  polite  and  amiable  Manners,  a  Calvinist  cautiously  avoiding 
the  New  Divinit}'  Disputes.  He  has  in  effect  three  Calls  now 
under  Consideration — at  Norwich  to  be  Collegue  with  aged  Mr. 
lyord  ;  but  this  he  will  not  accept  being  73  for  him  and  one  Third 
against  him : — at  Weathersfield  one  of  the  largest  Congregations 
in  Connecticut :  their  late  pastor  Mr.  I,ockwood  left  in  writing 
(not  known  till  after  his  Death)  that  he  recommended  Mr.  How 
to  his  Church  for  his  Successor  and  testifying  his  Orthodoxy  ;  now 
Mr.  lyockwood  was  so  very  orthodox  as  to  be  a  little  inclined  to 
the  New  Divinity  : — at  Boston  ;  here  Mr.  How  preached  3  Sermons, 
besides  twice  for  Dr.  Appleton  at  Cambridge.  If  Mr.  How  con- 
sults his  natural  Inclination  he  would  settle  at  Norwich — Money 
and  Interest,  at  Weathersfield — Honor  and  Figure  in  public  L,ife, 
Boston — Ease  and  Comfort,  either  indifferently — Doing  good  and 
Usefulness,  all  are  so  nearly  equal  that  he  can't  determine — the 
Will  of  Christ  and  the  Voice  of  Providence,  it  does  not  yet  appear. 
On  the  whole  he  has  a  singular  Opportunity  of  quitting  all  self 
seeking  and  giving  himself  up  to  the  Disposal  of  the  great  Head  of 
the  Church,  and  leaving  it  with  him  in  his  holy  Providence  to 
open  and  give  a  Determination  of  the  place  of  his  Settlement. 

22.  This  day  A.D.  1755  I  was  ordained  to  the  Work  of  the 
Evangelical  Ministry  in  Newport,  and  have  by  the  Grace  of  God 
been  carried  thus  far  through  mj'  Ministry— but  with  so  much 
Imperfection  that  I  cannot  think  of  it,  but  with  more  Distress  than 
Pleasure.  The  good  Eord  pardon  me  hitherto,  and  strengthen  me 
to  greater  Fidelity.  In  the  17  years  of  my  Ministry  I  have  had 
under  my  pastoral  care  about  one  thousand  Souls,  a  third  of  which 
are  now  in  Eternity — without  doubt  many  of  them  are  in  Misery — 
I  have  reason  to  fear  some  have  perished  through  my  Neglect. 
And  yet  I  would  humbly  hope  that  I  have  warned  all,  taught 
them  the  Evil  and  danger  of  sin,  and  represented  the  Way  of  Sal- 
vation by  a  bleeding  Savior  :  though  I  might  have  inculcated  these 
Things  with  greater  Frequency,  Zeal  and  Assiduity.  O  how  great 
the  Work,  how  solemn   and  awful   the  Account   for  the  Blood  of 


296  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Souls  I  Onus  Humeris  angelicis  formidanduni.  I  attended  Mr. 
Hopkins'  Eveug  Lecture,  he  preached  lyuke  ii,  10. 

23 Reading  Dr.  Price  on  Annuities.      Mr.  Munay  (or 

Murphy)  went  from  .hence  to  South  Kingston  and  preached  there 
— that  there  ivas  no  fiitiire  Damnation.  Thence  to  Exeter  or  Rich- 
mond and  preached.  Then  at  Norwich  Mr.  Lord  shut  up  and 
refused  his  Meetinghouse— upon  which  he  preached  in  the  New 
Light  Separate  Meetinghouse.  And  Tuesday  Evening  he  preached 
in  Mr.  Judsou's  Pulpit  at  the  Landing,  without  Mr.  Judson's  Con- 
sent, though  Mr.  Judson  was  in  the  Pulpit  to  hear  hira.  He  then 
notified  that  next  day  he  should  preach  at  Paul  Parks  Separate 
Meeting  in  Preston.  His  Text  at  the  Landing  was  Isai.  Iv,  13, 
Instead  of  the  Thorn,  &c. 

24.  Wednesda}^  14'"  Inst,  the  Rev.  Nathan  Perkins'  was  ordained 
Pastor  of  the  Church  in  the  West  Society  in  Hartford.  Rev.  Wm. 
Russel  of  Windsor  read  the  Papers  of  Call  &c.  Rev"  Mr.  Pitkin 
of  Farmington  made  the  first  Prayer  ;  Rev''  Mr.  Lee  of  Norwich 
preached  on  i  Cor.  i,  17.  Rev''  Mr.  Bliss  of  Windsor  made  the 
Prayer  before  the  Charge,  which  was  given  by  the  Rev''  Mr.  Whit- 
man of  Hartford  :  Rev''  Mr.  Staples  of  Canterbury  prayed  after 
the  Charge  :  and  Rev''  Mr.  Perry  of  E.  Windsor  gave  the  Rt 
Hand  of  Fellowship. 

Oct.  20,  died  Rev''  Edward  Dorr  Pastor  of  the  first  Church  in 
Hartford,  aet.  50  circa. 

Wrote  a  Letter  to  Mr.  Whittelsey  of  New  Haven  giving  an 
Account  of  Mr.  Murray.  This  Afternoon  visited  by  Mr.  Wm. 
Penn  of  Florida  an  Officer  in  the  Ordnance.  He  was  originally 
of  Daventr}^  in  England,  one  of  Dr.  Doddridge's  last  Pupils,  is  36 
years  old,  and  now  returning  to  Europe 

Gen.  Lyman'  is  arrived  from  England  with  a  Pension  of  ^200 
per  annum  from  the  Crown  and  ^500  Gratuity— also  with  a  Grant 
of  4  or  5  Miles  square  on  the  Mississippi  from  32  to  34°  Latitude 
for  [himself  instead  of]  the  Company  of  Military  Adventurers 
about  1500  which  he  has  been  .soUiciting  eight  years. 

Mr.  Penn  tells  me  he  is  well  acquainted  with  Dr.  TurnlniU  set. 
50  of  Florida.     He   resided  some  years  at  Smyrna   in   Asia.     He 

'  A  native  of  Lisbon,  Conn.,  and  graduate  of  Princeton  in  1770;  he  subse- 
quently married  a  daughter  of  Timothy  Pitkin,  who  took  part  in  these  services. 

-  Phineas  Lyman  (Yale  1738),  a  hero  of  the  French  and  Indian  War,  went  to 
England  in  1763.     He  led  a  colony  to  Mississippi  in  1773,  and  died  there. 


OCTOBER    23-28,    1772  297 

brought  over  and  settled  at  East  Florida  1769  a  Colony  of  1500 
Greeks  and  Minorcans,  brought  in  Ten  Vessels,  chiefly  Greeks 
from  Smyrna.  They  are  now  reduced  by  Death  to  500  Souls.' 
The  Minorcans  are  Romanists  with  a  Romish  Priest :  the  Greeks 
are  of  the  Greek  Religion  with  a  Greek  Priest.  The  Doctors 
Lady  is  a  Greek  from  Smyrna,  but  is  a  Romanist  as  to  Religion. 
Mr.  Penn  saj-s  there  are  or  were  onl}^  two  Church  or  Episcopal 
Clergymen  in  Florida,  one  at  St.  Augustine,  and  another,  Mr. 
Eraser,  with  Dr.  Turnbull.  Mr.  Eraser  lately  coming  for  Georgia 
died  of  a  drunken  Debauch  drinking  Rum  at  a  planter's  house. 
There  is  no  Prcsbj-terian  Minister  in  the  Province,  though  a  con- 
siderable Number  of  Presbyterians  at  St.  Augustine.  He  was 
Agent  for  Denn3^s  Rolls  Esq''  Member  of  Parliament  who  bought  4 
Tracts  25,000  acres  each  on  St.  John's  River,  sent  over  200 
Planters  of  which  50  Girls,  and  expended  ^7000  sterling  to  little 
Purpose.  All  but  fifteen  have  absconded  and  chiefly  settled  in 
Georgia,  the  Terms  of  settlement  not  suiting  them  in  Elorida. 
The  Earl  of  Egmont  has  a  Plantation  on  an  Island  in  Elorida  with 
100  Negroes.  The  Climate  does  not  suit  for  Canes  &  Sugar 
plantations. 

25.  Lord's  da5^     I   preached  all   day  on  Ephes.  ii,  10 

The  Men  o'  War  fired  a  Salute  at  I''  it  being  the  King's  Accession. 

26.  Reading  Newton  on  Prophec3^ 

27.  This  day  at  IX^  A.M.  Ezra  went  to  be  inoculated  for  the 
small  pox,  with  Dr.  Bartlett ;  who  sailed  for  Stonington  with  four- 
teen persons,  whom  he  carried  with  him  to  inoculate  them  on 
Dodge's  Island,  about  35  miles  from  Newport.  Yesterday  the 
Town  of  Newport  voted  not  to  admit  Inoculation  here  :  to  day 
they  met  again  and  voted  for  it.  About  thirty  persons  have  had 
the  small  pox  here  and  on  the  Island,  that  is  7  on  the  Island,  18 
had  it  the  natural  way  and  carried  to  Coaster's  harbor,  of  which 
18  five  died — and  five  inoculated  there  all  got  well.  The  few 
remain^  at  the  harbor  are  in  a  fair  way. 

28.  Writing  a  Letter  to  Dr.  Alison.  At  Mason  in  New  Hamp- 
shire Oct"  14.  Rev.  Jonathan  Searle^  was  ordained  over  the  new 
gathered  Church  there.      Performers 

Rev.  Mr.  Emerson  of  Hollis  .    .    .   first  prayer 

'  For  a  further  account  of  Dr.  TurnbuU's  enterprise,   see   Proceedings  of  the 
Mass.  Historical  Society,  iii,  225-27. 
"*  Harvard  College  1764. 


298  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Mr.  Parsons  of  Newburyfalls  .   preached  Acts  xxvi,  17,  18. 

Mr.  Chandler  of  Rowley  prayed  and  gave  the  Charge 

Mr.  Farrar  of  New  Ipswitch  prayed  after  the  Charge. 

Mr.  P^merson  of  Pepperell  gave  the  Rt.  Hand  Fellowship. 

This  day  the  Town  voted  down  Inoculation. 

29.  This  day  I  received  from  London  the  Zohar  a  Hebrew  Folio 
Volume  of  800  or  770  pages,  Sultzbac  Edit.  1684.  and  published  at 
Nuremberg.     It  is  a  mystic  or  cabbalistic  CouiDioitary  iipon  the 

Penh  tench   by    Rabbi    Simeon    Ben   Jochai This  day 

another  Town  meeting,  and  voted  against  Inoculation.  And  now 
the  Deputies  are  instructed  to  vote  against  it  in  the  General  Assem- 
bly now  sitting  at  Providence.  It  is  remarkable  that  the  Town  is 
so  nearly  divided  that  in  five  different  Votes  there  has  been  a  dif- 
ference of  but  six  or  seven  Votes.  There  have  been  four  Town 
Meetings.  At  the  first  the  main  question  was  kept  out  of  sight — 
as  the  Assembly  had  directed  the  Deputies  to  take  the  Opinion  of 
the  Towns,  and  it  was  given  out  that  many  of  the  Towns  had 
already  voted  against  it,  so  it  was  said  it  would  not  pass — and  so 
it  had  best  to  be  left  with  the  Deputies  Discretion  ;  under  this 
expectation  that  nothing  would  come  of  it,  a  vote  thus  put  was 
carried  by  a  small  Majority.  It  alarmed  however  ;  and  though 
this  was  a  month  ago,  it  was  immediately  said  we  will  have  another 
Meeting  before  the  Assembly  sits,  &  revoke  it.  Accord-'  there 
have  been  3  Meetings  (I  think  this  week)  within  a  few  days. 
Great  secret  Interest  was  made  for  it  chiefly  by  some  powerful 
quaker  Connexions  of  3'oung  Dr.  Easton,  while  others  rested  in 
too  much  Confidence  that  the  Town  when  alarmed  would  vote 
against  it.  The  Meeting  not  very  full — and  the  first  Vote  hap- 
pened to  be  a  Tie  or  equal,  and  the  Moderator  would  not  turn  it. 
The  Vote  put  a  2^  Time,  it  was  carried  for  Inoculation  by  but  5 
or  6.  This  near  Equality  roused  again  and  encouraged  another 
Attempt,  and  the  Strife  was  earnest  and  vigorous.  Another  Meet- 
ing was  called  the  same  day  to  meet  the  next  daj^ — and  again  this 
day — at  both  which  the  Votes  passed  against  Inoculation  though 
with  a  small  majority.  So  that  of  five  Votes — one  was  for  Inocu- 
lation— one  an  Equivote — two  against  it ;  these  were  on  the  ques- 
tion itself — besides  one  for  referring  to  the  Deputies  Discretion. 

I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins'  Lecture.  Waited  on  Hon.  Abra- 
ham Redwood  Esq'',  the  Founder  and  informed  him  of  the  Dona- 
tion of  Mrs.    Macaulay  to  the  Redwood  Library  :  with  which  he 


OCTOBER    29-NOVEMBER    II,    1772  299 

was   pleased.     In   the   Even-   I   married   Geo.    Cornell   and   Mary 
Milward. 

30.  Yesterday  I  received  40  Copies  of  Mr.  Rowlands  Convention 
Sermon.  At  IV'  P.M.  I  preached  my  sacrament  Lecture  Eph.  iii, 
8. — Present  Messrs.  Hopkins  &  Kelly. 

Nov. 

1.  Lord's  da3^  A.M.  I  preached  on  Heb.  ii,  9,  and  adminis- 
tered the  Lord's  Supper  to  above  60  Communicants.  P.M.  2  Cor. 
v,  15.  Read  Doddridge's  Sermons — and  Dionysius  Areopag.  I 
baptized  Martin  Son  of  Capt.  Belcher. 

2.  Reading  Pere  Lobo's  History  of  Abissynia.  Heard  that 
Ezra  and  13  others  were  arrived  at  Stonington  and  inoculated. 
Those  who  went  from  Newport  together  were  Miss  Sally  and 
Bathsheba  Searing,  Miss  Betsy  Hopkins,  Miss  Nabby  Stevens, 
Miss  Lucy  Ellery,  Miss  Nancy  and  Betsy  Channing,  Miss  Polly 
Clarke  and  Httle  Betsy  Eliot— John  Bartlett,  Bartlett,  Ezra 
Stiles,  Billy  Stevens  and  Sam.  Dayton. 

3.  Reading  Magazines. 

4.  Reading  Magazines. 

7.  Reading  Newton  on  Prophecy. 

8.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Rom.  viii,  32.  P.M.  Exod. 
xix,  5.     Reading  Bp.  Newton  &c. 

9.  This  Forenoon  I  visited  a  learned  Jew  in  Town  and  on  his 
Travels.  He  is  really  a  Rabbi.  His  title  is "The  Doc- 
tor our  Doctor  the  great  Rabbi,  Moses  the  Son  of  David  an  Ash- 
canazin  of  little  Poland,  of  the  holy  Synagogue  at  Apta."  He  is 
now  ^^t.  52  born  at  Apta  in  Poland 

In  the  Afternoon  Rabbi  Moses  came  to  my  house,  in  Company 
with  Huzan  Touro  of  this  Town.  We  had  much  Conversation 
both  of  his  Travels  and  on  the  Talmud  and  Rabbinical  Literature. 
I  shewed  him  the  Zohar,  with  which  he  was  much  delighted, 
speaking  with  Raptures  of  the  Sublimity  and  Mysteries  of  its  Con- 
tents ;  he  told  me  if  I  could  comprehend  that  Book  I  should  be  a 
Master  of  the  Jewish  Learning  &  of  the  greatest  philosophy  in 
the  World 

10.  This  Morning  heard  Ezra  and  the  Company  with  him  were 
all  broke  out  with  the  small  pox  last  Sabbath  at  Stonington.   .   .    . 

1 1 .  Letters  from  the  inoculating  House  9'"  Inst.  None  broke 
out  on  Lordsday  last. 


300  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

12.  Letter  again  dated  lo"'  the}-  were  not  broke  out  on  Mon- 
day'— and  5-et  had  been  twice  inoculated.  Yesterday  fortnight  Dr. 
Wigueron'  of  Newport  was  inoculated  at  New  York  :  by  a  vessel 
which  left  New  York  Tuesda}'-  P.M.  hear  the  Physicians  gave 
him  over.  Ma}^  a  holy  God  preserve  our  Children  ;  to  him  may 
we  look  for  vain  is  the  help  of  Man. 

Rabbi  Moses  came  and  .spent  the  Afternoon  with  me.  I  preached 
Mr.  Hopkins'  Evening  Lecture  on  Mat.  xi,  28-30. 

13.  Stormy  day.     Writing  Letters  to  London. 

14.  Had  Letter  from  Stonington,  inform*-'  none  were  broke  out 
Wednesday  last,  that  had  been  inoculated  a  second  time. 

15.  Ldsda5^  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  xxxiv,  14,  and  P.M.  on 
Ps.  xxxvi,  7.  Yesterdaj'  Ruth  broke  out;  we  were  greatly 
alarmed  least  it  should  prove  the  Small  Pox,  tho'  we  know  not 
that  she  had  been  exposed.  It  is  a  Pestilence  walk'g  in  Darkness. 
God  mercifulh'  ordered  that  our  Fears  abated  this  Morning — the 
Eruption  going  in  &  turn^  in  the  face,  &  she  much  better. 

18 This  Evening  heard  again  that   the   Children   with 

Dr.  Bartlett  were  broke  out  with  the  small  pox. — Spent  the  After- 
noon with  Rev.  Mr.  Le  Baron''  a  j^oung  Minister  lately  settled  at 
Rochester. 

19.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins'  Lecture.      Mr.  Le  Baron  preached  it. 

20.  Visited  by  Mr.  Jacob  Pipels^  set.  73  of  Shippensburg,  Cum- 
berland Co.,  Pensylvania.  Born  in  parish  of  Lac  in  County 
Donnegal  in  Ireland  12  miles  from  Derry.  He  was  at  my  Meeting 
last  Sabbath,  and  staid  in  the  Meetinghouse  the  Intermission  sea- 
son though  invited  &c.  Monday  Morning  he  came  to  see  me. 
Being  at  Breakfast  I  asked  him  to  eat,  he  said  he  had  not  broke  his 
fast  or  eat  any  Thing  since  Saturday,  that  he  drank  no  Tea,  but 
would  eat  some  Bread  and  milk.  I  asked  if  he  fasted  on  Lord's 
daj'-  on  principle :  he  said  he  had  fasted  seven  days  and  nights 
without  eating  or  drinking  and  was  well  all  the  while.  I  said  this 
was   .strange  if  true  :  he  said  he  would  tell   me   more  wonderful 

'  Charles  Anthony  Wigueron  (properly  Vigneron)  died  in  New  York  on  Nov. 
10.  Dr.  Stiles  says  elsewhere,  in  1766,  that  he  then  had  the  largest  practice  of 
any  physician  in  Newport, — probably  above  one-third  of  the  whole  practice. 
His  father  (also  a  physician,  educated  in  Flanders)  emigrated  from  France  to 
America  in  1690.     See  Newporl  Hist.  Magazine,  iii,  94-5. 

*  Lemuel  Le  Baron  (Yale  1768)  was  ordained  over  the  2d  Church  in  Roches- 
ter, now  Mattapoisett,  Jklass.,  in  January,  1772. 

*The  name  is  properly  Peebles. 


NOVEMBER    I2-20,    1 7/2  3OI 

Things  before  we  parted  :  He  shewed  me  a  recommendatory 
Letter  signed  b}'  a  Minister  &c.  certifying  that  he  had  always  been 
accounted  a  religious  and  sober  Man — had  failed  in  Trade  (by 
having  his  Store  broken  by  Thieves)  ^150,  for  which  his  house 
must  go  unless  the  charity  of  good  persons  raise  the  sum.  To  day 
he  came  and  gave  me  this  Account  of  himself.  Removed  to 
America  1736  or  the  year  or  year  after  Dr.  Alison  came:  Dr. 
Alison  and  he  were  born  in  the  same  Parish.  Mr.  Pipels  settled 
first  at  Paxton  in  Pensylvania.  He  was  a  Communicant  before  he 
came  to  America.  He  was  a  Merchant  at  Chesnut  Level  of  ^1000. 
stock  and  estate,  when  his  store  was  robbed  1762.  Once  had  five 
Grist  Mills  and  a  Garner  in  every  Mill.  Has  had  two  Wives,  last 
of  which  died  about  7  years  ago.  Had  twelve  Children,  all  b}' 
first  Wife  :  three  now  surviving  viz  Robert,  Alexander  and  Martha. 
Robert  is  now  an  Elder  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  at  Shippens- 
burg.     Mr.  Pipels  is  a  visionary  Man. 

1758.  He  had  a  Dream  or  vision  that  there  should  be  no  Altera- 
tion in  eight  years.  Sign  of  its  Truth,  that  one  of  his  4  Children 
should  die.  One  did  die  in  6  years.  He  thought  that  he  himself 
was  to  die  at  end  of  8  years.     But 

1766.  He  had  a  second  vision  or  Dream.  To  be  no  Alteration 
till  three  5'ears  and  half.  In  this  vision,  which  was  on  James 
River  in  Virginia,  he  supposes  he  died  or  his  soul  was  separated 
from  his  Body.  But  waking  in  the  Morning  he  found  himself 
reunited  to  the  Bod3^  I  asked,  but  he  said  he  had  no  Ideas  of  the 
separate  state  nor  could  remember  being  conversant  with  spirits. 
From  the  Time  of  this  vision  and  to  this  Time  he  says  he  has  a 
constant  ministration  of  Angels.  Often  sees  them  in  vast  Multi- 
tudes, good  and  bad,  the  Air  full  of  them.  The  good  seem  ascend- 
ing up  to  heaven  ;  but  the  bad  are  hovering  about  nearer  the  Earth. 
His  Guardian  Angel  is  of  a  green  color.  Is  constantly  attended 
with  three  of  them,  one  black  which  he  takes  to  be  evil.  The 
Angels  are  not  in  human  shapes,  but  like  small  sparks,  Stars  &c. 
some  larger  and  in  this  form  ©  white  and  shining.  They  intimate 
to  him  right  and  wrong  course,  not  by  Words,  nor  b}^  inward 
Impression,  but  by  passing  to  the  left  or  right  or  straight  forward, 
and  by  causing  radiances  on  the  Lines  of  his  hand.  And  while  I 
was  talking,  he  said  he  saw  them  passing  and  held  up  his  hand, 
and  pointed  to  its  course  across  the  palm  of  his  hand  :  When  he 
saw  a  child  of  God,  he  knew  him  by  a  beam  of  Light  descending 


302 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


on  the  persons  head. — He  supposed  that  the  Alteration  at  the  End 
of  3I2  years  was  that  he  should  then  die. 

But  about  1770,  He  had  another  Vision,  and  got  another  Altera- 
tion as  he- expres.ses  it,  viz.  that  there  should  be  no  change  in  150 
3-ears,  or  not  until  he  was  set.  218.  He  was  born  Jan>'  6,  1700. 
From  whence  he  collects  with  certainty  that  he  shall  live  to  be  218 
years  old  at  least.  He  says  he  inclines  to  suppose  that  he  shall 
never  die  again,  but  it  is  to  continue  on  Earth  through  all  ages  to 
the  second  coming  of  Christ,  or  to  the  End  of  the  World.  But  of 
this  he  dont  pretend  any  assurance  ;  but  rather  thinks  this  is  to  be 
his  Case.  He  dont  pretend  to  know  the  Designs  of  providence  in 
all  this  ;  but  thinks  whether  God  dont  intend  him  for  .some  great 
purposes,  particularly  to  see  the  return  of  the  Jews,  the  Fulness  of 
the  Gentiles  and  Downfal  of  Antichrist.  He  is  otherwise  a 
sensible  and  rational  Man,  and  talks  piously,  and  is  a  firm  Believer 
of  the  Westminster  Confession  of  Faith,  a  presbyterian  according 
to  the  Church  of  Scotland.  All  this  I  received  from  his  own 
Mouth  this  day. 

This  day  we  received  a  Letter  informing  that  our  Children  had 
the  small  pox  ver}-  lightly.    .    .    . 

21.  Writing  Letters  to  Dr.  Price,  Mr.  Agent  Sherwood,  &  Mrs. 
Macaulay  in  London.  Capt.  Eliot  &  wife  returned  from  Stoning- 
ton,  &  bring  news  that  our  children  were  in  a  good  way  yester- 
day. 

22.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  i  Thess.  iv,  14.  P.M.  Ps. 
xxxvii,  4.     Reading  Bp.  Zinzendorfs  Maxims. 

23 This  Afternoon  visited  by  Rabbi  Moses 

and  Mr.  Tauro.  The  Whimsical  Visionary  though  I  hope  honest 
Mr.  Pipels  being  present,  I  told  Rabbi  Moses  that  this  Man  had 

seen  Visions  of  Angels, R.  Moses  smiled,  and  Mr.  Pipels 

began  to  relate  his  Extraordinaries  with  Warmth.  R.  Moses  asked 
him  the  Color  of  the  /Vngel,  said  he  was  mistaken  as  to  his  vision, 
for  that  he  was  the  Angel  that  appeared  to  him,  but  was  sure  he 
told  him  no  such  Thing,  This  humor  &  sarcasm  toutched  and  a 
little  confounded  Mr.  Pipels  who  after  some  Talk  took  Leave  and 
departed  to  cross  the  ferries  and  return  to  Pensylvania.  R.  Mo.ses 
spent  the  rest  of  the  Afternoon  in  my  study,  explaining  the  Zohar 

to  me This  day  I  paid  for  my  Zohar  22  '6  sterling. 

This  Forenoon  I  spent  read«  Dionysius  Areopag.  whom  I  find  to 
have  the  same  sublime  Mysteries  as  the  Zohar. 


NOVEMBER    2I-DECEMBER    3,    1 772  303 

24.  Spent  the  Even-  with  Rev.  Mr.  Robbins  of  Plymouth. 

25.  Reading  Zohar  all  day.  In  Evening  reading  Bp.  Newton  on 
Prophecy. 

26.  Read^  Basnage's  Hist,  of  the  Jews. 

We  are  in  great  Danger  of  the  small  pox  spreading  in  Town, 
unless  Providence  eminently  interposes.  Three  weeks  ago  a  Class 
returned  from  Inoculation  at  Long  Island  too  soon,  and  have  given 
it  to  six  persons,  who  are  removed  :  and  God  only  knows  how 
man}'  more  are  endangered.  The  good  Lord  prepare  us  for  all 
Events 

27.  No  Lecture  at  Mr.  Hopkins  last  Evening. 

28.  Examin-  the  Rabbins  concern*-'  the  Messiah. 

29.  Lord's  day.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Rom.  viii,  28,  and  pub- 
lished the  Banns  of  marriage  between  Ha^-nes  Heath  and  Mercy 
Milward.  P.M.  Ps.  xxxvii,  18,  and  notified  anniversary  Thanks- 
giving next  Thursda}^  X^^  A.M.  Last  night  died  the  Widow 
Beebee  of  my  Congregation  of  the  small  pox.  And  last  Lord's  day 
Morning  died  aged  Mrs.  Simson  of  my  Flock  also 

30.  Rabbi  Moses  visited  me  again  &  spent  the  Afternoon  with 
me. 

Dec. 

2 This  Evening  arrived  my  son  Ezra  and  the 

others    inoculated    with    him ;    having   been    shipwrecked   against 
South  Kingston. 

3.  This  is  a  day  of  public  Thanksgiving  in  the  Congregational 
Churches  in  the  Provinces  of  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire. 
The  2  Congregational  Churches  in  Newport  observed  it — that  at 
Providence  do  not.  I  preached  from  Ps.  cxvi,  17-19.  A  Contri- 
bution for  the  poor.  Went  to  see  Ezra  at  his  Lodgings,  but  spoke 
with  him  through  a  Window.  He  had  fourteen  pustles  in  all,  and 
went  abroad  every  daj^  the  small  pox  was  on  him.  They  were  in 
most  eminent  danger,  going  ashore  at  One  o'clock  at  night  on  the 
West  side  of  Point  Judith,  the  Vessel  striking  Ground  150  Rods  off 
shore  among  the  Breakers  and  a  rolling  Sea.  The}'  continued 
aboard  till  day,  and  then  the  Tide  going  down  .so  left  them  that 
they  got  safe  ashore.  It  pleased  God  that  the  Vessel  did  not  go  to 
pieces,  in  which  Case  their  Lives  had  been  desperate.  May  they 
never  forget  this  eminent  Salvation,  but  be  affected  with  an  indeli- 
ble sense  of  Gratitude  to  God  their  Preserver.     There  were  Dr. 


304 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


Bartlett  and  Dr.  Barker,  Misses  Sail}'  and  Bashy  Searing,  I^ucy 
Ellery,  Betsy  Hopkins,  Nabby  Stevens,  Nancy  and  Betsy  Chan- 
ning,  Polly  Clarke,  Betsy  Eliot,  John  Bartlett,  Billy  Stevens, 
Samuel  Dayton,  Fred.  Bartlett  and  Ezra  Stiles,  Passengers  aboard 
beside  the  Captain  &c.  They  walked  to  Mr.  Niles's  about  Sun- 
rise, who  kindly  received  them  and  gave  them  comfortable  Refresh- 
ment and  Breakfast.  Then  the  Boys  set  off  afoot  for  the  Ferries 
and  arrived  here  at  V'  P.M.  yesterday.  They  came  to  my  house 
first,  then  to  &c.  but  all  were  obliged  to  refuse  them  Admission, 
having  provided  a  place  at  Mr.  Alls  for  their  Reception  for  a  few 
days.  The  Boys  brought  the  news.  But  we  did  not  expect  the 
rest  that  night.  However  after  Breakfast  they  got  horses  and 
came  to  the  Ferry,  and  arrived  here  about  nine  o' Clock  at  Night. 
Deo.  Opt.  Max.  Grates. 

4.  Finished  reading  Mr.  Marc/ianf  s  Travels  and  Memoirs  in  six 
Books  MSS.  Dr.  Benjamin  Franklin  was  with  Mr.  Marchant  at 
Edinburgh  and  politely  offered  to  recommend  him  to  the  Univer- 
sity of  Edinburgh  for  the  Degree  of  Doctorate  in  Laws  ;  but  he 
declined  it.  He  was  personally  acquainted  with  the  Men  of  the 
first  Eminence  for  lyiterature  in  Scotland  and  England. 

Mr.  Marchant  left  Newport  Juh^  S  1771 — -sailed  from  Boston  13th 
— landed  at  Dover  i8th  August — in  London  19th.  He  renewed  an 
intimate  acquaintance  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grant  formerly  of  Rhode 
Island,  and  usually  attended  with  her  at  her  Meeting  Dr.  Hunter's. 
He  heard  Dr.  Fordyce  who  preaches  in  his  Gown  though  a  Pres- 
byterian. He  had  the  most  intimate  and  sincere  Friendship  with 
Mr.  David  Jennings  and  his  Wife,  he  and  Mr.  Joseph  Jennings  my 
Correspondent  are  sons  of  the  late  Rev.  Dr.  Jennings  of  a  dissenting 
Academj'  London.  He  became  personally  acquainted  with  the 
principal  dissenting  Ministers  in  London,  as  Dr.  Price,  Dr.  Fur- 
neaux,  Mr.  Palmer  &c.  &c.  There  is  now  an  Oliver  CromwelV  in 
London  an  Attorney,  a  Dissenter,  a  Great  Great  Crrandson  of  Oliver 
Cromwell  the  Protector,  and  a  Lover  of  Liberty.  He  .saw  the  King 
Ouaen  &c.  Heard  Dr.  Salter,  Mr.  Romaine,  Mr.  Combs  &c.  of 
Chh  of  England. 

Set  out  in  Post  Chaise  with  Mr.  Edward  Church  of  Boston,  New 
lingland,  on  a  Tour  through  England  to  Scotland,  Sept.  26,  and 
that  day  reached  Oxford.  He  visited  several  Colleges  in  the 
University,  having  taken  a  Guide,  as,  Queens  College,  its  Library, 

'  Died  1 82 1,  author  of  Memoirs  of  the  Protector. 


DECEMBER    4,    1772  305 

Hall,  and  Chapel ;  All  Sojils  College,  Library,  Hall  and  Chapel ; — 
Christs  Church  College  its  L,ibrary  large  and  beautiful  ;  Magdalen 
College  ;  Radcliff  Library  containing  a  fine  Collection  of  Books, 
Dr.  O.  Radcliff  gave  ^40,000  sterling;  Marbles  with  Inscriptions 
from  the  Ruins  of  Palmyra, — the  Bodleiati  Libraiy  which  contains 
the  greatest  Number  of  Books  of  any  Library  in  the  World  — it  is 
built  over  the  Divinity  School  in  form  of  H.  Here  is  L,auds 
Collection  of  Oriental  Manuscripts. — Mr.  Marchant  viewed  also 
the  JMusccuin,  Theatre,  Clarendon  printing  house  &c.  At  the 
Theatre  he  sat  in  the  Chancellor's  Chair,  and  also  the  Chair  in 
which  the  present  King  of  Denmark  sat  and  received  a  Degree  of 
Doctor  of  Law.     He  walked  around  the  other  Colleges. 

Proceeding,  at  Woodstock  viewed  Blenheim  House.  Sept.  29 
viewed  and  walked  in  Lord  Temple's  Gardens  at  Stow,  and  next 
day  Coventry  a  City  of  30,000  Souls,  3  large  Churches,  i  Presby- 
terian Meeting,  i  Congregational,  i  Baptist,  i  Quakers.  The 
Dissenters  are  about  one  Third.  But  yet  the  Government  of  the 
City  is  intirely  in  their  hands :  for  the  Common  Council  Men 
chuse  the  Mayor  and  Aldermen,  and  thej^  also  chuse  themselves 
Members  into  their  own  Body.  And  the  Dissenters  having  got  a 
Majority  long  ago,  have  ever  since  kept  the  whole  to  themselves. 
The  present  Mayor  is  a  Baptist  though  they  are  the  smallest  of  the 
Dissenters — but  there  is  a  perfect  harmony  among  the  Dissenters 
here,  the  Friends  heartilj^  joining  them.  Silk  Manufact.  here, 
not  less  than  8000  hands  constantly  employed  in  Looms,  besides 
those  in  Winding  &c.     A  Canal  16  Miles  long  here  cost  ^40,000. 

Visited  Birmingham  a  Manufacturing  Town  of  40,000  Souls. 
St.  Philip's  Church,  a  Presbyterian  Meetinghouse  of  Messrs. 
Hawkes  &  Bligh  ;  Mr.  Hawkes  has  an  Estate  of  ;/^7oo  per  annum 
and  ^80  salary,  and  of  a  very  worthy  Character.  There  are  3 
Presbyt.  i  Bapt.  i  Qu.  and  3  Church  of  England — the  Dissen- 
ters about  one  Third,  but  they  have  the  Government  of  the  Town 
in  their  Hands.  Mr.  Tindal  and  Mr.  Howell  are  pastors  of  the 
other  Presbyterian  Churches.  Visited  Mr.  Bolton's  Manufactory 
of  metal  Buttons — he  is  beloved  by  all — employs  800  hands  Men 
Women  and  Children,  and  lights  every  Evening  upwards  of  a 
Thousand  Candles. 

At  Litchfield  viewed  the  Cathedral.  Rode  through  Warrington 
to  Liverpool,  200  Miles  from  London.  Arrived  here  Oct.  5.  It 
contains  Fifty  Thousand  Souls — mostly  built  this  Century.     Lord's 


3o6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

day  Oct.  6,  went  to  Presbyterian  Meeting  and  heard  Rev.  Mr. 
Lewen  an  Englishman — called  a  Presbyterian  but  is  ' '  what  in  New 
England  we  call  an  Independent  or  Congregationalist.  His  Text 
was  Rom.  ii,  20.  His  Composition  was  elegant  and  his  Delivery 
agreeable  and  striking.  The  Service  consisted  of  three  Prayers, 
two  Psalms  and  a  Chapter  read,  a  sermon,  and  singing  three  Times. 
The  Psalms  they  sing  was  a  Collection  from  diflferent  hands. 
Pope's  Universal  Pra>er  was  sung.  I  dined  and  spent  the  After- 
noon with  Mr.  in  Company  wdth  a  Clergyman  who  preaches 

in  a  dis.senting  Chapel  called  the  Octagon."  Went  to  Manchester  : 
■^  Churches,  2  Presbyterian  Meetinghouses,  i  Baptist,  i  Friend. 
One  of  the  Meetinghouses  he  w^ent  into,  the  pastor  is  Rev.  Mr. 
Motershead'  set.  80.  of  a  very  respectable  Character  :  the  Dissenters 
one  quarter  here.  The  Towm  contains  30,000  Inhabitants.  He 
visited  the  Canal  of  the  Duke  of  Bridgewater,  and  passed  on  it 
five  miles  an  hour.  Oct.  14,  1771  Mr.  Marchant  visited  the  College 
in  Manchester  founded  1655.  It  maintains  60  blue  Coat  boys — a 
Library  of  10,000  Volumes.  The  lytli  at  Halifax — here  dined  in 
Company  with  Dr.  Eee  who  is  Vicar  with  ^400.  per  annum,  and  a 
good  fortune  of  his  own,  with  the  Disposal  of  five  Livings  in  this 
Neighborhood.  He  is  a  Friend  of  Liberty  and  America,  toasted  the 
American  Sons  of  Libert}'  and  knighted  Otis,  Adams  and  Cushing. 
Halifax  is  built  upon  one  long  street,  5000  Inhabitants.  Went  to 
Chh  large  &  well  filled  &  heard  a  young  Clergyman  of  set.  23. 
There  is  i  Presbyterian  or  Independent  Meetinghouse,  i  Baptist,  i 
Friends,  i  Methodist.  Mr.  Marchant  w^as  treated  with  singular 
Kindness  and  right  old  English  Hospitalit}-  at  one  Mr.  Woolmer's 
at  Halifax  to  whom  he  was  commended. — "I  felt  really  dull  at 
leaving  this  hospitable  house,  especially  Mrs.  Woolmer  a  Lady  of 
vast  good  nature,  openness  and  Sincerity.  She  has  a  truly  senti- 
mental Heart.  After  dinner  I  took  the  Glass  in  my  hand  and  said 
— Well,  I'll  take  the  parting  Glass  and  that  in  Madeira  ;  So  it  is. 
Madam,  through  Life,  as  with  us  now  : — we  pass  from  one  Stage  to 
another — conU'ad  new  acquaintance  and  friendship — which  no  soonej" 
done,  but  we  part  to  meet  no  more.  At  these  Words  Mrs.  Woolmer 
let  fall  a  flood  of  Tears.  I  was  sorry  for  the  pain  I  gave  her  and 
turned  the  Discourse — took  leave  without  further  Ceremony." 
Proceeded  that  day  Oct.  21  to  Leeds  another  Manufacturing  Town  ; 
present   on   a   Market   Day,    w'liere   the   Business  is  transacted  by 

^Joseph  Mottershead,  died  Nov.  1771. 


DECEMBER    4,    1772  307 

Whispering.  Four  Chhs,  2  Presbyt.  2  Methodist  i  Friends — Dis- 
senters not  one  Third.  This  T"  exchisive  of  its  out  Parishes,  con- 
tains 25,000  Inhab. 

Reached  York  Oct.  24,  viewed  the  Cathedral,  which  is  the  grand- 
est in  all  England.  Windows  painted.  /"5000.  sterling  offered  for 
EavSt  painted  Window.  Visited  the  Castle  and  Prison,  the  best  in 
England — even  the  Felons  have  a  large  yard  to  icalk  and  work  hi 
every  day.  There  are  23  Chhs  &  Meet^'^  collectively.  Have  no 
Manufactures.  York  is  "  the  only  City  in  England  except  London 
that  has  a  Eord  Mayor. " ' 

Oct.  26.  Came  to  Durham  :  having  passed  through  Darlington 
where  is  i  large  Church  and  i  Friends  Meetinghouse.  At  Durham 
viewed  the  Castle  and  Bishop's  House  in  it.  Bishop's  Income 
^12,000.  sterling.  Viewed  the  Cathedral — on  its  pulpit  are  the 
Pourtraits  of  St.  Peter,  St.  Luke,  &c.,  inlaid  in  Oak.  Bishop's 
Throne  grandest  in  England.  Suburbs  consist  of  five  Towns.  Mr. 
Stafford  a  principal  Manufacturer  employs  dayly  6  or  7  Thousand 
hands,  making  400  pieces  of  Camblet  every  week.  A  Machine  for 
reeling  a  whole  warp  at  once. 

Thence  to  Newcastle  :  Streets  dark  &  dismal,  9  or  ten  feet  wide, 
buildings  3  or  4  stories.  House  of  State  for  the  Mayor.  Four  or 
5  Churches,  Meetinghouses  Presb,  Quakers,  &c.,  &  one  popish  Ch. 

Passed  into  Scotland.  ' '  From  the  Tweed  to  Edinburg  47  Miles. 
We  never  passed  nor  saw  scarce  four  Cottages  or  Houses  together  ; 
nothing  however  that  might  be  called  even  a  Village  ' '  till  within 
about  two  Miles  of  Edinburgh.  Arrived  at  Edinburgh  Oct.  28th 
having  passed  72  Miles  from  V  in  Morning  to  V'  in  Evening. 
Viewed  the  City — Houses  generally  4  to  6  stories,  some  8,  9,  10,  11, 
and  one  I  counted  12  Flights  of  Windows,  but  low  betwixt  Joynts. 
Introduced  to  Dr.  Hamilton  an  eminent  Physician  who  shewed 
them  the  Infirmary,  where  are  given  clinical  Lectures  to  the  Medi- 
cal Students.  Viewed  the  Parliament  House  and  public  Buildings 
now  the  Parliament  House  improved  for  High  Courts,  &c. 

Here  found  Dr.  Ben.  Franklin  arrived  from  Tour  thro'  Ireland,  who 
received  him  most  kindly.  Compute  100,000  Souls  in  Edinburgh. 
Saw  Lord  Provost,  &c.  Oct.  31.  Breakfasted  with  Dr.  Robertson 
the  Historian  and  Principal  of  the  University.  "Dr.  Robertson 
from  his  Conversation  I  take  to  be  a  Friend  to  civil  and  religious 
Liberty,  and  full}'  imagines  America  must  in  some  future  period  be 
the  Seat  of  a  mighty  Empire. ' '     After  Breakfast  he  waited   upon 


3o8  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

me  to  Dr.  Franklin,  who  lodged  with  the  celebrated  Mr.  David 
Hume  in  an  elegant  House." — "  Mr.  Hume  is  a  Gentleman  I  should 
think  of  about  sixty,  very  large  and  heavy  built — a  very  pleasant 
Gent,  in  Conversation." 

•  •  Dr.  Robertson  informed  me  he  had  procured  a  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Law  for  Mr.  Winthrop  Professor  of  Natural  Philosophy  in  Cam- 
bridge, New  England. — Dr.  Robert.son  told  that  Application  had 
been  made  first  at  Oxford  College  ;  but  upon  discovering  that  Mr. 
Winthrop  was  a  Dissenter,  they  for  that  Circum.stance  alone  refused 
to  give  him  a  Degree. 

Nov.  I.  ''I  waited  upon  Dr.  Robertson  Principal  of  the  College 
and  he  waited  upon  me  to  the  College  Library,  a  long  and  large 
Room  with  a  Gallery — a  choice  and  valuable  Collection  of  Books 
and  Manuscripts  " — shewn  4  Manuscripts  lately  brought  from  East 
Indies,  cost  ^^250.  sterling  and  presented  1768.  They  contain  the 
Persian  Koran  and  the  History  of  Tamerlane  beautifully  wrote. 
"A  Persian  of  Rank  came  over  ver}-  lately,  and  is  now  at  Dr. 
Robertson's  exchanging  his  Language  for  English.  He  has  alread}- 
read  the  5  Books  of  Moses  and  a  part  of  the  New  Testament,  and 
attends  Dr.  Robertson's  public  preaching  and  seems  fond  of  Chris- 
tianity, and  talks  freely  of  the  Abuses  of  the  true  Religion  in  his 
own  Country."  "The  College  Buildings  being  a  most  miserable 
pile  scarce  fit  for  Stables.  But  no  students  ever  reside  in  them. 
They  all  lodge  as  best  suits  them  in  the  city.  The  Professors  have 
Houses  or  Lodgments  within  the  Courts  of  the  College.  The 
colleges  seem  only  for  public  conferring  of  Degrees, — and  hearing 
of  exercises  of  the  students."  From  the  Library  we  went  to  Dr. 
Munroes'  Preparation  Room,  for  Exhibitions  in  Anatomy.  Satur- 
day rode  <S  miles  out  of  the  city  to  Kirkleston.  Where  Lord's  da}- 
Nov.  3,  heard  Rev.  James  Lyndsay"  preach.  He  is  set.  60,  and 
called  one  of  the  best  Orators  in  Scotland — makes  a  figure  in  the 
Assembly — a  high  son  of  Liberty  and  a  great  Advocate  for  America, 
and  don't  spare  to  lash  his  Countrymen — has  a  firm  Character  for 
Truth  and  \^irtue.  The  Service  consisted  of  three  prayers,  three 
times  singing,  a  Lecture  or  Exposition  and  a  Sermon.  Mr.  Mar- 
chant  dined  with  him  and  spent  the  e\ening  together  agreeably. 
His  Church  is  plain  rough  Stone,  without  floor  or  pavement — an 

'  Alexander  Monro,  the  second.  Professor  of  Anatoni}-  and  Surgery  in  the 
University  of  Edinburgh. 

-'  Rev.  James  Lindsay,  of  Kirkliston,  died  in  1796,  in  his  85th  year. 


DECEMBER    4,    1 772  309 

ordinary  house  yet  called  one  of  the  best  in  Scotland  except  in 
cities.  His  Salary-  ^150.  per  annum  and  Glebe  House  Parish  four 
Miles  square  containing  2000  Souls.  " '  Going  to  Kirk  here  is  called 
going  to  Church,  and  going  to  the  Church  of  England  is  called  b^' 
all  going  to  Meet'''." 

Returned  to  Edinburgh  Monday  Nov.  4.  "Dr.  Franklin  came 
in  to  see  me,  and  by  a  most  open  disengaged  Frankness  in  his 
conversation  afforded  me  much  pleasure.  And  made  me  a  genteel 
Tender  of  honorably  recomjnefiding  me  to  the  Edinburgh  University.''' 
' '  He  brought  me  also  the  Compliments  of  the  celebrated  Mr.  David 
Hume  inviting  me  to  dine  with  him  in  Company  with  the  Doctor 
w'=  I  accepted.""  Xov.  5.  Breakfasted  &  at  VIII-^  went  to  hear 
Lectures  at  the  College.  The  first  from  8  to  9  o" Clock  by  Dr. 
Home  upon  the  Materia  Medica,  a  Gentleman  of  aet.  40.  These 
Eectures  are  public  from  Nov.  4  to  Nov.  12.  He  said  "  Celsus  and 
after  him  the  great  Boerliaave  principally  gave  Birth  and  restored 
the  Study  and  Credit  of  the  Materia  Medica.'"  From  IX  to  X  I 
heard  Dr.  Cullen  upon  the  Practice  of  Physic.  A  most  venerable 
sensible  old  Gentleman,  and  bears  a  most  respectable  Character.  I 
heard  Dr.  Black  from  X  to  XI  o"  Clock  upon  Chemystry.  I  next 
heard  the  ingenious  Dr.  Gregory- ;  his  Stile  was  extremely  correct — . 
His  Lecture  was  from  XI  to  XII  upon  the  Theory  of  Physic.  From 
I  to  II  I  heard  the  most  ingenious  Dr.  Munro.  upon  Anatomy.  Dr. 
Franklin  and  Mr.  Marchant  were  invited,  and  supped  -^nth  the 
Faculty  at  Mr.  David  Hume's.  And  here  I  found  aU  the  Doctors 
whose  Lectures  I  had  heard  in  the  Morning. 

Nov.  6.  Set  out  in  Post  Chaise  -with  Dr.  Franklin  for  Lord 
Kaimes,  6  miles  beyond  Stirling.  Passed  the  grand  Canal  calcu- 
lated to  cost  ^70,000.  sterling  but  expected  not  to  be  finished  under 
^200,000.  Arrived  at  Lord  Kaimes  Seat  at  Blair  Drummond. 
His  name  is  Henr},-  Home — takes  his  Title  as  one  of  the  Judges  of 
the  Courts  of  Session  and  Justiciary- ,  the  grandest  Court  in  Scotland. 
He  married  the  Heiress  of  the  Family  of  Drummond  and  by  her 
comes  to  this  seat.  And  though  he  is  called  Lord  Kaimes  yet  she 
is  called  Mrs.  Drummond  after  the  Name  of  the  Estate.  His  own 
Estate  and  his  Ladys  are  both  ven,-  great.  This  being  about  six 
miles  square.  He  seems  to  have  liberal  Views.  He  is  an  Author 
of  singular  note  and  of  great  Erudition. 

Nov.  12.  Arrived  at  Glasgow,  a  City  well  built.  Viewed  the 
Colleges,  Exchange  &c.     Nov.  14.  a  fast  day  in  Glasgow.    Viewed 


-lO  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

the  College  Library.  Dr.  Wilson  and  his  sons  carried  them  to  his 
Obser\-atory.  Drank  Tea  at  Dr.  Wilsons,  and  supped  at  Mr. 
Millars  Professor  of  Civil  Daw  and  an  Author.  Nov.  15.  visited 
Canvi  Iron  Works  27  English  Miles  from  Glasgow  :  here  saw 
several  Canon  one  of  32  cwt.  casting.  Pans,  Kettles  &c.  They 
pa\-  weekly  ^,"1500.  to  Laborers  besides  all  other  Charges: — work 
,so  Tons  of  Iron  a  week.  Shared  last  year  /"  12,000  sterling  neat 
profits.  Returned  to  Edinburgh  also  27  miles  from  Caron  Works. 
Dined  again  at  Mr.  David  Hume's  in  company  with  Lord  Kaimes, 
Dr.  Eranklin,  Professor  Black,  Dr.  Rus.sel  Prof.  Nat.  Phil,  and 
Dr.  Ferguson,   Prof.  Mor.  Phil. 

Nov.  19.  Mr.  Henry  McKenzie  Author  of  the  3Ia?i  of  Feelings 
and  one  of  the  Attorneys  of  Court  of  Exchequer,  carried  him  to 
see  the  several  Courts.  The  Barons  of  the  Excheqvier  were  sitting. 
Heard  a  Cau.se  between  Glasgow  and  Dumbarton. — Dined  at  Mr. 
Elphinstons — supped  at  Dr.  McKenzies  with  Mr.  McKenzie  Author 
&c.  Nov.  20.  Attended  court.  Dined  at  Dr.  Ferguson's  Professor 
of  Moral  philo.sophy  in  compan}-  with  David  Hume,  Dr.  Franklin, 
Dr.  Black  and  Dr.  Russel  :  and  next  da}'  Dr.  Franklin  took  Leave 
&  departed  for  London.  Nov.  21  attended  high  Court  of  Sessions. 
\\^aited  upon  &  spent  an  hour  with  Principal  Robertson. 

23.   Breakfasted  at  Lord  Kaimes'  and  took  Leave. 

Nov.  25.  Left  Edinburgh  on  return  to  London.  Visited  the  Earl 
of  Hoptons  Seat,'  nearly  equal  to  Blenheim  House.  Crossing  the 
Line  of  the  Kingdoms,  saw  the  noble  Seat  &  Estate  of  Rev.  Mr. 
Graham  an  Episcopal  Minister.  He  married  a  Lady  of  his  own 
Name,  by  whom  he  came  to  his  Estate  of  ^16,000.  .sterling  per 
annum.  An  Estate  amazingly  damaged  by  a  late  Flood,  which 
destroyed  or  damaged  700  acres  of  it.  Passed  through  Carlisle, 
Lancaster,  Pre.ston,  Bolton,  to  Manche.ster  again.  Thence  Nov.  30 
at  IV  in  Morning  set  out  in  Coach  and  six  for  Darby.  At  Buxton 
went  into  Hot  Baths  20  feet  by  15  and  ^}4  feet  deep,  waters  full 
blood  warm.  Thence  to  Ashburn.  Derby,  Nottingham.  The  last 
a  manufacturing  Town.  Carding  Cotton  done  by  water,  which 
turns  three  Cylinders  of  wood  with  Card  wires  on  them  in  a  singu- 
lar manner  and  with  great  Expedition.  "  The  Wheels  for  spinning 
the  Cotton  also  were  ver}-  curious,  one  ]Voman  draiving  twenty  four 
Threads  at  once,  and  with  greater  Dispatch  than  a  woman  can  drazc 

'  Hopetoun  House,  Linlithf^owshirL-,  the-  seat  of  John  Hope,  second  Earl  of 
Hopctoun. 


DECEMBER  4,    1772  311 

one  upon  a  common  Wheel.  The  winding  the  Cotton  \>\  a  Machine 
managed  by  one  W'onian  taking  off  from  20  or  thirty  spools  at  once, 
was  also  curious.  A  Girl  with  a  common  Wheel  tends  each  of  the 
compound  spinning  Wheels.  The  single  Wheel  just  draws  out  the 
Cotton  about  as  large  as  a  cotton  wick,  for  the  use  of  the  other 
Wheels.  In  two  Rooms  there  icere  at  zcork  at  least  ijo  (one  hundred 
and  thirty^   Women  and  Girls  all  briskly  singing  at  their  Work. ' ' 

Dec.  3.  at  Leicester.  Mr.  Cooper  shewed  them  in  his  Cellar  a 
Curiosity,  a  Composition  hard  as  stone  inlaid  with  red  stone  pebbles 
&c.  form  of  a  Young  Man,  Bow  &  Arrow,  and  figure  of  a  Woman. 
Supposed  to  be  Acteon  and  Diana,  and  a  Roman  Work.  The  piece 
is  about  three  feet  square.  Supposed  the  Basis  of  a  Roman  Bath 
before  Christs  Time.  The  Town  abounds  with  Antiquities — old 
Buildings  700  A^ears  old  &c.  Mr.  Cooper  a  curious  Man.  Hitherto 
Mr.  Edward  Church  of  Boston  had  travelled  with  Mr.  Marchant 
from  London  to  Liverpool,  thence  to  Scotland,  and  so  hither  and  to 
Harborough.  Here  the}^  parted,  Dec.  4,  Mr.  Marchant  going  to 
visit  Mr.  Dana  in  Northamptonshire.  Arrived  at  Brigstock  in 
Northamptonshire  16  Miles  from  Harborough.  Received  with  cor- 
dial Hospitalit}^  by  Rev.  Edmund  Dana  formerh-  of  Boston  in  New 
England,  educated  at  Har\'ard  College,  Son  of  Richard  Dana,  Esqr. 
of  Boston.  He  went  to  England  and  married  in  Scotland.  Took 
orders  in  Church  of  England  and  holds  three  Livings.  Dec.  8. 
Lord's  day  heard  Mr.  Dana  preach.  Mr.  Marchant  had  been  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  Mr.  Dana  at  Harvard  College.  Visited  the 
Forest,  Park,  Mansion  house  and  Gardens  of  the  Duke  of  Montague 
— came  to  Stands  or  affording  six  or  8  Vistas  or  Openings  leading 
the  Eye  Miles  forward,  some  terminating  with  a  Church  vSteeple 
appearing  like  a  firm  Obelisque. 

Dec.  12  rode  in  compan}^  with  Mrs.  Dana  &c.  through  the  Estate 
of  Mr.  Pultnc}'  own  Uncle  to  Mrs.  Dana,  and  who  inherits  all  the 
Estate  of  the  late  Earl  of  Bath  the  great  Pultney,  being  ^'40,000. 
per  annum. 

Dec.  16.  Mr.  Dana  accompanied  him  toward  Cambridge.  Passed 
Lord  Sandwich's  Seat,  and  came  to  Huntington  and  there  viewed 
the  house  wherein  O.  Cromwell  Lord  Protector  was  born. 

Dec.  17,  got  into  Cambridge.  "  Lord  Kinnaird'  instantl}^  waited 
upon  us  &  conveyed  us  to  his  Chamber  &  introduced  us  to  his  Cousin 

'  George,  jth  Baron  Kinnaird.  His  sister  Helen  married  the  Rev.  Edmund 
Dana. 


312  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

Ogilvie,  an  undergraduate  but  Fellow-Commoner  in  the  University. 
We  all  dined  with  his  Lordship  at  his  own  Chambers.  At  V 
o'clock  we  attended  Service  at  King's  College  Chapel,  where  there 
is  a  good  Organ.  The  Chaunting,  with  the  Organ,  together  with 
an  elegant  Anthem  sung  bj-  two  Boj^s  with  the  Organ  was  a  charm- 
ing Entertainment.  The  Chapel  291  foot  in  Length  and  71  feet  in 
height  to  the  Ceiling  is  a  most  noble  and  elegant  Gothic  Structure. 
— Lord  Kinnaird  is  Mrs.  Dana's  Brother,  set.  18.  at  his  studies  still 
at  Cambridge  though  he  commenced  Master  of  Arts  last  year. 
Supped  with  his  Lordship  in  Company  with  Rev.  Mr.  Turner  a 
Fellow  of  one  of  the  Colleges  and  his  Lordship's  private  Tutor.  The 
Evening  was  spent  with  Cards.  From  the  Top  of  Kings  College 
took  a  view  of  the  Colleges  and  the  whole  Town  which  w^e  had  in 
one  View,  the  whole  being  on  a  Flat  and  not  so  large  I  think  as 
Oxford.  Clare  Hall  is  the  most  beautiful  Building  of  any  of  the 
Colleges.  The  Senate  House  in  which  all  the  public  Business  of  the 
University  is  done,  is  a  neat  and  elegant  Edifice — in  it  is  erected  a 
Marble  Statue  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton.  Trinit}-  College  Square  is  the 
noblest  of  any  :  it  has  a  very  elegant  Chapel  and  Library.  We 
spent  some  Time  in  the  Royal  public  Library  containing  a  very 
grand  Collection  of  Books,  Manuscripts  and  Curiosities — Chinese 
pagoda  18  Inches  high,  Egyptian  Mummies  3000  years  old  &c. 
Visited  Sidney  Coll.  where  O.  Cromwell  was  Fellow^  Commoner  & 
saw  an  original  Picture  of  Oliver.  Went  to  hear  the  Organ  in  St. 
Mary  Coll.  Chapel,  the  3d  or  4th  Organ  in  the  Kingdom. 

At  yilyi  Dec.  20  set  out  for  London  in  Compan}-  with  Mr. 
Smith  and  Mr.  Stead  .sons  of  two  London  Merchants  both  Under- 
graduates at  the  University'  of  Cambridge,  "  and  by  their  account 
of  the  Drinking  and  Riots  of  the  Collegians,  one  would  be  led  to 
think  very  little  Learnhig  Religion  or  Morals  were  to  be  obtained  at 
the  University."  "  We  rode  through  a  very  pleasant  level  Country 
the  whole  Journey  of  52  Miles,  passing  by  many  elegant  Seats  and 
pleasant  Villages,  the  most  famous  of  which  was  Epping  where  we 
dined,  11  Miles  from  London.  Epping  Forest  through  which  we 
past  is  one  of  the  finest  and  largest  forests  the  King  has.  And  in 
short  from  the  distance  of  nine  Miles  from  London,  it  seemed  one 
continued  Tozvn  or  Street  of  elegant  Seats,  chiefly  belonging  to  the  Mer- 
chants of  Lotidon  for  Summer  houses.  We  got  to  London  at  VI 
o'clock  in  the  Even'-'." 

At   Christmas   Mr.  Marchant  went  with  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Grant  to 


DECEMBER   4,    1772  "313 

the  Kings  Chapel  and  for  5  shillings  sterling  got  a  good  seat.  The 
King  and  Queen  entered  just  after  Twelve  o' Clock  with  Lord 
Hartford  Lord  Chamberlain.  The  Chaunting  was  excellent  ;  .so 
was  the  Anthem  and  Christmas  Hymn  sung.  The  Archbishop  of 
York  preached  a  Sermon,  in  which  "he  insi.sted  much  on  the 
Necessit)'  of  Revelation  and  Obedience  thereto."  The  Bi.shop  of 
London  read  the  Communion  Service,  and  Bishop  of  Winchester 
attended.  Lord's  day  following  he  went  in  the  "  Evening  to  hear 
Rev.  Mr.  Harris  a  young  Scotch  Clergyman  set.  24,  a  presbyterian. 
He  preaches  every  Lords  day  Evening  at  the  Old  Jewry  near 
Cheapside,  and  has  a  most  crowded  Audience,  being  extremely 
popular.  He  was  this  Evening  upon  the  Wisdom  and  Good/zess  of 
God  in  the  Creation  of  the  Universe  and  his  Redemption  of  Man  by 
his  Son. — But  greatly  opposed  the  Doctrine  of  irresistable  Grace." 
— Lords  day  Januarj'  12,  1772,  dined  at  Mr.  Grants.  In  the 
Evening  went  to  Magdalen  Chapel  and  heard  the  Rev.  Dr.  Dodd' 
preach  from  Rom.  ii,  28,  29.  He  is  an  elegant  prett}^  preacher. 
He  married  a  kept  Mistress  of  a  noble  Lord  who  promised  him 
great  Things,  and  according  to  Custom  disappointed  him.  "  I  was 
extremeh^  charmed  with  the  Hymn  and  Psalms  sung  by  those  once 
unhappy  Women — I  can  hardly  call  them  so  now. — An  Idea  struck 
me  very  sensibly  while  there  ;  and  I  contemplated  much  upon  it — 
That  the  Emancipation  from  Vice  into  Virtue — and  the  Praises  of 
Mortals  thereon  in  such  a  public  Manner,  w^as  a  most  glorious  Dis- 
play of  Divine  Power — and  was  in  some  degree  making  Sin  sub- 
servient to  the  divine  Glory,  as  it  most  certainly  raises  our  Idea  of  his 
divine  Love,  we  see  it  more  conspiaioiisly . ' '     A  noble  Thought  ! 

Went  to  the  Heraldry  Oflfice  at  Doctors"  Commons  and  politely 
treated  by  one  of  the  Masters  Mr.  Isaac  Heard  who  had  been  in 
America.  And  January  17,  Dined  at  Dr.  Franklin's  being  his 
Birthday  in  Company  with  Rev.  Mr.  Combe''  of  Philadelphia  &c. 
&c.  Next  day  at  Court  on  the  Queens  Birth  Daj^  went  to  St. 
James's — five  spacious  Rooms  were  excessively  crouded  with  a  most 
brilliant  Company  of  Nobility,  foreign  Ministers  &  persons  of  dis- 
tinction. At  11^  their  Majestys  entered  the  Presence  Room  and 
staid  till  IV  ^.     Saw^  all  the   Princes   and  royal   Family.     Retired 

^  William  Dodd,  now  at  the  height  of  his  popularity,  who  was  executed  for 
forgery  in  1777. 

^  Thomas  Coombe  (Coll.  Philadelphia  1766);  see  vSprague's  Annals  of  the 
Ainer.  Pulpit,  v,  280-81. 


314  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

and  dined  at  \',  and  in  Evenin,$r  went  again  to  St.  James  to  a  Ball. 
Lords  day  19.  went  to  hear  Rev.  Mr.  Combe  of  Philadelphia 
preach  his  farewel  sermon  at  St.  Butolph's  Aldersgate — "a  fine 
excellent  vSermon,  charmingly  delivered."  The  Text  John  v,  16, 
17.  To  whom  shall  we  go,  &c.  In  the  Afternoon  went  to  hear 
Rev.  Dr.  Hnnter  (Mrs.  Grants  pastor)  "a  very  sensible  good 
preacher." 

Tuesday  21  January  Parliament  opened  at  Noon.  "I  slipt  in 
and  along  I  went  into  the  Room  where  the  King  robes. — He  was 
vastly  merry  and  laughable  while  the  Robes  and  Crown  w^ere  put- 
ting on.  It  did  not  strike  me  agreeably.  As  soon  as  the  Crown 
was  fixt  upon  his  head  he  walked  close  by  me  and  passing  out  of 
this  Room  went  directly  into  the  house  of  Lords,  seated  himself 
upon  the  Throne  &c. — I  was  so  lucky  as  to  get  into  the  House  of 
Lords  and  to  stand  near  the  Throne  on  the  Left  Hand  so  as  pretty 
well  to  see  and  very  well  to  hear  his  Majesty  read  the  Speech." 
The  house  of  Commons  were  called  and  the  speech  was  read, 
"correct  and  very  distinctly  but  not  felt."  Then  Mr.  Marchant 
went  into  the  house  of  Commons  &c. 

Next  or  23"  went  to  see  the  opening  of  the  Courts,  saw  the  Lord 
Chancellor,  Master  of  Rolls,  4  Judges  of  Kings  Bench,  3  Judges 
of  Common  Pleas,  and  4  Barons  of  Exchequer  &c.  enter  the  Hall 
in  procession,  shook  hands  with  the  Sergeants  &c.  and  retired 
to  their  several  Courts,  and  took  their  seats.  We  went  into 
each  room  and  then  took  our  seats  in  Kings  Bench — "I  had  an 
opportiniit>-  to  hear  something  said  ]:)y  almost  every  Council  of 
Eminence." 

Went  to  see  the  Pantheon,  120  and  90  feet — excedes  that  at 
Rome  ;  the  Grand  Room  for  Company  is  superior  to  any  Thing  in 
England  to  be  sure,  they  say  in  Europe  also.  Cost  above  ^,'40,000 
ster. — more  than  1000  Wax  Candles  every  Night.  Open'd  first 
Janry  27,  1772. 

Lords  day  Jan>'  26.  A.M.  went  to  St.  Martin's  the  pari.sh 
Church  &c.  Dined  at  Mr.  Grants  and  went  with  them  P.M.  to 
our  own  Church  to  hear  Mr.  liunter,  &  he  gave  us  a  most  solemn 
Discourse. 

January  2.S.  This  day  went  to  the  Cock])it  where  6  Lords  only 
attended,  the  Master  of  the  Rolls,  Sir  John  Eardly  Wilmot  late 
Chief  Justice  of  the  common  ])leas,  Lord  How,  Lord  Marchmont 
&c.      Four  or  5  appeals  came  while  I  was  present. 


DECEMBER  4,    1772  315 

January  29.  Walked  to  see  Gen.  lyyman  upon  Business  and  there 
saw  Col.  I^ydius'  in  a  very  shabby  Condition.  What  a  pity  it  is 
our  Americans  stay  in  England  too  long  ? 

January  30.  Went  to  Lord  North's  Levee  at  the  Cockpit. — Was 
introduced  to  Mr.  Jackson  Councillor  at  Law,  a  Member  of  Pari', 
late  Agent  for  Connecticutt,  now  Solicitor  to  the  Board  of  Trade. 

Feb.  3.  Went  to  Westminster  Hall  and  heard  Lord  Mansfield 
deliver  an  Opinion  of  the  whole  Court  upon  &c.  I  went  into  the 
Court  of  Chancery  and  heard  Thurlow  Attorney  General,  Wedder- 
burn,  Solicitor  General  and  several  other  Councillors.  From  thence 
I  went  into  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas,  where  I  saw  the  Lord 
Chief  Justice  DeGrey,  heard  him  deliver  an  Opinion  &c.  I  heard 
Sergeant  Lee,  and  Sergeant  Glynn  argue  &c.  Such  a  gouty  Sett 
of  men  I  never  saw  together  as  the  C.  Just,  Glynn  &c.  I  afterwds 
went  to  the  House  of  Commons  &c. 

Feb.  4.  I  went  to  the  Earl  of  Hillsboroughs  own  House  in 
Hanover  Square.  I  was  in  waiting  from  XI^^  till  II  o'clock,  when 
I  had  the  Honor  of  seeing  his  Lordship  for  just  about  an  hour, 
during  which  Time  we  had  much  conversation,  respecting  the 
Colony  of  Rhode  Island  &c. 

Feb.  5.  Dined  with  Mr.  Jennings  in  Company  with  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Furneaux,  presented  him  Dr.  Stiles's  Letter  &  several  Dis- 
courses sent  me  by  Dr.  Stiles,  and  had  much  agreeable  &c.  Feb. 
6.  Went  to  the  House  of  Commons,  got  a  Seat  and  heard  the 
Debates  on  the  Clerical  Petition.  The  best  Speakers  against  the 
petition  were  Hans  Stanly,  Lord  North  and  Mr.  Burk.  The  best 
speakers  for  it  were  Sir  Geo.  Saville,  Mr.  Dunning,  Mr.  Wedder- 
burne,  Sir  Wm.  Meredith,  and  Lord  George  Germaine.  Manj^  of 
the  Clergy  of  the  Church  of  England  and  of  the  Dissenters  were 
present.  Feb.  7.  Went  with  Mr.  Arthur  Lee  Author  oi  Junius 
Afnericanus  to  attend  a  trial  at  Kings  Bench  Westminster  Hall,  on 
Somej'set  the  Negro' s  Case,  and  some  other  Cases.  Lords  day  Feb. 
9,  went  to  Meeting  at  Mr.  Hunter's.  Feb.  11.  Went  with  Mrs. 
Grant  &  Mr.  Grant  to  see  a  Silk  Manufacturer  about  Dr.  Stiles's 
Silk.  Dined  at  Mr.  Jennings  in  Company  with  Dr.  Furneaux  and 
several  other  Clergymen  Dissenters.  Feb.  14.  Went  into  the  Cit)', 
saw  Mr.  Samuel  Lawrence  Silk  Manufacturer  about  Mrs.  Stiles's 

^  John  Henry  Lydius,  formerly  of  Albany,  an  Indian  trader ;  among  Dr. 
Stiles's  papers  are  several  relating  to  grants  of  land  in  New  York  and  Vermont 
by  Lydius  under  a  spurious  title.     See  Hall's  Early  Hist,  of  Vt.,  169,  495-97. 


3l6  DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 

Silk  Gown.  Feb.  15.  Went  with  Rev.  Mr.  White'  of  Philadel- 
phia to  the  Princess'  Chamber  to  see  the  Princess  Dowager  of 
Wales  lay  in  state. — At  Night  .saw  the  procession.  Lords  day 
Feb.  16,  went  with  Rev.  Mr.  White  to  the  late  Rev.  Mr. 
Whitfield's  Tabernacle  at  Tottenham  Court  Oxford  Street  where 
I  heard  the  Re^^  Mr.  Jo}xe  preach  a  very  serious  good  Dis- 
course, not  elegant  but  .striking,  delivered  with  a  good  voice  and 
grace.  He  was  formerly  Captain  of  a  Collier.  Feb.  18.  Got 
some  Silk  of  Dr.  FVanklin  of  Philadelphia,  and  went  with  Mrs. 
Grant  to  the  silk  Weavers  and  fixt  upon  the  making  Mrs. 
Stiles' s  silk  Gown,  &  found  that  her  own  silk  would  be  defici- 
ent but  a  few  ounces.  Lords  day  Feb.  23,  went  to  Mr. 
Hunter's  Meeting  and  heard  Rev.  Mr.  Ro.swell,  a  good  Sermon,  on 
Nathan  said  to  David  thou  art  the  man. — Feb.  26.  Waited  upon 
Mr.  Jeremiah  Dy.son  one  of  the  Lords  of  the  Treasur^^  and  again 
29  and  was  ver>'  politely  received  by  him  and  had  an  hour's  full 
and  free  Conversation  upon  the  Colony  affairs.  He  appeared  on 
his  own  part  di.sposed  to  serve  me. — Lords  day  Mar.  i.  Dined  at 
Mr.  Jennings,  went  with  him  and  his  Wife  to  their  place  of  Wor- 
ship in  Wapping  under  the  pastoral  Care  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hill 
Successor  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon  lately  gone  to  settle  in  New 
England.  Mr.  Hill  was  formerly  Tutor  in  Philosoph}-  at  an  Acad- 
emy 100  miles  from  London  formerl}-  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Dod- 
deridge.  Mr.  Hill  gave  us  a  very  neat  plain  but  elegant  Discounse  ; 
and  appears  and  bears  the  Character  of  an  ingenious  Man  and 
sound  Divine. 

March  2.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Furneaux  paid  me  a  visit  &  breakfasted 
with  me  ;  &  .shew  me  some  Things  he  had  collected  with  intent  to 
print  &c. 

Mar.  5.  Dined  with  Dr.  Franklin  and  in  the  Evening  w^ent  with 
and  was  introduced  by  Dr.  FVanklin  to  the  jRoval  Society  in  Fleet 
street.  Among  other  Things  heard  read  a  Letter  from  Dr. 
Priestley.  Mar.  7.  Visited  the  Seat  of  the  Archbishop  of  Canter- 
bury at  Lambeth — and  8"'  Lord's  day  heard  Rev.  Mr.  Romaine  on 
Rev.  19,  6.  Alleluia.  His  Discourse  was  not  methodical,  but  full 
of  striking  Meta])hors,  Allusions  and  Observations.  His  Manner 
rather  agreeable  and  easy  than  othcrwi.se.  9.  Went  with  Mr.  Jen- 
nings &\iewed  Westminster  Abbey,  Henry  7  Chapel,  Monum'^  Sec. 

'  William  White,  afterwards  Bishop.  He  was  then  in  Englaud  to  obtain 
ordination  as  priest. 


DECEMBER  4,    1772  317 

Mar.  13.  Was  introduced  by  Mr.  Jennings  to  Mr.  "  Thomas 
Lucas,  Treasurer  of  Guys  Hospital  and  Chairman  of  the  Depu- 
ties of  the  Dissenting  Congregations  in  London  and  10  miles 
without.  He  is  a  worth}-  Gentleman  of  a  very  handsome  inde- 
pendent Fortune,  a  warm  friend  to  civil  and  religious  Liberty. 
I  was  with  him  about  two  hours.  He  informed  that  the  Presi- 
dents of  Virginia  and  New  York  (Colleges)  had  lately  presented 
Petitions  to  the  King,  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury,  the  Bishop 
of  London  and  to  Lord  Hillsboro'  for  an  American  Bishop. 
That  he  had  suspected  something  of  that  sort  in  Agitation  some 
time  before  and  had  waited  upon  Lord  Hillsboro'  upon  the  sub- 
ject, but  was  then  told  no  such  petitions  had  been  presented  ;  and 
that  if  any  should  be,  he  should  be  informed  of  it.  And  that 
when  the  petitions  were  presented  he  had  word  sent  him  accord- 
ingly. And  Lord  Hillsboro'  told  him  of  all  those  petitions,  and 
assured  him  that,  though  he  could  not  see  but  that  the  Episcopal 
Clerg}-  had  an  undoubted  Right  to  such  a  Benefit,  and  although 
the  Bishops  were  fully  of  that  Opinion,  yet  that  He,  and  indeed 
the  Bishops  and  Administration,  from  political  principles  could 
not  adopt  such  a  Measure,  and  that  the  Dissenters  might  be 
assured,  there  was  no  Design  in  Administration  to  adopt  that 
Measure  without  their  Approbation  or  Consent  to  it.  Mr.  Lucas 
however  observed  that  though  he  was  perfectly  assured  of  the 
Sincerity  of  this,  yet  he  thought  it  highh'  proper  that  the  Dis- 
senters in  the  diiferent  Colonies,  both  Clergy  and  Laity  should 
sign  Petitions  against  those  Petitions  to  be  transmitted  here  to 
their  Friends  to  be  used  if  possibly  any  Occasion  should  offer. " ' 
Went  to  the  Jewish  W^orship  at  the  Dutch  Synagogue.  The 
Service  was  all  Chaunting  and  singing.  The  Tenor  well  performed 
by  the  Reader,  the  Treble  by  one  Leone,  a  most  celebrated  Singer 
in  Imitation  of  the  Flute— and  the  Bass  blown  by  one  Abraham,  a 
true  genuine  Bassoon  Base.  Mar.  14.  Saturday  went  to  the  Sj^na- 
gogue  where  I  had  been  last  Evening,  and  heard  much  fine  Chaunt- 
ing and  singing  from  the  same  persons. 

Mar.  18.  In  the  Evening  went  with  one  Mr.  Smith  to  the  Society 
of  Arts  and  was  introduced — Lord  Romnej-  President. 

Mar.  20.  ''  Doniun  Regium  £i']oo  per  annum  issued  out  of  the 
"Exchequer  to  .several  Dissenting  Ministers,  as  the  Ministry  see 
"fit,  was  fir.st  given  by  the  Ministry  in  the  Reign  of  George  I. 
"  when  the    Test  Act  was  refused  to  be  taken  off.     The  neat  Sum, 


3l8  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

"when  the  fees  are  deducted  amounts  to /,"  1400.  It  is  managed 
"  with  tlie  utmost  Secrecy,  and  stands  in  the  Exchequer  Books  in  a 
'  ■  feigned  Name.  It  goes  through  three  hands  before  it  comes  to 
••  the  dissenting  Ministers,  who  give  no  Receipt  for  it,  nor  are  asked 
"  what  they  do  with  it.  The  present  dissenting  Ministers  receiving 
"are  Dr.  Stennet,  Dr.  Langford,  Dr.  Gibbons,  Dr.  Harris,  Mr. 
"  Toller,  Mr.  Pope,  and  Mr.  Webb,  as  is  said.  The  above  account 
"  I  had  of  Mr.  Jos.  Jennings  of  Fenchurch  Street." 

Mar.  28.  Waited  upon  Sir  Gilbert  Eliot  and  received  all  the 
Countenance  I  could  expect.  Apr.  i.  Went  to  the  house  of  lyords 
and  saw  the  King  grant  his  Assent  to  the  Royal  Marriage  Act  &c. 
there  saw  the  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  and  sundr>^  Bishops.  The 
Bishop  of  Chichester  read  or  said  prayers  in  the  House  of  Lords. 
Apr.  6.   Went  to  Covent  Garden  Theatre  to  see  Macbeth  played. 

"Apr.  7.  W^aited  upon  I^ord  North  at  the  Treasury,  was  called 
in  before  the  whole  Board  &  was  heard  upon  the  claim  of  the 
Colony  at  large." 

Went  to  see  Mr.  West's  Paintings.  He  is  a  Pensylvanian  and 
the  King's  Painter 

Went  to  see  Mr.  Cox's  Musaeum.  Apr.  18.  Mr.  Marchants 
Birthday,  set.  31.  Born  Apr.  18,  New  Style  1741.  Lordsday  19. 
Went  to  the  Temple  Chapel  and  heard  the  best  Organ  said  to  be  in 
the  Kingdom  plaj^ed  by  the  best  hand  Mr.  Stanly.  Receiving  a 
Ticket  went  with  Mr.  David  Jennings  Apr.  20.  to  the  Lord  Mayor's 
Ball  at  the  Mansion  house,  Mr.  Nash  Lord  Mayor.  I  carried  down 
one  Dance  with  Mrs.  Jennings  mereh'  to  say  I  had  danced  in 
the  Mansion  house  at  the  Lord  Mayor's  Ball.  Apr.  24,  rode  out 
to  Newington  Green  and  dined  with  Dr.  Price  and  w^as  agree- 
abl}-  entertained.  29.  Waited  on  Councillor  Maddox  conversed 
with  him  and  went  to  the  Court  of  Chancery.  Dined  with  Mr. 
Saj-er  and  Mr.  Lee.  "After  Tea  Mr.  Lee  waited  upon  me  to  see 
"  the  celebrated  J/r.?.  Catharine  Macaul ay  oi  Titchfield  street  Oxford 
"  Market.  Mi.  Lee  and  Mr.  Sayer  had  both  before  made  mention 
"of  and  offered  to  introduce  me  to  her,  she  had  expressed  her 
"  Inclination  for  the  Meeting.  I  saluted  this  amiable  Daughter  of 
"  Liberty  with  inexpres.sible  pleasure,  heightened  wdth  the  pleasing 
' '  manner  in  which  she  received  me.  We  had  a  feast  of  aliout  two 
"  hours. — She  enquired  nuich  of  American  Affairs  and  is  charmed 
"to  think  there  exist  in  the  World  two  such  perfect  Common- 
"  wealths  as  Rh.  Isld  and  Connecticutt." 


DECEMBER    4,    1772  319 

May  3.  Lords  day  went  to  meeting  with  Mr.  Grant.  4.  Called 
upon  Mr.  Lee  of  Middle  Temple  and  went  to  the  Old  Baily  and 
was  introduced  to  Mr.  vSheriff  Wilkes  and  Bull.  Dined  with  the 
Sheriffs,  Recorder  and  Aldermen  &c.  by  Invitation  of  the  Sheriffs. 
May  10  Lords  day  went  to  Meeting  at  Mr.  Hunter's.  May  12. 
Waited  on  Lord  Hillsboro'  had  half  an  hour's  conversation  with 
him.  He  was  in  extreme  good  humour  and  promised  to  assist 
me  &c. 

May  21.  Went  to  Westminster  Hall  and  heard  Mr.  Dunning 
on  Negro  Somerset,  or  Liberty  Cause.  Went  in  Company  with  Dr. 
Evans  to  Drury  Lane  Theatre  to  see  Mr.  Garrick  act.  May  22. 
' '  Called  upon  Mr.  Lawrence  Silk  Manufacturer  and  paid  him  for 
' '  Weaving  Mrs.  Stiles'  Silk  Gown  from  Silk  made  by  her  and  sent 
' '  to  me. ' '  24.  Lords  day  went  to  Worship  at  Mr.  Hunters.  May 
26.  Viewed  the  Curiosities  in  the  British  Miisa-imi. 

May  31.  "  Di7ied  ivith  the  celebrated  Mrs.  Catherine  Macaulay  in 
"  company  with  Mr.  Lee,  Mr.  Bond  &c.  The  good  sense  and  good- 
"  ness  of  mind  of  this  Lady  are  truely  worthy  of  Admiration.  I 
' '  never  met  with  a  Mind  so  warmed  and  engaged  in  Sentiments  of 
"  genuine  Liberty.  She  is  no  Lover  of  Kings — but  a  pure  Repub- 
"  lican.  She  is  no  Friend  to  Oliver  Cromwell — though  she  ac- 
"  knowledges  his  Greatness.  She  thinks  Charles  suffered  justly, 
"  but  pities  the  Man,  that  it  should  have  been  his  Lot  to  fall,  when 
"  others  before  and  since  his  Time  much  more  deserved  it.  And 
' '  though  no  Time  ever  disgraced  the  British  Annals  more  than  the 
"present.  Harry  8th  and  Elizabeth  she  detests,  and  thinks  Mary 
"  was  a  better  character  than  that  of  Elizabeth. — ^Slie  thinks  Pitt 
' '  by  his  Inconsistencies  and  Fondness  of  a  Title  &c.  has  sullied  his 
' '  Glories  and  has  barred  the  public  from  giving  him  those  Crowns 
' '  and  Laurels  his  successful  Administration  would  otherwise  have 
"justly  claimed,  and  that  he  acts  rather  from  sudden  Motions  and 
"  Impressions  than  from  any  fixt  Plan  or  Principles." 

June  2.  Drank  tea  and  spent  the  evening  at  Mr.  Jennings  of 
Cheapside  most  of  the  Time  in  Company  with  the  Rev''  Mr.  Hill 
Successor  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gordon. 

June  3.  Had  the  honor  and  great  pleasure  of  breakfasting  at  his 
house  with  the  ingenious  and  celebrated  David  Garrick  Esq.  and  his 
Lady.  Was  shewn  into  his  Study  or  Library  22  feet  by  16,  two 
sides  and  an  End  filled  with  Books.  Mr.  Garrick  entertained  us 
until  XII  with  Criticisms  on  Plays  &  Actors  as  Quin  &c. 


320  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

luno  5.  Rode  out  in  Stage  Coach  with  Mr.  Joseph  Jennings  to 
Clapham  to  visit  Dr.  Furneaux.  "The  Doctor  has  a  very  pretty 
neat  brick  Meetinghouse  about  fifty  by  twenty  one  feet,  situated 
close  to  the  hou.se  the  D''  lodges  at"  (the  D""  is  a  Bacheller). — 
After  Tea  the  D''  walked  with  us  &c.  Clapham  four  Miles  from 
London.     June  6.    Visited  Windsor  &c.     Castle,  Park,  Forest. 

13.  Visited  Dr.  Hawkworth  now  writing  and  publishing  the 
account  of  Mr.  Banks  and  Dr.  Solanders  voyage  to  East  Indies. 
Intended  from  Bromley  to  Hays  to  wait  on  Lord  Chatham,  but  he 
is  absent  at  his  seat  at  Pynsent.  Went  &  saw  Wild7)ian' s  Exhi- 
bitions with  Bees. 

June  17.  Received  a  Letter  from  Mrs.  Macaulay.  19.  Called 
upon  her  and  .spent  an  hour  with  her.  21.  I,ord's  day  went  to 
Meeting  at  Mr.  Hunters  A.M.:  and  P.M.  went  to  meeting  in  Poor 
Jury  and  heard  a  mo.st  excellent  sermon  by  Rev.  Dr.  Calder.  24. 
Attended  at  Guildhall  Election  of  Sheriffs.  25.  At  six  o'Clock 
(P.M.)  I  went  with  Mrs.  Grant  to  hear  Mr.  Hunters  Eecture  pre- 
paratory to  the  vSacrament." 

28.  Lords  day.  "  Went  to  Meeting  with  Mrs.  Grant  and  heard 
Mr.  Hunter  and  sa7i'  the  Administration  of  the  Lord' s  Supper  much 
in  the  Presbyterian  manner,  and  the  whole  Congregation  attended 
the  whole  Service.  Mrs.  Grant  partook  at  the  Table  for  the  first 
Time  since  .she  was  in  England."  30.  Dined  with  Mrs.  Macaulay 
in  Comjiany  with  Mr.  Lee,  Mr.  Say  re  &c.  After  Tea  we  all  walked 
an  hour  or  two  into  Maj'rybone  Gardens.  In  our  walk  we  met  with 
the  celebrated  Mrs.  Lcjiox ,  Authoress  of  the  Female  Quixote,  and 
.se\-eral  other  Xovelle  performances.  Mrs.  Macaulay  stopped  and 
spoke  with  her.     She  appeared  to  be  a  Ead}^  of  45.' 

Jul>-  I .  Mr.  Sherwood  called  upon  me  and  we  went  to  the  Cockpit 
and  saw  Grey  Cooper,  Esq'  and  finished  our  Business  at  the  Treas- 
ury as  far  as  can  be  done  this  year  ;  having  I  hope  removed  all 
Obstacles  to  the  Colony's  obtaining  their  money  next  year.  5. 
Lords  day.  Went  with  Mr.  David  Jennings  to  Meeting  at  Wap- 
ping  and  heard  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hill — ^and  saiv  him  ad^ninister  the 
Lord' s  Supper.  7.  Heard  Chief  Justice  De  Grey  of  the  common 
pleas  deli\'er  a  very  elaborate  and  learned  Opinion  upon  a  point  of 
Law  <S:c.  Viewed  Mrs.  Wright's  Wax  Works  : — she  is  now  doing 
the  Heads  of  Garrick  the  Actor,  and  Mrs.  Macaulay.  8.  Saw 
\'aux   Hall   (hardens  &c.      14.   Invited  by  Messrs.  Trecothick  and 

'  Mrs.  CharloUe  I.ennox  was  now  about  52. 


DECEMBER    4,    1772  321 

Apthorp  to  their  Country  vSeat.  Drank  Tea  with  Mrs.  Macanlay 
having  received  a  Card  from  her.  Enjoyed  an  hour  or  two  in  the 
Evening  in  Conversation — "in  which  Mrs.  Macanlay  opened  and 
"  shewed  much  of  her  great  good  sense  and  knowledge  of  Politics, 
"  History  and  Government.  She  gratified  nie  with  some  Reflexions 
"and  Remarks  upon  Dr.  Robertson's  History  &c.  of  which  .she 
"has  no  good  Opinion,  unless  it  is  of  his  Art  and  Sophistry  in 
' '  endeavoring  to  beget  and  raise  in  the  Minds  of  his  Readers  a 
"  favorable  and  pleasing  Idea  of  absolute  Monarchy,  by  opposing  it  in 
"  its  infa7it  state  to  a7i  Aristocracy,  zvhicli  by  many  untoward  Circurn- 
^'  stances  had  becovie  very  tyra7inical ;  but  that  he  avoids  opposing 
"  in  the  least  to  a  democratical  System.  Mrs.  Macaulay  expressed  a 
"  great  Desire  of  seeing  America,  &  said,  that  her  present  Resolu- 
' '  tion  was  to  see  it  as  soon  as  .she  had  finished  her  next  or  6*'^  Vol- 
' '  ume.  I  took  my  Eeave  of  this  sensible  and  most  agreeable  Eady 
"with  the  greatest  Regret."  16.  At  the  Cockpit,  spent  half  an 
Hour  with  Mr.  Pownal  Secretary  to  the  Board  of  Trade,  on  Colony 
Affairs  ;  upon  taking  Leave  he  said  he  shd  be  exceeding  glad  of  my 
Correspondence  &  of  rendering  me  any  Service  in  his  power. 

19.  Lords  da}^  A.M.  went  to  Dr.  Hunter's  place  of  Worship 
with  Mrs.  Grant.  P.M.  took  a  walk  into  Moorfields  and  heard  a 
Field  preacher.  21.  Rode  with  Mr.  D.  Jennings  12  Miles  to  Brom- 
ley in  Kent — my  Design  was  to  pay  my  respects  to  the  Eaj'-l  of 
Chatham,  having  been  disappointed  before.  Came  to  his  Lordship's 
Seat  at  Hays,  but  he  had  been  gone  a  fortnight,  .so  left  a  Card 
' '  Mr.  Marchant  Attorney  General  and  Agent  for  the  Colony  of 
' '  Rhode  Island  during  his  Residence  in  England  did  himself  the 
"  hon.  to  wait  upon  the  Earl  of  Chatham,  and  he  is  sorry  he  was 
' '  disappointed  in  his  earnest  desire  of  paying  his  Respects  to  his 
"  Lordship  as  the  Friend  of  Liberty  and  America." 

July  24.  Mr.  Marchant  left  London,  with  Mr.  Church  of  Boston 
with  whom  he  travelled  into  Scotland,  and  Mr.  David  Jennings  and 
his  Wife,  who  accompanied  him  to  Gravesend  23  miles.  Here  he 
embarked  and  fell  down  the  River  Thames  to  Margate.  26.  passed 
Northforeland  and  anchored  off  against  Deal.  Aug.  8.  passed  Eddy 
Stone  Lighthouse  and  at  night  .supposed  abreast  the  Land's  End. 
Aug.  21.  four  weeks  from  leaving  London,  and  in  Lat.  43°  34' 
N",  between  II  &  HI''  P.M.  just  before  dinner  Vessel  alarmed  with 
fire.  The  Carpenter  set  a  pot  of  Pitch  on  the  Fire  ;  it  not  being 
watched   catched   &  instantly   put  in  flames   the   whole   Caboose. 


-22  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Half  a  minutes  Delay  would  have  put  the  whole  Ship  in  Flames. 
The  Door  and  Windows  of  the  Caboose  were  shut  instantly  and 
water  applied,  and  the  Fire  extinguished.  "God  grant  I  may 
never  forget  this  special  Instance  of  his  saving  Mercy."  30.  Saw 
a  whaling  Schooner,  bought  Codfish  of  her  which  she  got  on  the 

Banks  of  Newfoundland Sept.  3  Spoke  a  Maryland  Brig 

for  Aberdeen  which  reckons  herself  in  Longit.  56° — our  Captain 
reckons  but  in  4S. — Lat.  observ.  41°  i'.  Sept.  4.  Spoke  a  Ship 
from  Jamaica  for  London — reckons  in  Longit.  5i}4°  ]  our  Cap- 
tain in  50°. — Difference  !  Sept.  20.  Arrived  in  Captain  Scott  at 
Boston,  with  Mr.  Edward  Church  &c.  The  same  week  that  Gen- 
eral L^'nian'  arrived  there.  And  24"'  he  arrived  via  Providence  to 
Newport. 

5.  Extracting  Mr.  March'^  Journals. 

6.  Edsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  i  Pet.  iv,  7  &  published  Mr.  Heath 
the  last  Time.     P.M.  Amos  iv,  12. 

7.  At  XI)4  Ezra  came  home  into  our  house  for  the  first  Time. 
May  he  &  we  ever  retain  a  grateful  sense  of  Thanks  to  God  for  his 
deliver^'  our  Son  &  those  with  him  from  Instant  Death.  &  for  carry- 
ing them  all  well  thro'  Inoculation.     R.  Moses  visited  me  to  day. 

8.  R.  Moses  visited  me  again  to  day.  We  conversed  much  upon 
the  Messiah.     He  took  leave. 

9.  Finished  the  above  Extracts  of  Mr.  Marchants  Travels. 
Visited  some  of  those  that  returned  from  Inocul''  of  m^^  sons  com- 
pany.    Reading  Dr.  Price  on  Annuities 

10.  This  day  is  my  Birth  Day,  having  been  born  Nov.  29,  O.  S. 
1727.    .   .   .   I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Evg.  Eecture. 

1 1 .  This  forenoon  writing  a  long  Letter  concerning  Mr.  Murray 
to  Rev.  Jos.  Fish  of  Stonington 

13.  Lords  day.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  ciii.  2,  3,  4,  on  occasion 
of  my  son  and  others  returned  from  Inoculation  and  shipwrecked. — 
In  about  6  weeks  18  or  20  persons  of  my  Congregation  returned 
from  Inoculation.  I  addressed  Counsel  to  them  all.  P.M.  I  preached 
on  Hosea  xiii,  9.   .   .    . 

14.  [Reading  0)'ige?is  Philocalia R.  Moses  sailed  for  the 

West  Indies.] 

15 On  14  Noveml)er  last  died  at  Swanzey  Esek  Brown, 

Esq,  in  the  ninety  fourth  year  of  his  age.  He  left  a  Widow  with 
whom   he  had  lived  in  the   marriage  state  upwards  of  sixty  nine 

'  Sec  above,  Oct.  24,  1772. 


DECEMBER    5-21,    1772  323 

years  :  he  had  been  a  Member  of  the  Baptist  Church  u]nvards  of  60 
3'ears.  Representative  14  years  : — never  had  a  L,a\v-suit  for  or 
against  him.  He  had  a  numerous  Offspring  viz,  eleven  Children, 
112  Grand  Children,  127  great  grand  Children,  and  three  great 
great  children,  in  all  2jj  ;  of  whom  201  were  living  at  his  Death. 
Ten  children  the  j^oungest  of  whom  was  in  the  50'''  j^ear  of  his  Age, 
and  sixty  three  grand  Children,  that  is  73  of  his  Offspring  were  at 
his  Funeral. 

17.  I  attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Even*-'  Lecture,  he  preached  on  2  Thes. 
i,  10,  an  excellent  Sermon.  This  Afternoon  at  the  Library  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Russmeyer  lent  me  some  of  the  Brethrens  Journals  which 
I  read  this  Evening 

19.  Read^  Bp.  Lewis's  Maxims. 

20.  Ldsdy.  I  preached.  .  .  .  Shortest  Sabbath  in  the  year  : 
cloudy,  rainy  or  showery  Day  ;  no  snow  on  ground  :  Fahr.  Ther- 
mom.  42  abroad. 

21.  Finished  reading  Zinzendorf's  Maxims.  Visited  and  spent 
the  Evening  with  Mr.  Rusmeyer  and  his  Wife.  They  lately  at 
Philadelphia  dined  with  Dr.  Peters,  Dr.  Smith,  and  Mr.  Duche 
Episcopal  Clergymen  there.  Smith  the  Provost  is  a  jovial  Priest  : 
Peters  used  to  be  so  : — but  it  has  been  said  of  late  that  Peters  and 
Duche  were  become  pious  and  orthodox  and  mystic.  The}'  found 
Peters  was  changed,  and  expressed  his  great  Admiration  of  the 
System  of  Jacob  Bohmen,  approved  his  Writings,  and  talked  with 

some  Seriousness  :    but  afterwards  at  Dinner  at  Mr. a  merry 

Company,  he  drank  freely,  talked  gaily  and  lightly  and  too  much 
conformed  to  the  World.  They  visited  the  pretty  Mr.  Duche,  who 
went  to  England  in  the  same  ship  with  the  Moravian  Bishop  Span- 
enburg  perhaps  ten  ^-ears  ago,  and  was  so  enraptured  of  the  Liter-a- 
iure  and  Sanctity  of  the  Bishop,  that  in  the  vo3^age  they  were  wont 
to  sit  up  till  Eleven  at  Night.  Having  received  Ordination  by  the 
Bishop  of  London  he  returned  and  conies  forth  a  Mystic  Divine,  a 
Moravian,  or  any  Thing  to  please  various  Company— lives  in  great 
Splendor  in  a  magnificent  house,  rides  in  his  Coach  &c.,  and  carries 
in  his  Air  Pride  &c.  He  took  them  into  his  Library  which  was 
finely  ornamented,  and  played  on  the  Organ  a  Moravian  Hymn  and 
sung  it  finel}'  at  the  same  Time.  But  putting  him  all  together,  he 
has  no  Steadiness  and  Fixedness,  only  to  accomodate  himself  to 
every  Company.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Russmeyer  think  that  Mr.  White- 
field  had  too  much  of  this  conformabilitv  to  the  World  in  his  Con- 


,24 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


versation.      Mr.  Russmeyer  lent  me  Sulpitiiis  Severiis.     Therm"  50 
at  Noon  abroad,  a  fine  mild  day. 

23.  The  Ships  of  War  make  a  formidable  Parade  in  the  Harbor — 
preparing  for  the  grand  Court  of  Inquiry  appointed  by  the  King 
soon  to  sit  here  for  Examining  the  Affair  of  burning  the  Gaspee 
Schooner  near  Providence  last  June.  The  King  has  ordered  them 
to  inquire  particularly  as  to  Mr.  John  Brown,  Mr.  Joseph  Brown  of 
Providence,'  Capt.  Potter  of  Bristol  and  Dr.  Weeks  of  Warwick, 
and  if  Evidence  appear,  not  to  adjudge  upon  them,  but  deliver  them 
up  to  Adm.  Montague  to  be  sent  to  England  &  take  Trial  there. 
The  Fact  being  infra  Comitatus  Limites  or  with  the  Land  Jurisdic- 
tion of  the  Colon}-,  such  a  Court  takes  the  Trial  out  of  the  Vicinage, 
and  the  transporting  &c.  is  alarming  to  the  whole  Continent. 

This  day  I  received  a  Letter  from  Dr.  Gale  of  Killingworth  with 
a  ALS  Treatise  of  his  on  the  Prophecies  &  the  speed}-  Second  Appear-' 
of  the  Messiah  and  his  personal  Reign  on  Earth." 

24.  Read^'  Sulpitius. 

25.  No  Lecture  at  Mr.  Hopkins's  last  Evening.  Christmas  kept 
in  three  Congregations  in  this  Town.  Mr.  Kelle}-  has  begun  it  in 
the  first  Baptist  Church  here  :  but  only  as  a  Lecture  in  the  After- 
noon, at  least  the  people  consider  it  onlj-  in  this  Light,  though  he 
means  it  as  an  Anniversary  of  Christ's  Nativit}'.  Last  3-ear  he 
held  a  Lecture  once  a  fortnight  on  Wednesda}-.  Christmas  happened 
to  fall  on  Wednesday  last  year,  and  he  preached  on  the  Nativity. 
It  was  said  Mr.  Kell}-  kept  Christmas,  and  his  people  attended  a 
usual  Lecture — onl}*  that  falling  on  that  particular  day,  he  adapted 
his  Sermon  to  celebrate  the  Birth  and  Incarnation  of  the  blessed 
Savior  :  as  Ministers  frequently  preach  new  year's  da}^  Sermons, 
especially  if  New  year's  day  be  a  Sabbath.  However  as  Mr. 
Kelly's  Opinion  is  for  the  religious  Observance  of  this  Anniver- 
sary, and  to  invite  and  convene  a  large  Assembly  to  the  Lecture  it 
was  given  out  that  Mr.  Kelh-  (a  young  Minister  ordained  but  a 
quarter  of  a  j^car  before)  was  to  preach  a  Christmas  Sermon  :  so 
this  looked  more  like  keeping  Christmas  than  any  Thing  that  ever 
before  appeared  among  the   Baptists  or  Congregationalists  in  New 

*  Two  of  the  Brown  family  after  which  Brown  University  was  named.  John 
Brown  was  Treasurer  of  the  University  from  1775  to  1796. 

'  Dr.  Stiles  returned  this  piece  with  his  comments  in  March,  1773  ;  Dr.  Gale 
(Yale  1733)  did  not  print  it,  but  in  1788  printed  another  Brief  Essay  on  a  sim- 
ilar theme. 


DECEMBER    23-30,    1772  325 

England.  And  as  Mr.  Kelly  held  a  Lecture  this  year  not  on 
Wednesday  but  Friday  expressly  because  it  was  Christmas  ;  so  it 
is  probable  this  will  begin  the  Introduction  of  Christmas  among 
the  Baptist  Churches,  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  years  from  the 
first  planting  of  New  England  and  near  one  hundred  and  thirty 
years  from  the  foundation  of  the  first  Baptist  Church  in  New  Eng- 
land. Mr.  Kelly  I  find  conducts  with  Tenderness  and  Delicacy. 
Neither  the  prayers  nor  Sermon  were  adapted  to  the  day — scarcely 
mentioned  the  Birth  of  Christ  in  either — preached  on  Regeneration 
John  iii,  3,  except  a  man  be  born  &c. — sang  three  times  in  Tate 
&  Brady  :  had  but  one  Service  which  began  at  three  o'clock  P.M. 
&  ended  before  Sunset. 

At  X''  A.M.  I  went  to  the  Moravian  Meeting.  The  service  begun 
with  singing  or  chaunting  Hymns,  in  which  all  joyned  sitting,  till 
they  rose  at  some  doxologies  at  the  Close  which  all  sang  standing. 
This  might  last  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  or  the  length  of  a  common 
first  prayer  in  m}-  Meeting.  Then  the  Congregation  sat,  and  Mr. 
Rusmeyer  read  a  few  Sentences  &  the  Text  for  the  Day,  Rom.  i, 
3,  and  on  this  he  preached  extemporaneously  an  hour  ;  then  closed 
with  a  Hymn  sitting,  and  a  Blessing.  He  made  no  prayer  solus  or 
distinct  from  the  Liturgical  Hymns.  In  the  Afternoon  I  went  to 
Mr.  Kelly's  as  noted.  Both  Mr.  Rusmeyer  and  Mr.  Kelly  preached 
vSermons  full  of  Christ  and  the  Gospel. 

27.  Lords   day.      A.M.    I    preached  on    Ephes.    iv,    32.      P.M. 

Eccles.  vii.  12 In  the  Evening  I  married  Heans  Heath 

and  Mercy  Mil  ward  at  my  house. 

28.  Spent  the  Evening  in  reading  the  Zohar. 

29.  Spent  the  Forenoon  in  reading  the  Zohar.  Mr.  Hopkins  has 
put  his  piece  into  the  press  in  Defence  of  President  Edwards  and  in 
reply  to  Messrs.  Hart,  Dickinson,  Mather,  Hemingway  &c.  He 
wrote  it  last  Winter 

30.  The  Rev.  Aaron  Hutchinson  of  Grafton  on  account  of  Alien- 
ations from  unhappy  Disputes  between  him  and  some  of  his  Breth- 
ren, lately  asked,  and  "  with  great  struggles  at  length  obtained  an 
honorable  Dismission  from  his  pastoral  Relation,  b}'  the  unanimous 
Advice  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Council,  and  by  a  major  Vote  of  the  Breth- 
ren of  the  Clnirch  present.  Whereupon  his  pastoral  Relation  was 
declared  to  be  dissolved,  in  the  presence  of  the  Council  ;  and  is 
likeh'  to  remain  so,  notwithstanding  the  Tozun  has  hitherto  refused 
their  Concurrence.''     This  Evening  I  was  visited  by  Mr.  James  and 


326  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Mr.  Howlaiid  two  of  Mr.  Hopkins'  Congregation  much  dissatisfied 
with  his  Peculiarities.  Mr.  James  has  taken  a  pew  in  my  Meeting- 
house. 

31 At  II f^''  P.M.  attended  the  Funeral  of  Mrs.  Mar}^ 

Mellen.  vShe  was  carried  to  the  Moravian  Meetinghouse,  which 
was  crouded  with  about  two  hundred  people — six  Ministers  present 
viz.  Rev.  Mr.  Maxsen,  Rev.  Mr.  Bis.set,  Rev.  Mr.  Wheeler,  Rev. 
Mr.  Kelly  and  myself  besides  Mr.  Rusmeyer.  The  Service  began 
with  singing  a  Hymn — then  Mr.  Russmeyer  prayed,  and  preached 
from  I  Thess.  iv,  13,  14 — then  a  Hymn — then  the  Corps  was  car- 
ried out  and  preceded  by  Mr.  Rusmeyer  to  the  Grave  at  the  North 
Ea.st  Corner  of  the  Meetinghouse — at  the  Interment  Mr.  Rusmeyer 
read  Service,  partly  chaunted,  and  partly  repeated  by  6  or  7  of  the 
Brethren  and  Sisters,  clcsed  with  a  Hymn.  It  was  a  long  service. 
Mrs.  Mellen  was  born  in  Newport,  much  accustomed  to  Mr.  Claps 
Instructions,  about  1756  became  a  Moravian,  of  sober  Life,  though 
said  to  have  some  singularities.  She  gave  the  Lot  60  or  80  feet 
square  on  which  the  Meetinghouse  was  built  6  or  7  years  ago. 

In  the  evening  I  attended  Mr.  Hopkins'  Lecture.  He  preached 
on  I  Pet.  V,  7,  and  took  notice  of  the  Clo.se  of  the  Year.  This  da}* 
arrived  here  Judge  Horsmanden  and  Judge  Smith'  from  N.  York. 

On  23^  of  this  month  Dec.  the  Rev''  Benjamin  Wadsworth  was 
ordained  Pastor  of  the  Church  in  Danvers  in  Salem,  late  the  pastoral 
Charge  of  Rev''  Mr.  Clarke  deceased. 

There  ha\'e  died  this  year  in  the  Town  of  New^port  205  Whites 
&  52  Blacks.  Total  257.  In  Boston  458  Whites,  59  Blacks,  Total 
517  died  this  year. 

Buried  in  the  Town  of  Salem  this  year  92  Whites  5  Blacks — 
Tot.  97.     Baptized  152 

' '  The  3 1  '*  Dec'  the  Rev"  Abraham  Wood  was  separated  to  the 
pastoral  Office  at  Chesterfield  in  the  Province  of  New^  Hampshire  : 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Gay  of  Hinsdale  made  the  introductory  Prayer,  the 
Rev**  Mr.  Biglow  of  Sudbury  preached  a  Sermon  pertinent  to  the 
Occasion  from  i  Cor.  xvi.  10.  The  Prayer  at  Imposition  of  Hands 
by  the  Rev"^  Mr.  Hubbard  of  Northfield  :  The  Charge  was  given 
by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Bridge  of  Sudbury  :  the  Right  Hand  of  Fellow- 
ship by  the  Rev''  Mr.  Lawrence  of  Winchester  ;  and  the  conclusive 
Prayer  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hedge  of  Warwick." 

'  Two  of  the  Coniniissioii  of  Inquiry  appointed  by  the  Crown  to  investigate 
the  destruction  of  the  Schooner  Oaspee. 


DECEMBER    31,    1772 


327 


[The  following  is  Dr.  vStiles's  Visiting  Catalogue  for  his  parish  for 
1772, — the  numbers  appended  indicating  visits  paid  during  the  year  : 


Timothy  Allen,  3 
*Philip  Ackland,  4 
*Jos.  Belcher,  13 
*Job  Bissel,  8 
*Dr.  Bartlett,  17 
^Nathan  Bebee,  8 
*Wni.  Bentley,  3 
*Wm.  Bennet,  removed 
*James  Brown,  2 

Jos.  Brown,  i 

*Tho.  Brenton,  died  Mar.  23,  1772,  i 
*W°  Hannah  Bennet,  5 
*W''  Bebee,  4 
*Miss  Bissells,  3 

Wife  Tho'  Brown,  4 
*Tho'  Brown,  Mariner,  4 

Experience  Brown,  2 

Mrs.  Baker,  i 

Jos.  Belcher,  jun.,  3 
*Mr.  Chesebrough,  23 

Mr.  Coit,  I 
*Capt.  Church,  3 
*Peleg  Cary,  &c.  7 
*Jn°  Cary,  4 
*James  Clark,  3 

Tho^  Courtain,  7 

Peace  Clark,  3 
*Mrs.  Channing,  44 
*Mrs.  Carr  &  Clark,  8 

W"  Chambers,  7, 
*W''  Carter,  3 

Wife  of  Jno.  Clark,  2 
*Sam'l.  Crandal 
*Lemuel  Crandal,  i 

Sam'  Cole,  &c.,  4 

Jos.  Crandal,  jun.,  2 

Eben''  Campbell,  2 

W°  Carter,  4 
*James  Carter,  i 

Main  Coggeshall,  3 

Abraham  Dennis,  11 
*Benj*  Doubleday,  12 
*Eben'' Davenport,  &c.,  9 
*Eben''  Davp'.,  Jun.,  5 
*Isaac  Dayton,  26 


^Benedict  Dayton,  5 
*Hez.  Dayton,  10 
*Charles  Davins,  3 
*W''  Davenp'.,   5 

Mrs.  Downer,  3 

W"  Davis,  4 

Miss  Dyre,  2 

Benj.  Ellery,  4 
*W'"  Ellery,  16 

Mrs.  Ellery,  33 

M'  Christ"  Ellery,  16 

Sally  Donaldson,  3 
*Capt.  English,  9 

Mr.  Evans,  3 
*W"'  Finch,  2 

Mrs.  F'ryers,  2 
*Adam  Ferguson,  7 

Jn"  Ferguson,  11 

Mrs.  Fry,  2 
*Caleb  Gardner,  9 
*Rob.  Gibbs,  i 

Mrs.  Gibbs  (Geo.),  5 
*Capt.  Godfrey,  4 
*Capt.  Hamilton,  8 
*Nassau  Hastie,  9 

Capt.  Hatch,  2 

Mr.  Haggar,  4 
*Pollipus  Hamond,  10 
*Jos.  Hamand,  9 
*Job  Howland,  5 

Wm.  Howland,  7 

Sam'  Henshaw,  removed 

Mrs.  Hyers,  died  Mar.  25,  1772 
*W'"  Howard,  2 

W"  Hunt,  2 

Eliz.  House 

Benj.  Ingraham,  3 
*W°  Ingraham,  3 

Ann  Do.,  2 
*W°  Jones,  3 
*Benj.  King,  12 
*Sami  King,  3 
*W''  Kennicott,  &c.,  i 

J.  B.  King,  5 
*Nathan  Euther 


J 


28 


DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 


Henry  Marchanl,  27 

Mrs.  More,  28 
*Philip  Moss,  5 
*Geo.  IMowat,  8 
*Wni.  Merriss,  12 

*Edwd.  Murphy,  3,  Left  the  Meeting 
*W»  INIurphy,  3 
*Mr.  Millar,  &c.,  4 
*Simon  Newton,  13 
*Jn''  Newton,  7 
*Ken(lal  Nicols,  4 
*W"Nicols(Herb.),  i 

W"  Newton,  4 

W  Nicols  (Jno.) 
*Major  Otis,  19 

Sally  Oldham,  i 
*Jn»  Pitman,  28 
*Benj»  Pitman,  12 
*Capt.  Peck,  4 
*Philip  Peckham,  3 
*James  Pitman,  9 
^W"  Pitman,  6 
*\V"  Peckham,  4 

M'  Price 

Rebecca  Petteface,  2 

Esther  Phillips 

Hannah  Preston,  i 

Eliz''  Pratt 

Peter  Parker,  i 

Wife  of  Potter,  2 

Eben''  Richdson,  4 
*Eben''  Do.,  jun.,  2 
*Thos.  Do.,  3 
*Jacob  Do.,  6 

Daniel  Russel,  4 
*W''  Ryder,  5 

W"  Robinson,  2 

W"  Rumrill,  4 
*Mrs.  Roland,  3 

Desire  Robinson  or^Mrs.  Tripp 

M'^  Eben.  Rumrill,  i 
*Deacon  Sayer,  16 
*Beni''  Sayer,  11 
^Joshua  Sayer,  jun.,  3 

1030  Visits  in  1772 

*  Whole  Families. 


*Robert  vStevens,  42 
*Jn"  vStevens,  8 
*W"'  Stevens,  new  comer  3 
*E(lw''  vSimmonds,  4 
*Jn"  Simson,  sen.,  5 
*Rich'd.  Simson,  4 
*Jno.  Do.,  jun.,  3 

Sam'l.  Simson,  2 
*Jos.  Smith,  6 
*Nath'  Sowle 
*Hen.  vSherburn,  5 
*W"  Searing,  9 
^W"  Sylvester,  i 

W"  vSpinney,  2 
*Jon"  Stoddard,  2 
'"Jacob  Stockman,  10 

Mrs.  Stelle 
*W'»  Syms,  4 
*W"  Sherman,  2 

Mr.  Simmands,  2 
••Eleazar  Trevitt,  16 
*Eleazar  Trevitt,  jun.,  5 
*Samuel  Treby,  2 
*Wilkins  Treby,  i 
nV  Treby,  &c.,  2 
*Jn«  Topham,   &c.,  6 
*W'"  Tripp,  4 
*W<'  Topham  (Theoph.),  5 
*Elijah  Tompkins 

Tabor,   i 

W°  Townsend,  5 


jun.,  7 


Sam'  Vernon,  6 
*W">  Vernon,  11 
*Eben''  Vose,  6 

Rd.  Ward 
*Jno.  Wood,  6 

Sam'  Weedon, 

W'  Whitwell,  3 
*W'"  Wilson,  3 

W»  Willis,  5 
*W»  Wilson,  10 

Capt.  Briggs,  new  comer,  2 


926  in  1771  " 


JANUARY    1-3,    1773  329 

Jan.  I,  1773 

It  is  my  manner  every  day,  to  read  a  chapter  or  more  in  Course 
in  the  English  Bible  in  my  Study  :  to  examine  some  Texts  in  the 
Hebrew  Bible  ;  and  besides  this  to  read  a  portion  in  some  Rabbin- 
ical Author,  I  now  am  reading  the  Zohar.  Yesterday  arrived  here 
Judge  Horsmanden  of  New  York  and  Judge  Smyth  of  New  Jersey  : 
and  this  day  they  sent  a  post  to  Boston  to  Admiral  Montague  for 
their  Commissions  which  were  lodged  with  him.  Visited  by  two 
Gentlemen  educated  in  the  University  of  Aberdeen,  and  now  on 
their  Travels.  This  forenoon  Rev.  M''  Rusmeyer  preached  a  new 
years  Sermon  at  the  Moravian  Meeting.  At  III''  P.M.  I  preached 
my  sacramental  Lecture  from  Deut.  xi.  12,  a  new  year  Sermon. 
Reading  Mr.  West  on  moral  Agency.  A  fine  mild  day.  Fahr. 
Therm"  abroad  48. 

2.  Examining  the  chronology  in  Josephus.  Visited  by  travelling 
Gentlemen  again — one  of  them  is  travelling  America  to  make  plans 
and  drawings  of  various  places,  as  Falls  of  Niagara,  public  Build- 
ings &c,  plans  and  perspective  views,  for  a  natural  History  of 
America  now  compiling  in  London  :  he  also  tells  me  that  he  is 
employed  by  the  Earl  of  Dartmouth  Secretary  of  State  for  America 
to  transmit  him  any  curious  Remarks  and  Observations.  I  suppose 
under  this  pretext  he  travels  America  as  one  of  the  political  Mis- 
sionaries of  the  Ministry.  This  Afternoon  arrived  in  town  Chief 
Justice  Oliver  of  Massachusetts,  and  Judge  Auchmuty,  who  with 
our  Gov'".  Wanton  and  the  two  western  Judges,  make  five  Judges,' 
the  whole  number  appointed  by  the  Crown  to  make  Inquiry  con- 
cerning the  burning  of  the  Gaspee  Schooner  10  June  last  a  little 
below  Providence  &  wounding  Lieut.  Duddingston. 

3.  Therm°.  50^^  at  IX i^.  Very  warm.  A.M.  I  preached  on 
Eph.  ii,  13,  and  administered  the  Lords  Supper  to  57  Communi- 
cants, among  whom  was  the  Hon.  Judge  Oliver  of  Middleborough. 
P.M.  Ps.  xvi,  8,  and  baptized  Prince  a  negro  Infant  of  Br.  Zingo 
&  Sister  Phillis — Communicants  in  my  Chh.  Reading  this  day  in 
the  public  Congregation  xxiv"'  of  Matthew  the  Chapter  in  course. 

'  The  commissioners,  in  the  order  of  their  names  in  the  commission,  were  : 
Joseph  Wanton,  Governor  of  Rhode  Island,  born  1705  ;  Daniel  Horsmanden, 
Chief  Justice  of  New  York,  born  1691  ;  Frederick  Smythe,  Chief  Justice  of 
New  Jersey,  born  1732  ;  Peter  Oliver,  Chief  Justice  of  Massachusetts,  born 
1713  (Harvard  Coll.  1730);  and  Robert  Auchmuty,  Judge  of  the  Vice  Admiralty 
Court  at  Boston,  born  1725. 


330  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiI.EvS 

I  found  at  v.  20"',  Pray  that  3^our  flight,  &c. — not  on  the  Sabbath 
day  :  it  occurred  to  my  Mind,  Why  not  on  the  Sabb.  or  seventh 
dav,  if  the  Hebrew  Christians  were  not  to  keep  the  seventh  day 
hol\-  ? 

4.   Examining-  some  historical   Events  in  Sir  Walter  Raleigh. 

Dined  with  the  Town  Council.     Last  night  Capt.  arrived  with 

the  Judges  Commissions  from  the  Admiral,  and  carried  them  aboard 
Capt.  Keeler  ;  not  to  deliver  them  till  the  Admiral  comes,  or  &c. 
Therm"  34. 

5 At  XI14''  A.M.  the  five  Judges  Wanton,  Horsman- 

den,  Oliver,  Smyth,  &  Auchmuty,  preceeded  b}-  about  a  dozen 
Officers  of  the  Men  o'  war,  marched  in  procession  up  the  Parade  to 
the  Courthouse  ;  where  in  the  Council  Chamber,  their  Commission 
was  opened  and  ordered  to  be  read.  M'  James  Clarke  the  Gover- 
nors Na\-al  Oilicer  read  it.  It  was  observed  that  there  was  an  Error 
in  the  Commission,  it  empowering  the  Judges  to  inquire  into  the 
Burning  the  Gaspee  &c  at  the  Toivn  of  Neivport,  whereas  it  was  at 
Warwick.  After  reading  the  Chamber  was  cleared  of  spectators, 
and  the  Judges  sat  till  about  II  o' Clock  P.M.  when  they  adjourned, 
and  dined  at  M""  Peas' s. 

Deacon  Barker  a  Baptist  visited  me  and  shewed  me  a  Paper  he 
lately  received  from  Rev.  Morgan  Edwards,  who  last  year  itinerated 
thro'  the  Baptist  Chhs.  in  the  Southern  provinces  to  Georgia,  & 
collected  the  following  Account  of  the  State  of  those  Churches  as  it 
was  in  1772. 


5                                 -rt  C  ^  fl 

Maryland  .- 8   7 1437   -  857 

Virginia 36   ._. 32   3633 8002 

N"  Carolina 32 30 3591 7950 

S"  Carolina. 24   26 1186   1533 

Georgia 4    i    116 105 


104.  96.  9963.  20447 

Souls  allowing  5  to  a  family  102235. 

Associations  in  Virginia  2        \  ^P^^on  held  Sat.  before  2''  Sunday  in  June. 

'  Rapidanne        2^  Sat.  Sept. 

Associations  in  N"  Carol.  2      \  ■''''""^^'  ^''"^'^      ^''  ^''^-  ^^t- 

'  yuchuhy  Mond.  after  i""  vSunday  Aug. 

Associations  in  S"  Carol.  2       \  ^^h^^^lestown   Mond.  after  i"'  Sunday  Feb. 

'  Sandy  run      last  vSat.  Oct. 
X  B.     The  Separate  Baptist  Associations  are  dashed." 


JANUARY    4-6,    1773  331 

6.  Dined  with  Judge  Oliver  at  M'  Chesebro's  and  spent  the 
Afternoon  together.  Had  much  Conversation  on  Pliilosophy  and  Law. 
He  has  Iron  Works  at  Middleboro' — once  had  a  Parcel  of  Rock  Ore 
abounding  with  Magnets,  being  almost  all  of  it  Magnet — one  stone 
of  5  or  600'^'  weight  he  preser\^ed,  it  attracted  most  powerfully.  At 
length  a  man  taking  a  sledge  knocked  off  one  corner  of  it  a  small 
piece — and  from  that  Time  the  whole  stone  lost  its  magnetism  and 
never  recovered  it.  We  discoursed  on  the  extending  of  the  English 
Law  to  America,  whether  Statute  or  Co?Jimon.  He  said  all  the  English 
Statutes  before  the  Colonies  had  Existence  were  to  be  extended 
here — (this  was  a  singular  opinion) — all  made  since  with  extending 
clauses  reached  us — those  made  without  &c.  did  not  extend  here. 

This  I  see  is  Court  I^aw He  considered   the   Descent  of 

Inheritance  in  Massachusetts  as  being  neither  according  to  England 
in  general  or  C  of  Kent,  but  Mosaic.  He  said  by  common  Law 
the  Estates  of  Felons  went  to  the  King,  in  Kent  to  the  Children, 
in  New  England  to  the  Children  ;  so  that  the  common  Law  he  said 
would  not  apply  to  New  England  in  this  Case.  In  England  and 
Massachusetts  no  Quaker  evidence  by  Affirmation  can  convict  capi- 
tally^— Judge  Smyth  an  Englishman  told  Judge  Oliver,  that  when 
he  came  to  Jersies  he  objected  this,  but  they  all  cried  out  their 
usage  to  admit  Quaker  Testimony  in  capital  Cases,  and  that  he  was 
obliged  to  give  way  to  it,  tho'  different  from  the  Laws  of  Eng- 
land. We  also  discoursed  on  Slavery  of  Negroes  in  Virginia  &c. ; 
that  of  necessity  the  American  Public  Lazv,    must  differ  and  varj- 

irom.  th.&  Public  Law  of  Engla7id 

In  the  Evening  I  was  visited  by  Hon.  Deputy  Gov.  Sessions'  who 
discoursed  largely  and  fully  on  the  public  Affairs  and  especially  the 
present  extraordinary  Court  of  Commissioners  now  sitting  here. 
He  and  Gov.  Hopkins  now  Chief  Judge  of  our  Superior  Court, 
came  to  Town  yesterday  from  Providence,  and  had  an  interview 
with  the  Commissioners  or  some  of  them  at  Gov.  Wantons.  They 
came  to  have  the  Appearance  of  a  Readiness  to  (not  obstruct  but) 
contribute  their  Assistance  in  the  Gaspee  affair,  and  to  vindicate  the 
Colony.  It  is  their  plan  to  treat  the  Commissioners  with  Respect, 
and  to  be  ready  at  hand  to  be  applied  to  for  issuing  Warrants  in 
Case  the  Commissioners  call — that  so  the  Commissioners  may  not 
seem  necessitated  to  usurp  an  executive  Jurisdiction  within  the 
Colony.      It  is  said   that  one  man  from  Smithfield  this  day  went 

^  Darius  vSessions  (Yale  1737). 


3  32  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

aboard  a  j\Iaii  o'  War  here,  as  an  Evidence  &c  to  accuse,  convict 
&  get  the  £1000  sterl^'  Reward. 

7.  Mr.  Marc}'  went  away.  I  dined  at  Mr.  Vernons,  and  after- 
wards visited  Hon.  Ab'"  Redwood  Esq.  &c.  Yesterday  my  kind 
people  made  me  a  present  of  5  cwt.  Pork.  I  received  from  them 
last  year  /,"i30.  sterling  of  which  /^65.  Salary,  rest  Wood  and 
Presents.  Mr.  Hopkins  has  no  Lecture  this  stormy  Evening. 
Yesterday  at  Dinner  we  eat  Lettuce  gathered  in  the  garden  growing 
abroad  and  not  in  hot-beds,  so  moderate  the  Season.  I  saw  and 
measured  a  Branch  of  Rose-Bush  of  this  Winters  fresh  Growth 
gathered  New  Years  Day  above  six  inches  long,  of  which  the  new 
grown  Stalk  was  above  four  Inches,  and  some  leaves  nearly  full 
grown. 

S.  Examining  sundry  Passages  in  Ainsworth  on  the  Pentateuch. 
Finished  reading  Mr.  West's  Piece  on  moral  Agency,  and  particu- 
larly on  the  Divine  Agency  in  effecting  Sin.  A  very  unsatisfactory 
Tract,  nearly  making  God  the  intentional  and  blameable  Author  of 
moral  Evil  in  the  system  of  the  Universe.  This  indeed  he  denies 
— but  his  Reasonings  conclude  for  it 

g.  Examining  Ainsworth  and  vSulpitius.  The  Commissioners 
sit  daily  in  the  Courthouse — but  nothing  transpires.  The  Admiral 
is  not  yet  come.  This  Afternoon  an  Express  arrived  from  the 
Admiral  via  Taunton,  with  Letters  to  the  Commissioners  advising 
that  he  shall  set  out  hither  on  Monday  next.  I  was  in  Company' 
with  Gov.  Sessions  to  day — he  told  me  he  was  with  the  Commis- 
sioners all  the  forenoon,  &  delivered  in  to  them  a  written  Declara- 
tion on  the  public  Affairs,  to  vindicate  the  Colony  and  the  public 
Civil  Officers,  and  exhibiting  Circumstances  and  Matters  relative 
the  Gaspee  &c.  He  said  Mr.  Horsmanden  asked  him  what  motives 
he  supposed  influenced  toward  the  burning  the  Gaspee,  the  Gov- 
ernor alledged  the  Violence  and  Depredations  of  the  Officers  &c.  of 
the  Men  o'  War,  mentioning  Instances.  Mr.  Oliver  said  he  should 
hear  both  sides.  Mr.  Horsmanden  said  they  sat  to  hear  Complaints 
against  the  Men  o'  War,  and  told  the  Gov.  if  there  were  any  they 
might  be  freely  offered  &  they  should  be  heard  &  redressed. 

10.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  2  Tliess.  i,  9,  10.  P.M.  Ps.  1,  23. 
Judge  Oliver  present  all  day  : — a  pleasant  day  &  full  Assembly. 

11.  Snow  this  Morn-  before  day,  but  clear  at  Sunrise  Therm"  18. 
At  Noon  Therm'^'  24  .  .  .  This  Afternoon  the  hon.  Judge  Oliver 
came  to  drink  Tea  with  me  and  spent  the  Evening  at  my  house  in 


JANUARY    7-12,    1773  333 

Compan}'  with  Mr.  Stevens,  Major  Otis  and  Dr.  Jabez  Bowen  of 
Providence.  The  Judge  told  us  that  his  Wife  had  been  last  year 
cured  of  a  Cancer  in  her  Neck  of  30  years  stand^  by  a  j'oung  man 

M''  Pope  of  Boston His  remedy  is  a  secret,  but  he  explained 

the  operation  of  it  to  Mr.  Oliver  in  a  philosophical  Manner,  though 
Mr.  Pope  is  not  a  man  of  L,etters  nor  does  he  make  pretension  to 
any  other  part  of  Medicine  or  Surgery 

The  Judge  said  that  the  late  M""  I^ittle  of  Plymouth  found  an 
absolute  Remedy  for  the  Quincy,  called  white  Drops,  and  offered  me 
the  Receipt.  I  suppose  it  the  same  as  Dr.  Bartlets  which  is  onh' 
volatile  Sp^*  as  Hartshorn  or  Salarmoniac  mixed  with  Oyl  Olive.  .  .  . 
The  Judge  knew  an  illiterate  physician  to  cure  his  (the  Judge's) 
Negro  of  a  bilious  Colic  or  perhaps  the  Illiac  passion  in  a  few 
Minutes — but  would  not  disclose  his  Remedy.  But  the  Judge  sup- 
poses he  is  possessed  of  the  secret,  though  that  physician  died 
without  communicating  it  even  to  his  own  son.  For  being  on  the 
Circuit  of  the  Superior  Court  in  the  Co.  of  York  he  found  a  Coun- 
tryman to  the  Eastward  who  had  a  Cure  for  the  bilious  Colic, 
which  Dr.  L^'man  had  proved  infallible  in  100  instances.  The 
Judge  bought  it  of  the  Man  for  30'.  and  it  was  onh'  the  Root  of 
Meadow  Flags,  or  Flower  de  Luce.  Not  every  flag^Dut  such  only 
whose  Root  was  flat  with  prongs — that  flag  root  which  was  sur- 
rounded with  bushy  Fibres  will  not  answer. 

We  had  much  Conversation  on  Law  &c. — and  on  the  Affair  of 
Baptist  Persecutions  at  Haverhill  and  Ashfield.  He  was  on  the 
Bench  at  the  Trial  of  Mr.  White  of  Haverhill.'  He  said  by  the 
old  Law  the  Baptists  were  to  certifie  themselves  as  to  three  things — 
that  the}"  were  conscientiously  Baptists — usual  Attendants — and 
Members  i.  e.  baptized  b}-  Immersion  and  Communicants.  Mr. 
W^hites  Certificate  showed  the  two  first,  not  the  last  ;  and  for  this 
Defect  Judgment  was  given  against  him. — But  that  since  that  the 
Law  was  altered,  requiring  only  a  Certificate  of  their  usual  Attend- 
ance at  a  Baptist  Meeting.  As  to  the  Ashfield  affair,  he  was  unac- 
quainted, and  chose  to  be  so,  because  it  might  some  time  come 
before  him  at  Court  :  but  he  tho't  there  had  been  some  Oppression. 

12.  This  forenoon  visited  by  Mr.  Nelson  an  Irish  Gentleman, 
Brother  to  the  late  Rev.  Mr.  Nelson  a  Dissenting  Minister  in  the 
North   of  Ireland,  discharged   from   his  Congregation  for  Heresy, 

'  For  the  Baptist  statement  of  this  case,  see  Backus's  Hist,  of  the  Baptists, 
ed.  1871,  ii,  141-42. 


334  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

though  othenvise  of  an  excellent  Character.  Mr.  Nelson  is  viewing 
and  buving  American  new  L,ands  between  lyake  Champlain  and 
Connecticut  River  in  the  44'"  degree  of  lyatitude  with  the  view  of 
bringing  over  settlers  from  Ireland.     He  is  a  Presbyterian. 

Mr.  Dawson  a  first  Day  Baptist  Teacher  in  Newport  has  lately 
doubted  and  at  length  renounced  the  first  Day  Sabbath.  At  a  lec- 
ture last  week  in  his  new  Meetinghouse  he  declared  his  opinion  for 
the  7'"  Day  Sabbath.  And  Saturday  went  to  the  Sabbatarian  Meet- 
ing &  sat  in  the  pulpit  with  Mr.  Maxson  Elder  of  the  Sabb.  Meet^ 
in  Newport.  Ivast  Lords  Day  he  preached  in  his  own  meeting  as 
usual — and  Lords  Day  Evening  preached  there  again,  on — let  him 
that  is  without  sin  cast  the  first  stone.  He  said  no  man  was 
free  from  Sin  and  Imperfection — that  he  had  sinned  his  whole  Life 
in  not  keeping  the  right  day — that  he  was  sure  he  was  forgiven, 
because  he  had  repented  of  himself,  no  man  accusing  him.  He  chal- 
lenged the  public  and  said  he  was  ready  to  prove  the  7"'  day  from 
Scripture,  and  to  defend  it  both  in  preaching  and  in  print  against 
any  man  that  would  take  up  against  him.  He  had  a  Church  of  15 
or  20  Members,  thrown  into  much  Consternation.  But  it  is  proba- 
ble he  ma}'  proselyte  the  most  of  them.  Mr.  Tanner  a  Deacon  of 
the  Sabb.  Chh.  has  heretofore  been  a  great  Enemy  to  Mr.  Dawson 
(who  is  rejected  by  all  the  Baptists  in  America,  though  perhaps 
without  sufficient  Reason)  but  went  to  hear  him  last  Lords  day 
Evening  and  sa3^s  he  preached  a  most  excellent  Sermon.  Mr. 
Maxson  is  aged  and  infirm  ;  perhaps  Mr.  Dawson  may  become 
Elder  of  that  Church.  Mr.  Dawson  was  ordained  by  Laymen, 
which  I  greath-  disapprove.  But  he  can  make  a  considerable  Fig- 
ure in  the  pulpit — &  seems  to  be  sincere. 

Mr.  Nelson  tells  me  he  is  acquainted  with  the  Rev.  Dr.  Clark 
who,  with  a  Congregation  of  Seceders  which  he  brought  out  of 
Ireland  a  few  years  since,  is  settled  about  a  dozen  miles  Eastward 
from  Saratoga.  He  says  Dr.  Clark  is  a  Seceeder,  &  a  Physician, 
not  Doctor  in  Divinity,  a  Scotchman,  a  pious  sensible  man. 

13.   Chh.  meet^  this  Even*'' at  Sister  Topham's Admiral 

Montague'  arrived  in  the  Harbor  last  night.  He  came  from 
Boston  to  some  place  up  the  Ba}-  and  was  there  taken  on  board 
a  Skooner — and  his  Chaise  came  to  Town  the  rest  of  the  way 
witliout   him.     This   Morning  he  came  on  shore  at  the  Point  and 

'John  Montagu,  Rear- .\dmiral  in  the  British  Navy,  born  1719,  Commander 
in  chief  on  the  North  American  Station  from  1771  to  1774. 


JANUARY    13-14,    1773  335 

went  to  Collector  Dudlys :  at  his  Ivanding  the  six  Ships  and 
Vessels  of  War  fired  :  but  the  Fort  Flag  was  not  displayed,  nor 
Fort  Guns  fired,  which  displeased  him  much. 

14.  This  Forenoon  the  Negro-Indian  Witness'  went  up  to  the 
Courthouse  to  wait  on  the  Commissioners.  Yesterday  a  Man  of 
Smithfield,  who  went  aboard  the  Man  o'  War  last  week  pretending 
himself  an  Evidence,  was  brought  ashore  and  examined  by  the 
Commissioners,  and  his  Testimony  judged  insufficient,  and  so  he 
was  dismissed  ;  but  immediately  he  enlisted  on  board  Ship.  It 
seems  this  Man  (an  only  Son)  proved  stubborn,  rebellious,  and 
treated  his  parents  in  such  a  manner,  especially  in  his  Cups,  that 
his  Father  swore  the  peace  upon  him  &c. — and  his  Father  entailed 
his  Estate,  and  died  perhaps  2  or  3  years  since.  Before  this  he 
proved  such  a  spendthrift  and  Madman,  that  the  Court  put  him 
under  Guardians.  Afterwards  he  upon  promises  procured  the 
Guardianship  to  be  taken  off.  Which  done,  he  this  last  year 
brought  forward  a  process  at  I^aw  for  docquing  his  Estate  ;  which 
came  on  at  perhaps  the  last  Court,  when  the  Town  Council  of 
Smithfield  appeared  to  prevent  it,  lest  he  should  end  his  vagabond 
Eife  in  becoming  a  Town  Charge.  They  prevented  the  Recovery 
or  Docquing.  This  exasperated  him  against  .some  in  his  own  Town 
and  some  in  the  Town  of  Providence,  against  whom  he  swore 
Revenge.  Accordingly  the  week  before  the  Judges  came,  he  went 
down  to  Boston  and  informed  Mr.  Auchmuty,  who  finding  him  to 
be  a  drunken  Fellow  dismissed  him.  He  came  then  to  Newport, 
raging  all  along  the  Towns  from  Boston  hither  that  he  would  ruin 
Providence.  It  is  said,  that  neither  he  nor  the  Indian  were  among 
the  Perpetrators  ;  and  the  Providence  people  shew  no  Concern 
about  these  two,  saying  that  as  they  were  not  there,  it  is  not  doubted 
the  Judges  will  so  interrogate  that  the  Answers  will  interfere  and 
confute  themselves.  The  White  man  was  dismissed.  I  don't  hear 
what  is  done  with  the  Negro-Indian.'^  The  Judges  and  the  Admiral 
were  invited  to  dine  together  to-day  at  Mr.  Brentons  one  of  the 
Clerks  of  the  Court. 

This  day  P.M.  a  Snow  and  hail  .storm,  or  freezing  sleet.  I  dined 
at  Major  Otis  in  company  with  Mr.  Nelson,  who  says  there  are  36 

'  Aaron  Briggs,  a  mulatto,  who  claimed  to  have  been  present  at  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Gaspee,  and  gave  the  names  of  several  ringleaders. 

'  The  mulatto's  testimonj^  was  believed  by  the  Court,  but  refuted  by  Gov. 
Wanton.     No  notice  was  taken  of  the  white  man  referred  to. 


-36  DIARY   OF   EZRA    vSTlLEvS 

Townships,  Hampshire  Grants,  which  Gov.  Tryon  of  New  York  has 
not  regranted,  and  Killington'  is  one — No  Lecture  at  Mr.  Hopkins. 

1=,.  To-day  the  Trees  full  of  Chrystals  or  Frozen  sleet  or  icy 
horror.  My  North  Window  frozen  down  all  day  so  that  I  can  not 
come  at  my  Thermometer  which  is  usually  left  abroad  all  night. 
The  Judges  dined  at  Aug.  John.ston'  Esq's,  to-day,  and  Col.  Jos. 
Wanton"  Son  of  the  Governor  with  them.  I  saw  him  the  Col.  at 
night,  when  he  told  me  the  Negro-Indian  was  not  dismissed  but  sent 
on  board  ship,  that  he  was  catched  in  some  Lies,  but  that  as  to  the 
substance  of  his  Testimony  he  stood  and  adhered  to  it  with  Firm- 
ness ;  that  the  Indian  [thought  he]  talked  as  if  he  appeared  to  give 
Evidence  like  one  tutored  and  instructed  &c.  &c.  Col.  Wanton 
said  his  Father  had  not  yet  seen  the  Admiral — that  the  Admiral 
sent  a  Lieut,  with  a  message  to  this  Effect,  ' '  that  he  the  Admiral  was 
in  Town,  but  as  proper  Honor  had  not  been  paid  at  the  Fort  to  the 
British  Flag,  he  for  this  reason  did  not  wait  on  the  Governor  ;  "  to 
which  the  Governor  instead  of  answering  with  the  Spirit  and  Dig- 
nity that  became  him,  returned  for  Answer,  that  the  Government 
or  Assembl}'  allowed  the  Expenses  of  but  4  days  Firing  at  the  Fort 
in  a  year,  viz.  Kings  and  Queens  Birthday,  Restoration,  and  Elec- 
tion, and  this  w'as^  Rea.son  of  the  Guns  not  being  discharged  at  the 
Fort,  but  for  the  rest  the  Admiral  might  do  as  he  pleased  as  to 
waiting  on  him.  He  ought  to  have  answered  the  Admiral  ;  you. 
Sir,  have  by  your  Letters  to  me  as  Governor  repeatedly  insulted 
and  cast  Indignit}'  on  me,  you  have  ill-treated  and  insulted  the 
Colony  and  the  Civil  Authority  thereof  in  your  Accusations  to 
London,  and  merit  of  this  Colon}-  only  Neglect  and  Indignity — 
besides,  be  it  known  to  you,  Sir,  that  the  Navy  is  subordinate  to 
the  Civil  Authority,  and  it  is  the  Duty  of  the  first  Admiral  of  the 
Navy  upon  coming  into  this  Port  to  wait  upon  the  Civil  Governor 
of  this  Colony. 

1 6.-  The  Judges  sat  as  they  do  daily,  and  examined  one  of  the 
Sailors  of  the   Gaspee  as  to  his   knowledge  of  the    Indian.      Mr. 

'  A  charter  for  this  town  was  granted  in  1761  to  Dr.  Stiles  and  Benjamin 
EUery,  of  Newport :  it  is  the  present  town  of  Sherburne,  Rutland  County, 
Vermont. 

'  Formerly  Attorney  General  of  the  Colony.  He  was  appointed  Stamp  Dis- 
tributor in  1765,  but  was  forced  by  a  popular  movement  to  resign.  He  sent 
home  charges  against  Dr.  Stiles  of  being  concerned  in  this  movement,  which 
were  easily  refuted. 

*  See  this  Diary,  March  19,  1770. 


JANUARY    15-20,    1773  337 

Helme  one  of  the  Judges  of  our  Superior  Court  came  to  Town  this 
Week,  and  offered  his  Assistance  to  the  Commissioners.  The 
Commissioners  dined  to  da}^  at  Mr.  Henry  Bowers' s.  It  is  said  the 
Admiral  was  to  dine  with  them,  and  that  he  waited  on  the  Gover- 
nor to  day,  as  also  on  the  Commiss''''  at  the  Courthouse. 
Reading  Clemens  Alexandrinus 

17.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Prov.  xii,  15.  P.M.  Jno.  xi, 
25.     A  verjr  cold  Sabbath.      Reading  Zanchy. 

18.  Very  cold.  Therm"  at  two  degrees  above  Cypher  or  thirty 
degrees  below  freezing  at  Sunrise.  Queen's  Birthday  (or  reputed 
da}')  at  one  o'Clock  the  Fort  and  Men  o'War  being  four  ships  and 
a  Schooner  fired  a  royal  Salute — at  I^  the  Fort  fired  3  Guns. 
Reading  Zanchy 's  Exposition  of  Ephcsians — and  Clemens  Alex. 
Stromata.  A  very  cold  Day,  Mr.  Ellery's  Therm"  at  Cypher  in  the 
Morning. 

ig.  Wednesday  13"^  Inst.  Jany.  Rev.  Tho^  Barnard  jun.  was 
ordained  Pastor  of  the  new  gathered  Church  in  Salem.  "  The  Rev. 
M'  Tucker  of  Newbury  made  the  first  prayer,  the  Rev'^  Mr.  Wil- 
liams of  Bradford  preached  the  Sermon  from  Acts  17,  24.  the 
Rev.  M''  Barnard  of  Haverhill  praj^ed  and  gave  the  Charge  ;  the 
Rev.  M''  Swain  of  Wenham  prayed  after  the  Charge  ;  the  Rev.  M'' 
Dim  an  of  Salem,  in  the  Name  of  the  Ecclesiastical  Council  gave 
the  Fellowship  of  the  Churches  to  the  new  gathered  Church,  and 
the  Right  Hand  of  Fellowship  to  Mr.  Barnard.  A  Hymn  was  then 
sung  ;  and  the  religious  Exercises  were  concluded  with  a  Blessing. ' ' 
This  Mr.  Barnard  is  Son  of  Rev.  Thomas  Barnard  Senior  now  living 
and  Pastor  of  the  first  Church  in  Salem  ;  but  he  has  been  disabled 
by  a  paralytic  shock. 

20.  The  Commissioners  still  sit  : — they  dine  to-day  at  Henry 
Marchant  Esqr's.  Attorney  Gen.  of  this  Colony.  The  General 
Assembly  sat  last  Week  at  East  Greenwich  :  thought  best  to  do 
nothing  respecting  the  Commissioners  Court  here.  M''  Hopkins 
Chief  Judge  of  our  Superior  Court,  asked  the  Assembly  to  instruct 
him  ;  they  declined  this  also.  Then  he  declared  in  the  Assembly 
that  if  the  Commissioners  should  apply  to  him  to  apprehend  an}^ 
persons  for  delivering  to  the  Admiral,  that  he  would  not  do  it,  and 
would  use  his  Authority  in  hindering  every  Officer  in  the  Colony 
from  doing  any  thing  to  this  End.  This  perhaps  consists  with  his 
Assurances  in  person  to  the  Commissioners  that  he  should  be  ready 
to  assist  them.     Judge  Helme  also  in  person  made  the  same  Offers 


33S  ■  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLEvS 

to  the  Cominissiouers  last  Week.  Judge  Bowler  in  a  Letter  to  the 
Commissioners  offered  also.  Thus  3  Judges  of  our  Superior  Court 
offered  their  Assistance.  Deputy  Governor  vSessions  with  the 
Committee  of  the  last  Assembh',  offered  or  presented  the  Letters 
and  Representations  draughted  by  them  respecting  the  Gaspee  and 
the  Care  of  the  Magistracy,  but  the  Assembly  would  not  vote  them; 
rather  they  were  not  read  in  the  Assembly.  The  Assembly  chuse 
to  hold  an  observant  but  still  and  unactive  Conduct  in  the  present 
Storm.  I  am  told  that  the  Admiral  talks  of  departing  this  Week  : 
— that  Four  Thousand  Guineas  Hush  Money  l^y  Providence  &c 
Gentlemen  are  supposed  to  have  lodged  in  hands  where  the  Admiral 
has  had  a  feeling,  and  .so  as  to  keep  off  Information  from  the  Com- 
missioners who  are  supposed  to  be  uncorrupted.  Only  Conjecture. 
Tho'  three  persons  only  of  the  Gentlemen  accused  are  doubtless 
w^orth  30  or  ^40,000.  sterling,  and  could  upon  occasion  bleed 
freely.  An  innocent  Man  of  Wealth  had  rather  give  ^1000.  sterl- 
ing out  of  /^i 5,000,  than  be  arrested  and  transported  to  England 
for  a  Trial  for  Treason.  This  Morning  Adm.  Montagu  sat  out  in  a 
Coach  for  Boston. 

22.  Dined  at  M""  Marchants.  No  Lecture  last  Night  at  M'  Hop- 
kins. This  Morning  two  of  the  Commissioners  Judge  Oliver  and 
Judge  Auchmuty  left  the  Town  in  return  one  to  Middleboro'  the 
other  to  Boston.  The  Go\'.  and  Judges  Hosmanden  and  Smyth  sat 
again  to  day.  The  Beginning  of  this  Week  the  Commissioners  sent 
off  a  man  (not  Officer)  with  Letters  [Summons]  to  Pro\idence  to  par- 
ticular Gentlemen  vi/..  Mr.  George  Browne,  Mr.  Jn"  Cole,  Mr. 
Hitchcock,  Mr.  Andruss,  Mr.  Fenner  and  Mr.  Sabin,  but  none  of 
them  thought  to  have  been  concerned  in  burning  the  Gaspee — noti- 
fying them  that  they  the  Commissioners  had  been  informed  that 
they  could  give  Information  ;  but  no  Authoritative  Summons.  The 
four  first  being  Lawyers  returned  Answer  they  knew  nothing  and 
excused  themselves  as  being  obliged  to  attend  the  Court  at  Green- 
wich :  it  is  said  one  of  the  others  [Mr.  Sabin]  returned  a  boisterous 
Answer  and  refu.sed.  None  came.  This  Afternoon  the  Commis- 
sioners broke  up  having  adjourned  to  26'^''  of  May. 

23.  Examining  Chronologies. 

24.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  1  preached  on  Jno.  xxi,  21,  22.  P.M.  i  Pet. 
i,  22,  23.      Mr.  Hopkins  being  sick,  many  of  his  Congreg"  attended. 

27 This  day  we  are  again  alarmed  with   the  breaking 

out  of  the  small  pox  at  Mr.  Dyre's  at  the  upper  End  of  the  Town. 


JANUARY    22-30,    1773  339 

The  last  that  had  it  Ijroke  out  and  was  carried  away  about  six 
weeks  ago  ;  and  we  hoped  through  the  Blessing  of  Divine  Providence 
that  a  stop  was  put  to  the  further  progress  of  the  Disorder.  I  Was- 
this  da}'  going  to  revive  a  monthly  evening  Meeting  of  the  married 
people  of  my  Congregation  which  I  had  discontinued  on  account  of 
the  danger  of  the  small  pox  from  Aug'  last  to  this  Time.  But  I 
find  that  a  Negro  Girl  of  Mr.  Dyres  Family  has  had  the  small  pox 
in  a  very  light  manner  and  got  well  of  it  without  suspicion  in  the 
Family,  who  took  the  Eruption  to  be  the  chicken  pox,  till  now  that 
Mr.  Dyre  and  five  or  six  of  his  Family  have  Symptoms.  This  Girl 
was  at  Church  Ldsdy  before  last,  and  at  a  Funeral  after  Sen- ice — 
that  there  is  great  Danger  of  her  having  communicated  the  Infec- 
tion extensively.  May  the  good  Lord  pre.ser\^e  us  from  his  Judg- 
ments. 

28.  All  the  forenoon  in  examining  the  patriarchal  History.  No 
Lecture  at  Mr.  Hopkins'  this  Evening. 

30.  This  forenoon  I  was  waited  upon  by  the  Hon.  Judge  Smyth 
of  the  Jersies  one  of  the  Commissioners.  He  is  a  Man  of  about  aet. 
40,  a  Gentleman  of  Ingenuity  and  Learning,  has  the  Aspect  of  a 
Student,  and  I  believe  is  considerably  addicted  to  Books.  We  were 
in  Compan}'  together  with  Mr.  Brenton,  an  Attorne}^  at  the  Red- 
wood Library.  By  Mr.  Smith's  Observations  and  Remarks  on 
Sundry  Books  I  take  him  to  be  a  Man  of  good  general  Learning, 
besides  the  knowledge  in  his  peculiar  Profession  in  the  Law.  He 
has  something  amiable  in  his  manner.  He  told  me  he  last  year 
heard  the  Bishop  of  London  say  in  Parliament  that  he  was  author- 
ized to  declare  that  the  Dissenters  Bill  for  Relief  as  to  Subscription 
to  XXXIX  Articles  was  disagreeable  to  the  Bod}^  of  Dissenters.  I 
told  him  Mr  Mauduit  had  since  published  a  Refutation  of  that 
Assertion,  and  that  Dr.  Furneaux  had  addressed  the  Bishop  also 
with  a  Refutation  on  that  head.  He  said,  he  did  not  know  this. 
He  supposes  the  Dissenters  will  never  carry  that  point. 

The  Commissioners  have  not  sat  since  Friday  of  last  week.  The 
Judges  Horsmanden  and  Smyth  have  been  several  days  embarked 
for  N.  York  on  board  a  Vessel  yet  detained  by  Contrary-  Winds. 
Judge  Sm^^h  told  me  he  should  be  here  again  in  May,  and  would 
then  bring  a  Book  to  present  to  the  Redwood  Library.  He  has 
been  Chief  Justice  in  New  Jersej'  I  think  several  years  ;  tho'  he 
went  home  to  London  the  year  before  last.  Mr.  Marchant  saw  him 
then.     This  Day  was  the  Anniversary^  of  K.  Charles  I.     But  there 


340  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

was  no  vSernion  at  Church — they  only  read   Prayers   at   XI''  this 
Forenoon. 

31.   Ldsday.     A.M.    I   preached   on   James  iii,    13.      P.M.   Heb. 
xi,  16. 

Feb. 

1.  Yesterday  Judges  Horsmanden  and  Smyth  sailed  for  N.  York. 
Reading  Isocrates 

2.  Reading  Raleigh  especially  on  the  Persian  &  Grecian  Wars. 
ICxamining  the  Olympiads. 

3.  This  Evening  we  had  a  Monthly  Meeting  of  the  Brethren  and 
Sisters  of  my  Church  at  Brother  Hammonds,  when  I  discoursed  on 
I  Pet.  i,  13. 

4.  This  day  I  read  thro'  Velleius  Paterculus 

5.  This  Day  at  II''  5'  P.M.  died  Capt.  Pollipus  Hammond'  set. 
70  and  2°'.  I  closed  his  Eyes.  Just  in  the  last  Efforts  and  Agonies 
of  Death  he  dretv  up  his  Feet  in  the  Bed,  which  reminded  me  of 
the  Patriarch  Jacob.  I  had  lately  heard  it  said  that  dying  persons 
stretched  out  &c.  I  think  Capt.  Hammond  died  without  stretching 
out  after  he  had  gathered  up  his  Feet.  He  was  many  years  a 
Guinea  Captain  ;  he  had  then  no  doubt  of  the  Slave  Trade.  But  I 
have  reason  to  think  that  if  he  had  his  Life  to  live  over  again,  he 
would  not  chuse  to  spend  it  in  buying  and  .selling  the  human 
.species.  He  has  been  a  Communicant  and  Member  of  ni}-  Church 
for  almost  34  years  :  and  a  Pillar  in  the  Congregation.  At  his 
house  was  made  and  he  gave  the  Dinner  for  the  Ecclesiastical  Coun- 
cil at  my  Ordination  1755.  He  left  one  Son  and  four  daughters 
three  of  which  are  now  Communicants  in  my  Church.  He  was  a 
verj^  peaceable  still  man.  He  was  ver}^  ingenious  in  Mathematics, 
and  excelled  in  the  Mechanic  Arts — made  and  neatly  finished  Boats 
— wro't  Tables,  Stands,  Waiters  &c  in  Mohogany — did  any  Jojniers 
or  Cabinet  Work  neatly — wrot  any  Thing  in  Iron  and  Bras.s — drill- 
ing and  mending  China  &c — he  was  .so  ingenious  that  he  kept  all 
sorts  of  Tools  and  could  turn  his  hand  to  anj-  Thing.  God  had 
blessed  him  with  a  good  Estate  ;  and  he  and  his  Family  have  been 
eminent  for  hospitality  to  all.  and  cliarity  to  the  poor  and  afflicted. 
At  death,  he  .said,  he  recommended  Religion  to  his  Children,  and 
told  them  all  the  World  was  nothino The  only  external 

'Son   of  Benjamin   and   Klizabetli   ( Hunnewell)    Hammond,   of  that  part  of 
Rochester,  Plymoutli  County,  Mass.,  which  is  now  Marion. 


1 


JANUARY    3I-FEBRUARY    6,    1773  341 

Blemish  in  his  Character  was,  that  he  was  a  little  addicted  to  the 
marvellous  in  vStories  of  what  he  had  seen  and  heard  in  his  Voyages 
and  Travels.  But  in  his  Dealings  he  was  punctual,  upright  and 
honest,  and  (except  as  to  that  Flie  in  the  Oyntment,  the  Disposi- 
tion to  exaggerate  and  tell  marvellous  vStories  of  Dangers,  Travels, 
&c.)  in  all  other  Things  was  of  a  sober  and  good  moral  Character 
and  respected  and  beloved  by  all — so  as  to  be  almost  without  any 
Enemies.  He  was  forward  in  all  the  Concerns  of  the  Church  and 
Congregation,  consulting  its  Benefit,  and  peaceably  falling  in  with 
the  general  Sense  without  exciting  quarrels,  parties  &c.  and  even 
wherein  he  differed  from  his  Brethren,  he  so  differed  with  them 
that  they  loved  him  amidst  the  differences.  He  was  an  exceeding 
peaceable  Man  and  promoted  Peace.  He  never  dealt  much  in  Poli- 
tics, but  was  always  a  good  Member  of  vSociety.  He  was  a  Man  of 
good  Natural  Understanding,  and  when  a  boy  learned  Lilys  Latin 
Grammar ,  at  Sippican  or  Rochester  where  he  was  born  Nov.  29, 
1702  ;  but  never  pursued  Latin.  He  had  a  Taste  for  and  was  con- 
siderably read  in  two  sorts  of  Books  viz.  historical  as  Voyages  and 
Travels,  and  Mathematical .  He  owned  a  pretty  Library,  and  had 
among  his  Books  Chambers  Dictionary  and  Spectators,  Pope  &c. 
As  to  his  figure  in  living  and  Apparell  he  was  most  pleased  with  an 
easy  plainess  and  never  affected  Shew.  He  was  a  little  man,  of 
small  Stature  &  a  thin  Habit.  He  was  sober  and  temperate  in  all 
Things — at  a  great  remove  from  Levity  and  boisterous  Joy,  and 
thought  those  Things  Madnes.s — innocently  cheerful  and  social  and 
all   loved    his    Company — evenness  and   Calmness  and  Moderation 

were  among  his  Characteristics 

6.  Examining  Tacitus  and  Dion  Cassias  respecting  the  Period 
wherein  our  Lord's  Ministry  fell.  This  Evening  my  Wife  and  my 
Daughter  Betsy  had  Conversation  concerning  Melchizedec.  In  a 
Sermon  not  long  ago  I  had  expressed  my  Opinion  that  in  the  Days 
of  Abraham  the  Messiah  resided  at  Salem  in  the  person  of  Melchi- 
zedec. Betsy  told  her  mother,  or  rather  a.sked  her  whether  Christ 
was  not  Melchizedec?  and  explained  that  Jn°  viii,  56. — Abraham 
rejoiced  to  see  my  day  and  he  saw  it  &c.  in  this  manner,  that  Abra- 
ham's seeing  Christ's  day,  was  seeing  Christ  in  the  person  of  Mel- 
chizedec, whose  day  of  Time  &  Age  was  Christs  Day.  This  is 
ingenious  and  a  new  Thought  to  me  :  tho'  still  the  day  of  Christ 
seen  by  Abraham,  I  take  to  be  the  Day  or  Time  of  his  Incarnation 
in  the  Age  of  Tiberius.      Abraham  by  Faith  looked  forward 


342  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

7.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  Psal.  cxxxii,  13-16.  P.M.  Mat. 
xiii,  16.  Read  in  Ainsworth  on  the  Pentateuch  &  Doddridge's 
Sermons. 

8.  Last  Kven^'  Therm.  31.  ThisMorns  at  VIII"  Therm"  5  above 
o.  i.  e.  27  below  water  freezing  Point.   .    . 

This  Afternoon  attended  Capt.  Poll.  Hammond's  Funeral. 

10 By  the  Prints,  I  find,  the  General  Assembly  of  the 

Massachusetts  have  answered  Gov.  Hutchinson's  Speech  with  Firm- 
ness and  irresistible  Reasoning  :  the  Council  by  themselves  ;  and 
the  Representati\'es  by  themselves.  The  House  full,  being  ninety- 
seven  Deputies  present.  Of  250  Townships  in  the  Province,  Eighty 
four  have  passed  Resolves  similar  to  those  of  the  Boston  Town 
Meeting,  and  the  Thing  is  yet  in  its  Course.  An  amazing  Spirit 
for  LIBERTY  ! 

This  Morning  died  here  Mr.  Na.ssau  Hastie  set.  60.  He  was  born 
in  Edinburgh  April  17 13.  Hopefully  converted  and  become  exper- 
imentally acquainted  with  the  Divine  Life  set.  18  or  19.  Ever  since 
has  lived  pioush'  and  holily.  He  came  to  America  about  1735  and 
lived  first  at  Charleston  S"  Carolina  where  he  married  and  was 
burnt  out  about  1740.  In  1741  he  came  and  settled  in  Newport. 
His  occupation,  a  Barber.  A  very  honest,  upright,  grave,  inoffen- 
sive Man.  He  understood  Religion  well,  and  was  without  waver- 
ing. He  had  a  good  Report  of  all  Men  and  of  the  Truth  also. 
He  was  a  Communicant  in  Edinburg  ;  but  never  asked  Communion 
in  America  till  a  few  years  past.  He  steadily  attended  in  my  Con- 
gregation from  his  first  coming  to  Newport.  It  was  some  time 
before  I  knew  that  he  had  been  a  professor.  Knowing  him  to  live 
exemplarily  I  often  urged  him  to  come  to  the  Lords  Table,  when 
he  lamented  his  unpreparedness  : — but  did  not  tell  me  &c.  Till  at 
length  he  informed  me  that  he  had  been  a  Communicant,  and  was 
under  no  Censure  ;  brought  no  Certificate  from  Scotland,  and 
thought  from  what  he  observed  here  that  the  Custom  of  our 
Churches  required  it  indispensably.  But  there  were  other  greater 
Difficulties  he  said — he  was  prevented  living  altogether  in  so  holy 
and  exemplary  a  manner  as  his  soul  desired.  Not  to  add,  that 
some  of  his  Countrymen,  Dissenters  from  Presbyterianism,  were 
constantly  prejudicing  their  Countrymen  against  the  New  England 
Congregational  Churches,  alledging  that  they  were  essentially  dif- 
ferent from  the  Kirk  of  Scotland  :  and  that  we  were  such  a  con- 
fused corrupt  church  as  to  Discipline  &  Congreg'  Chh.  Govt,  that 


FEBRUARY    7-18,    1 773  343 

&c.  I  had  not  a  little  Difficulty  to  settle  these  Difficulties  in  his 
Mind.  But  he  at  length  joyned  with  us  at  the  L,ord's  Table  and 
in  all  our  religious  Meetings,  with  Cordiality  and  exemplary  Serious- 
ness. About  a  year  and  half  past  he  lost  his  Voice  after  a  Cold, 
and  never  recovered  it.  His  Disorder  seized  the  pulmonary  parts, 
which  this  Winter  increased  in  a  quick  Consumption.  Lordsday 
Nov.  29,  was  the  last  time  he  was  at  meeting.  He  knew  not  of 
Brother  Hammond's  Death,  till  I  trust  they  met  in  Glory.  May 
God  sanctif}^  the  Death  of  these  two  of  our  Brethren  to  the  Church 
and  Congregation  ;  and  may  he  who  has  the  Residue  of  the  Spirit 
raise  up  others  in  their  places. 

This  Day  my  Wife  and  I  have  been  married  sixteen  years.  It 
has  pleased  God  to  make  her  a  great  Blessing  and  Comfort  to  me. 
She  takes  the  whole  Care  of  my  Famil}^  that  I  freed  of  all  secular 
Care,  may  attend  the  Ministry. 

11.  Reading  Diodorus  Seculus.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins's  Even" 
Lect.  at  VI  o'clock,  he  preached. 

12.  Attended  Mr.  Hastie's  Funeral  which  was  very  large.  He 
was  greatly  esteemed  as  a  plain  honest  upright  Man  and  sincere 
Disciple  of  Jesus.     None  doubt  this. 

13.  Reading  Magazine,  Review,  &c.  Composing  a  Funeral  Ser- 
mon. 

14.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Isai.  Iv,  3.  P.M.  Prov.  xvi, 
31,  in  wdiich  I  gave  the  characters  of  Brother  Hammond  &  Brother 
Hastie. 

15.  Received  a  I,etter  dated  Jany.  26,  from  the  Rev.  Elihu 
Spencer'  of  Trenton  in  the  Jersies,  requesting  an  Account  of  the 
Transactions  of  the  Commissioners  here. 

16.  Writing  a  long  Letter  of  a  sheet  and  half  to  Mr.  Spencer. 
Reading  Magazines. 

17.  An  Even''  Meet^  for  married  Non-Communicants  at  Mr. 
Philip  Peckhams,  when  I  discoursed  on  Ephes.  i,  17,  18. 

1 8.  The  Ministry  are  endeavoring  to  curtail  and  annihilate  the 
Territory  of  New  England.  Originally  all  above  the  40th  deg.  to 
47th  deg.  of  N.  Lat  was  in  the  Kings  Patent  to  the  Plymouth 
Company  called  NEW  ENGLAND,  being  a  Zone  of  seven  degrees 
across  the  Continent 

New  York  i.  e.  the  Governor  &  Council  and  Assembly,  about  30 
or  40  Anti- American  Crown   Dependants,   avaritious  of  Territory 

•  A  classmate  of  Dr.  Stiles  at  Yale. 


:^^^  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

and  Jurisdiction  and  mortal  linemies  to  New  England  Charters  and 
Puritanism,  being  elated  with  the  Success  of  1766,  are  going  on  and 
extending  their  Claims,  along  downwards,  meaning  to  swallow  up 
near  half  Connecticut  and  Massachusetts  Provinces  and  bound  them 
by  Connecticut  River.  The  Judges  of  the  Court  have  lately  exerted 
tlieir  authority  in  Sheffield  in  Massachusetts,  a  Town  settled  above 
fifty  Years.  The  Towns  of  the  Mass.  are  now  declaring  and 
resolving  against  the  present  Grievances  and  Opressions.  In  the 
Votes  of  the  Town  of  Sheffield  Jany.  12,  1773  I  find  it  said — "  The 
Province  of  X.  York,  by  the  most  unjustifiable  Proceedings,  have 
b\-  a  late  Act  of  their  General  Assembly,  extended  the  Lhnits  of  the 
Co.  of  Albany  East  as  far  as  Connectiadt  River ;  and  under  pretence 
of  having  by  that  Act,  the  legal  Jurisdiction  within  that  part  of  this 
Province,  by  s**  Act  included  in  the  County  of  Albany,  have  exer- 
cised actual  Jurisdiction,  and  the  Officers  of  the  C"  of  Albany,  without 
the  least  pretence  of  any  precept  from  the  Authority  on  this  side 
the  Line,  by  Color  of  a  Warrant  Executed  in  that  County,  upon 
Suspicion  that  a  man  had  been  guilty  of  a  Crime  in  this  County, 
taken  him  and  conveyed  him  to  Albany  for  Examination.  In 
Indictments  Crimes  have  been  said  to  have  been  committed  at  Sheffield 
in  the  County  of  Albany  &.C."  This  is  a  most  daring  Encroachment 
and  sjxraks  loudly  that  the  Ministry  afe  determined  to  go  on  and 
give  the  West  Half  of  the  Colony  of  Connecticut  to  New  York,  and 
having  reduced  New  England  to  a  Button,  then  arbitrarily  finish 
the  Work  by  abolishing  the  Charters,  and  giving  a  new  name  to  the 
Territory,  and  .so  annihilate  the  Name  and  change  the  Eaws  of 
New  England,  as  they  abolished  the  Name  of  Canada,  «&  divided 
it  into  Quebec  Province,  &  Montreal  &c. 

The  Ministry  dread  the  Population  of  New  England  and  want  to 
break  up  their  religious  and  political  principles,  alter  Times,  Cus- 
toms, Names,  and  all  usages  having  Liberty  and  Charter  powers 
connected  with  them — to  confuse  the  policy  and  loose  and  embarrass 
the  Minds  of  the  people.  But  two  Things  will  survive  the  general 
Shipwreck,  i.  American  Liberty.  2.  Congregationalism.  Both 
are  attacked  witli  great  Vigor — many  Branches  of  the  Tree  of 
Liberty  will  be  lopt  ofT,  many  Puritans  will  desert  the  Cau.se  and 
Ijow  the  Knee  to  Baal.  But  when  America  shall  have  come  to  the 
Ages  of  Maturity,  i.  e.  when  a  Territory  of  6  or  800  miles  .square' 
shall  have  become  fully  peopled,  it  will,  (I  prophecy)  be  found  that 

'  That  is,  the  country  east  of  the  Mississi])pi. 


FEBRUARY    19,    1773  345 

Hnf;'lisli  America,  especially  the  Old  Territory  of  New  England, 
will  become  an  Independent  State,  and  above  three  Quarters  of  the 
Millions  that  inhal)it  it  will  be  found  Presbyterian  or  Congrega- 
tional :  and  in  general  that  in  all  future  Ages  the  Puritans  will 
make  the  bigger  two  Thirds  of  all  P^nglisli  America.  If  so,  it  wall 
then  appear  that  the  present  Endeavors  of  Episcopalian  and  deistical 
Crown  Officers  to  break  up  the  present  Policies  and  to  plague  and 
become  a  scourge  to  the  New  England  Puritans,  will  not  have 
answered  their  end,  but  will  be  defeated  by  the  irresistable  and 
overruling  Providence  of  the  Most  High.  And  to  Eternity  both  in 
the  History  of  this  World  and  in  the  History  of  the  Universe  they 
will  be  considered  as  the  Pharaohs,  the  Zamzummins,  the  Nebu- 
chadnezzars  the  Plagues  of  a  holy  People,  that  fled  three  Thousand 
miles  that  they  might  have  Eiberty  to  worship  God  in  this  Wil- 
derness. And  now  being  followed  by  Pharaoh  &  his  Hosts,  there 
remains  only  for  us  to  stand  still  and  see  the  Salvation  of  the  God 
of  our  Fathers.  It  will  be  easy  100  years  hence  to  give  the  Name 
New  England  to  all  the  original  Territory  from  40  deg.  and  North- 
ward, and  to  declare  a  Primacy  to  the  Congregational  or  Presbyte- 
rian Religion 

19.   No  Lecture  last  Even-.      Mr.  Hopkins  ill 

Copy  of  my  answer  to  Mr.  Spencer's  letter. 

Newport,  Feb.   16,   1773 
ReV  and  Dear  Sir 

Yesterday  I  rec'd.  yours  of  26'''  ult.  in  which  you  ask  some  account  of  the 
Transactions  of  the  Commissioners.  Of  the  little  they  did  there  was  nothing 
published  in  form  ;  aud  tho'  it  is  probable  the  Judges  designedly  permitted 
eno'  to  transpire  to  give  an  Idea  of  their  Opinions  on  some  Matters,  yet  they 
left  the  Ultimatum  undetermined.  I  am  glad  to  find  that  the  Sons  of  Liberty 
in  other  Colonies  felt  the  Attack  upon  us,  which  is  equalh?  a  Stroke  of  Univer- 
sal American  Liberty.  You  say  "we  wait  with  Impatience  to  know  the  Issi;e  " 
— and  ask  "a  Detail  of  everything  doing,  talked  of,  surmised,  threatened  &c." 
You  set  me  a  Task  I  will  endeavor  a  general  Account  of  Things. 

Judges  Hot smanden  and  Smyth  arrived  here  31*'  Dec.  and  on  New  Years  Day 
dispatched  a  post  to  Admiral  Montague  at  Boston  for  the  Commission .  Jany. 
2^  arrived  here  Judge  Oliver  and  Judge  Auchmuty,  who  with  Ctov.  IFauton 
made  the   Compliment  of  five   Commissioners.     The  Admiral    dispatched   the 

Commission  by  land  by  Capt who  arrived  here  on  Lords 

Day  evening  3''  and  carried  it  on  board  Capt.  Keeler.  Some  Altercation 
ensued  next  day,  in  which  the  Navy  Officers  shewed  some  Loftiness ;  but 
the  Judges  with  some  Spirit  quickly  gave  them  to  understand  their  Sub- 
ordination. Tuesday  5*  the  five  Commissioners  preceeded  by  about  a 
dozen  Officers  of  the  Men  o'  War  who  carried  the  Commission,   marched  in 


346 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


procession  to  tlie  Courthouse,  wlien  the  Commission  was  delivered,  opened  and 
read,  a  considerable  Concourse  present— and  this  by  the  Way  was  the  only 
Transaction  in  public.  At  reading  the  Commission  two  Things  were  remarked 
one.  an  Error  as  to  the  place  of  perpetrating  the  Offence,  which  the  Com- 
mission said  was  Newport,  instead  of  Warwick  near  Providence  : — a  second 
was  (to  the  Astonishment  and  Mortification  of  the  Tories)  that  they  the  Com- 
missioners were  impowered  to  inquire  into  and  take  Information  concerning 
any  Misdemeanors  and  Oppressions  of  the  Officers  of  the  Navy  and  Customs  : 
—This  was  a  humbling  stroke,  very  unexpected,  and  rendered  them,  not  even 
the  Admiral  excepted,  at  the  Mercy  of  all  the  Merchants  &c.,  whom  they  had 
injured — for  it  is  probable  they  had  all  to  a  man,  by  taking  fees  and  bribes  &c. 
&c.  &c.  &c.,  as  well  as  by  malicious  Seizures  &c.  become  liable  to  a  loss  of 
Office — at  least  it  was  a  Rod  over  them.  By  this  the  Tory  Bellowing  and  Inso- 
lence was  hushed.  Upon  this  the  Commissioners  by  their  Clerks  issued  Adver- 
tisements for  Information. 

Bv  a  Letter  to  the  Governor  from  the  Admiral  it  began  to  be  evident  that 
the  Admiral  felt  a  Reluctance  at  being  present  ;  probably  for  2  Reasons,  the 
slenderness  of  evidence  he  had  to  produce  in  so  momentous  a  Cause  and  some 
Notice  that  he  had  brought  a  Commission  over  his  own  head.  Be  the  reasons 
as  they  might,  he  was  greatly  averse  to  coming,  and  with  the  Commission  sent 
a  dubious  Notice  that  he  might  come  by  Wednesda)^,  if  Business  permitted.  I 
think  there  were  three  Messages  to  get  him  here  ;  the  last  however  whether 
2*  or  3'',  I  knew  would  fetch  him,  for  it  went  with  an  Authority  which  the 
Admiral  dared  not  to  withstand — had  he  not  come  the  Judges  would  have  re- 
turned without  &c.  and  cast  the  Obstruction  at  his  Door  ;  besides  they  had 
power  at  least  to  call  all  the  Crown  Officers  before  them.     He  arrived  13  Jany. 

Deputy  Gov.  Sessions,  and  Mr.  Hopkins  formerly  Governor  now  Chief  Jus- 
tice, both  living  in  Providence,  came  to  Newport  the  day  of  Opening  the  Com- 
mission. At  Gov.  Wanton's  first  and  afterwards  at  the  Courthouse  they  had 
several  Interviews  with  the  Commissioners.  The  design  of  this  was — that  Mr. 
Sessions  as  Governor  or  one  of  the  Chief  Magistrates  of  the  Colon}',  should 
notify  the  Commissioners  that  there  had  been  no  Neglect  or  Connivance  in 
G<jvernment,  that  neither  he  nor  any  of  the  Civil  Officers  in  Providence  had 
knowledge  of  the  Design  of  Violence  to  the  Gaspee  or  her  people  till  the 
next  day,  that  he  immediately  issued  Warrants,  went  in  person  &c.  and  took 
all  measures  that  could  legally  be  taken  for  detecting  and  bringing  the  per- 
petrators to  Justice  ;  that  &c. Mr.  Hopkins  as  Chief  Justice  of  the  Colony 

shewed  that  he  stood  ready  to  take  cognizance  of  and  bring  to  legal  Trial  any 
Offenders.  Judge  Smyth  asked  whether  the  Grand  Jury  were  at  the  next  Court 
charged  with  inquiring  after  this  matter?  It  was  replied  they  were  charged  to 
in(juire  generally  at  that  time  as  usual,  and  that  it  never  was  customary  in  this 
Colony  to  charge  particular  Inquiries.  Judge  Horsmanden  in  a  friendly  Man- 
ner inquired,  what  might  be  the  true  Cause  to  which  the  Violence  should  be 
a.scribed  ?  Mr.  Sessions  and  Mr.  Hopkins  then  opened  and  gave  it  as  their 
Opinion  that  the  true  Cause  was  the  Insolence  of  Duddingston,  his  Rapine  and 
desultory  Management,  which  were  such,  and  his  Conduct  in  general  so  absurd, 
that  in  Truth  they  di<l  not  then  believe  that  he  had  a  King's  Commission  (sup- 
posing him  to  be  only  such  another  absurd  piratical  Servitor  to  the  Navy  and 


FEBRUARY    19,    1773  347 

Customs  as  the  Captain  of  the  Liberty  sloops  whose  Vessel  catched  on  fire  at 
Newport  a  few  years  since)  at  least  this  was  the  Sentiment  they  suggested  :  and 
thereupon  adduced  Proofs  of  Facts,  of  lyieut.  Duddingston  and  his  people 
plundering  the  Islands  here  of  sheep,  hogs,  cutting  down  set  out  Trees,  &c. 
firing  at  Market  Boats,  terrifying  and  threatening  &c.  and  seizing  and  putting 
persons  to  greater  Expence  in  Recovery  than  Goods  were  worth — of  which 
Things  some  were  illegal,  and  if  the  others  were  just  legal  yet  the  Execution 
was  so  arbitran,^  rigorous  and  insulting,  that  all  conspired  to  work  iip  the  pub- 
lic Resentment  to  an  ungoverned  Violence.  That  there  was  no  deliberation  ; 
but  on  hearing  that  Duddingston  was  aground  near  shore  and  about  5  miles 
below  Providence  the  Spirit  kindled  into  a  flame  at  once.  Gov.  Sessions  and 
Chief  Justice  Hopkins  delivered  in  a  written  Account  of  these  Insults  and  of 
the  Measures  taken  by  the  Civil  Authority  of  this  Jurisdiction — and  did  and 
said  every  Thing  but  directly  drawdng  the  Consequence,  therefore  the  presence 
of  the  Commissioners  is  as  jcnnecessary  as  alarming.  There  was  however  pretty 
free  conversation  :  but  Mr.  Sessions  and  Mr.  Hopkins  were  soon  made  to  under- 
stand, that  there  would  be  no  seizjtres,  apprehensions  of  Persons  and  Delivery 
over  to  the  Admiral,  ivithout  (if  by  any  but)  the  fudges  of  the  Superior  Court, 
or  the  Civil  Officers  of  this  Colony,  of  this  Provincial  Jurisdiction .  The  Words 
of  the  Commission  were  like  the  Oracles  of  Apollo,  somewhat  ambiguous  and 
indeterminate  on  this  point  :  too  indeterminate  it  was  tho't  for  reallizing  so 
alarming  an  Act  in  a  first  Instance  of  seizing  and  carrying  a  Criminal  across 
the  Atlantic  for  a  Trial  of  this  Kind,  especially  if  the  Evidence  should  appear 
slender.  There  became  reason  to  think  that  the  Commissioners  themselves  did 
not  and  would  not  U7iderstand  themselves  clearly  impowered  to  take  up  and 
commit  to  the  Admiral  alone  and  by  themselves :  but  that  if  such  a  Transaction 
should  proceed  froDi  them,  it  should  hoivever  proceed  upon,  in  and  by  the 
executive  internal  Justiciary  Authority  of  this  Colony  f  urisdiction  and  not 
without  it.  I  do  not  say  the  Commissioners  communicated  this.  It  is  enough 
that  Gov.  Sessions  and  Chief  Justice  Hopkins  were  made  assured  of  it. 
These  Gentlemen  maj-  be  considered  as  two  Pillars  on  which  American 
Liberty  was  or  is  suspended  in  this  Critical  Transaction,  which  required 
great  Wisdom,  even  that  Wisdom  by  which  the  poor  man  without  Arms 
delivered  the  City.  Wisdom  says,  if  the  Blow  can  be  diverted,  it  is  best. 
Under  this  View  there  was  no  necessity  of  discussing  the  Legality  of  the 
Commission,  or  in  behalf  of  Government  protesting  against  the  dailj'  Meet- 
ing of  4  or  five  Gentlemen,  who  discovered  no  Thirst  after  Blood,  but 
professed  to  hold  and  construe  Law  in  a  liberal  Sense.  They  deceived  us  if 
we  are  mistaken  in  Thinking  the  Commission  w-as  very  disagreeable  to  them. 
It  was  among  the  Reports  scattered  abroad,  that  Judge  Smyth  should  say,  he 
was  come  to  judge  according  to  Law  and  Right,  and  not  to  be  the  Executioner 
of  Ministerial  Vengeance.  In  a  Word  Wisdom  w^ould  say,  that  considering 
the  Resolves  of  the  Assembly  in  1769,  it  was  soon  eno'  to  oppose  by  Protests, 
Denials  of  Jurisdiction,  and  Renunciations,  when  the  Commissioners  should 
have  actually  apprehended  or  issued  Warrants  of  Apprehension.  It  has  not 
yet  come  to  this. 

The  Commissioners  sat  daily.     Jany.   12  Adm.  Montague  arrived  ;    he  came 
in  a  coach  to  Taunton,  having  expressed  some  Fear  of  passing  thro'  Providence. 


348 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


At  Tauntou  or  below,  he  went  on  board  a  Tender  and  came  hither,  and  notified 
the  Governor  Mr.  Wanton  of  his  Arrival,  who  took  no  Notice  of  it.  On  13"^  he 
came  ashore  with  Collector  Dudly,  the  Men  o'  War  discharging,  but  the  Fort 
did  not  fire ;  and  the  Admiral  with  the  Collector  passed  thro'  the  Streets 
unnoticed  and  unharmed;  the  Admiral  lodged  at  the  Collectors.  He  resented 
the  Ciovernor's  not  ordering  the  Fort  to  salute  him.  There  was  some  Punctil- 
iousness about  the  meeting  of  the  Admiral  and  the  Commissioners.  The 
Admiral  notified  them,  as  if  they  were  to  wait  on  him — they  took  no  notice  of 
that,  but  notified  him  the  Admiral,  if  he  had  any  Evidence  to  lay  before  them 
&c.  So  on  the  14"'  the  Negro-Indian  Witness  was  brought  from  the  Man  o'  War 
ashore  and  examined  at  the  Courthouse  by  the  Commissioners  in  private,  after 
which  he  was  returned  on  board  Ship.  It  is  said,  but  I  suspect  with  no  truth, 
that  they  offered  him  Libeilj-  to  go  about  his  Business  or  to  dismiss  him,  but 
the  fellow  said  he  should  be  killed  and  chose  to  return  on  board.  However 
the  Judges  freely  said  without  Doors,  that  he  crossed  his  Accounts  and  catched 
himself  in  sundry  Lies.  This  fellow's  mother  was  an  Indian  at  Little  Compton, 
and  being  born  free,  was  by  the  Town  Council  put  out  as  a  poor  child  in  youth 
to  a  man  on  Prudence  till  itt.  24  as  usual  with  Indian  or  Negro  children.  He 
is  perhaps  let.  21.  and  supra,  and  wanted  to  be  free  and  differed  with  his 
master — and  upon  the  burning  of  the  Gaspee  run  off  and  went  aboard  as  an 
Informer,  but  really  to  get  away  from  his  Master.  It  is  said  that  the  Burners 
of  the  Gaspee  have  never  discovered  any  pain  abovit  him  because  they  knew  he 
was  not  among  them.  He  doubtless  accused  some  Persons  before  the  Com- 
missioners, but  what  his  Accusation  was  is  not  particularly  known  ;  and  no 
persons  were  sent  for  in  Consequence  of  it.  Some  of  the  Gaspee  people  were 
also  examined  Ijefore  them,  in  proof  that  this  Mullatto  was  in  the  Company  of 
those  who  committed  the  Violence.  But  all  they  could  testify  was  that  there 
was  a  Black  whom  they  took  to  be  this,  because  of  the  Identity  of  his  Cap  and 
Aparrel.  But  his  Mistress  Testimony  was  that  said  Cap  &c.  were  given  him 
not  till  after  the  Attack,  which  if  true  destroyed  that  Evidence. 

A  man  of  Smithfield  about  6  miles  N"  of  Providence  had  been  a  drinking  and 
stubborn  Son  ;  so  that  a  j^ear  or  two  ago,  for  his  Refractoriness  he  was  by 
Authority  put  under  Guardianship.  His  father  lately  entailed  his  Estate  and 
died,  upon  which  the  son  sued  out  a  Recovery  for  docquing  the  Entail  the 
summer  past,  he  having  got  released  from  Guardianship.  But  the  Town 
Council  of  Smithfield  fearing  his  becom^  a  Town  charge  appeared  at  Court, 
prevented  the  Docquing,  &  had  the  man  again  put  under  Guardianship.  In 
transacting  this,  he  became  incensed  against  some  persons  and  meditated 
Revenge.  He  went  to  Judge  Auchmuty  at  Boston  and  informed  ;  but  the 
Ju<lge  found  him  a  v.-orthless  Fellow  and  dismissed  him.  Upon  which  he  came 
here  and  went  on  board  a  Man  o'  War  while  the  Commissioners  sat  here.  He 
was  brought  before  them  and  examined  and  dismissed,  his  Evidence  being 
judged  futile  and  not  to  be  relied  on.  He  enlisted  immediately  on  board  ship. 
These  were  all  the  Evidences  examined  as  to  the  main  point. 

The  Commissioners  and  .Xdmiral  had  their  first  Interview  at  a  Dinner  at  a 
Gentlemans  house  in  Town.  After  this  the  Admiral  once  waited  on  the  Com- 
inissioucrs  at  the  Courthouse — but  did  not  produce  any  other  Testimonies  ;  and 
contented  himself  with   naming  5  or  6  Gentlemen  chiefly  Lawyers,   who  he 


FEBRUARY    19,    1773  349 

supposed,  were  able  to  give  some  Information.  These  Gentlemen  were  together 
filing  Declarations  at  a  House  in  Providence  the  Evening  it  was  said  the  Drum 
beat  there,  and  it  is  said  went  out  to  inquire  the  matter.  And  hereu])on  was 
the  most  that  looked  like  the  Commissioners  exercising  authority.  The 
Admiral  left  the  Town  and  set  ont  in  a  Coach  for  B<iston  Jany.  20"'.  I  must 
observe  that  three  of  our  Superior  Court  Judges  had  offered  their  Assistance  to 
the  Commissioners,  or  rather  themselves  officially  to  prosecute  upon  receiving 
Information.  After  this  viz.  about  Jan.  19,  1773,  the  Commissioners  dispatched 
a  Post  with  Letters,  somewhat  of  the  Nature  of  Summons,  to  the  said  Lawyers, 
notifying  them  to  appear  and  give  Information  if  any  thej^  had.  These  Gentle- 
men were  at  Court  then  sitting  in  the  Country,  and  wrote  Answers  purporting 
their  Ignorance  of  the  Matter,  &  excusing  themselves  on  Ace"  of  Business. 

The  Session  of  the  Commissioners  drew  towards  a  close.  In  the  morning  of 
22''  Jan)',  Judges  Oliver  and  Auchmuty  left  the  Town  ;  the  other  3  Commis- 
sioners sat  that  afternoon  and  broke  up,  adjourning  to  26"^  of  May  ;  the  follow- 
ing Evening  the  Letters  of  Answer  from  the  Lawyers  aforesaid  arrived.  Judges 
Horsmanden  &  Smj'th,  detained  by  Weather,  at  length  sailed  Jany  31.  just  a 
Month  after  their  coming  here.  The  Commissioners  sat  daily,  Sundays  ex- 
cepted, appointed  two  Clerks  but  no  other  Officers,  and  committed  all  Occur- 
rences, Letters  &c.  to  Writing  ;  but  all  secret. 

The  week  before  the  Commissioners  Arrival,  the  General  Assembly  sat  at 
Providence,  when  it  was  deliberated  what  Methods  should  be  taken.  A  Motion 
was  made  for  Spirited  Opposition,  Declaration  of  Rights,  Denial  of  Jurisdiction 
of  the  Commissioners  &c.  On  the  whole  it  was  judged  best  to  sit  still  for  the 
present,  till  it  should  appear,  with  what  degree  of  Earnestness  the  Commis- 
sioners shd  proceed — and  adjourned  to  about  a  fort'night — when  they  again 
assembled  at  E.  Greenwich  :  by  which  time  it  began  to  appear  that  nothing 
very  sanguinar}'  would  be  attempted.  And  though  there  was  some  spirited 
Talk  in  the  Assembly,  yet  on  the  whole  it  was  determined  to  let  things  rest. 
Chief  Justice  Hopkins  motioned  for  direction  from  the  Assembl}'  how  to  act,  in 
case  he  was  applied  to  for  apprehending  persons  for  delivery  &c.  :  the  Assembly 
left  it  to  his  Discretion.  It  is  said  he  then  declared  before  the  Assembh',  both 
Houses,  that  for  the  purpose  of  Transportation  for  Trial  he  would  neither 
apprehend  by  his  own  Order,  nor  suffer  any  executive  Officers  in  the  Colony  to 
do  it.  Our  Superior  Court  are  ready  to  try  Criminals  before  themselves,  not  to 
send  any  out  of  the  Colony  for  Trial  :  and  in  this  Light  must  be  understood 
the  Judges  offering  their  Assistance. 

We  are  left  with  Reason  to  believe  that  the  Commissioners  have  yet  had  no 
Information  and  Evidence  laid  before  them,  which  they  judged  sufficient  for 
Apprehending  persons  even  for  Trial  here,  much  less  for  sending  any  to  Europe: 
setting  aside  the  Question  as  to  the  Illegality  of  so  extraordinary  a  measure. 
No  one  justifies  the  burning  of  the  Gaspee.  But  no  one  ever  thought  of  such 
a  Thing  as  being  Treason  ;  for  indeed  the  extraordinarj'^  Act  making  it  so  was 
passed  but  last  Session  of  Parliament,  and  did  not  arrive  in  America  till  after 
the  Gaspee  is  destroyed.  The  Commissioners  soon  found  there  was  no  Neces- 
sity for  assembling  Troops  upon  us,  to  protect  their  Inquiry  and  therefore  sent 
for  none.  And  I  am  ready  to  think  that  both  they  and  the  Admiral  thought 
they  had  reason  to  believe,  that  the  Admiral  himself  was  mistaken,   in  the 


350 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


Infunnation  ht-  transmitted  to  the  Ministry,  upon  which  Lord  Dartmouth  had 
referred  to  four  Gentlemen  by  Name.  Whoever  were  Actors  in  the  Mischief, 
there  is  Reason  to  behave  (perhaps  full  negative  proof)  that  neither  of  these 
were  concerned  in  it.  One  of  the  Gentlemen  in  particular  came  to  Town  after 
the  Arrival  of  the  Commissioners,  and  waited  on  the  Governor  in  person,  and 
produced  Proof,  by  a  White  Woman  in  the  Family,  of  his  being  abed  with  his 
Wife  at  Bristol  after  Eleven  o'clock  that  Night  (and  the  Gaspee  was  assaulted 
and  burnt  just  after  Midnight  and  before  One  o'clock)  and  seen  at  home  early 
next  Morning.  But  undoubtedly  he  did  not  chuse  to  go  3000  miles  to  prove 
his  Innocence. 

It  does  not  aj^pear  to  me  that  the  Earl  of  Dartmouth's  Letter  to  our  Governor, 
was  a  determinate  and  peremptory  Order  to  deliver  any  Persons  for  Transporta- 
tion. It  was  worded  with  Caution  and  Ambiguity  on  that  Head.  The  Letter 
in  different  Parts  was  wrote  by  three  different  hands.  His  I^ordship  says  that 
the  .Admiral  gave  Information  of  4  Persons,  whose  Names  were  in  an  inclo.sed 
List,  whom  his  Lordship  seemed  to  presume  were  already  apprehended,  and 
whom  he  said  he  doubted  not  the  Governor  had  delivered  up  on  the  Admirals 
-Application,  or  rather  would  have  delivered  to  the  Admiral  before  his  Lord- 
ships Letter  should  have  arrived.  In  the  Commission  (for  there  was  but  one) 
the  Commissioners  were  charged  with  a  general  Inquisition,  not  only  as  to  the 
Gaspee,  but  all  Obstructions  to  his  Majesty's  &c.  and  in  case  of  Apprehension, 
directed  to  applv  to  the  Civil  Autli>  of  the  Colony:  and  room  w-as  left  so  to 
interpret  the  Commission,  that  the  Commissioners  were  not  clearly  empowered 
solely  and  by  thcvisclves  to  seize  and  commit  any.  At  least  this  was  not  so 
clearly  defined  and  prescribed  as  one  would  have  imagined,  had  the  Intentions 
of  the  Ministr}-  been  peremptory.  The  Commission  however  is  very  alarming 
under  the  most  favorable  and  mild  Con.structions  :  T  believe  the  Commissioners 
were  inclined  to  interpret  in  the  mildest  Sense.  Our  People  will  bear  kwy 
Thing  but  an  actual  Seizure  of  Persons. 

Upon  what  \"iews  the  Adjournnient  is  made,  is  not  known.  Probably  the 
Commissioners  have  transmitted  an  Account  of  their  Transactions,  and  may 
expect  further  Directions  by  the  latter  end  of  May.  We  cannot  foresee  the 
Issue.  Perhaps  the  whole  may  be  only  in  Terrorem.  I  am  ready  to  think  the 
report  of  the  Commissioners  will  prove  an  Exculpation  of  the  civil  Govern- 
ment of  this  Colony.  I  am  well  assured,  notwithstanding  the  exaggerated 
Accounts  about  beating  up  for  Volunteers  in  the  Streets  of  Providence,  the 
Thing  was  conducted  with  such  Secrecy  and  Caution  that  neither  the  Deputy 
Crovernor  nor  any  of  the  Magi.strates  or  Civil  Officers  in  Providence  had  any 
Knowledge  of  the  Design  till  the  next  Morning ;  when  the  D.  Gov.  and  civil 
.\uthority  inmiediately  took  all  the  Measures  that  the  wisest  ;Ma.gistrates  could 
have  done.  During  the  whole  Visitation  of  the  Commissioners  not  the  least 
N'iolence,  Obstruction  or  Annoyance  was  offered. 

I  think  I  have  given  you  so  minute  and  ample  an  Accoun'.  of  the  series  of 
Occurrences  and  Transactions  in  this  Affair,  that  you  will  be  as  able  to  make  a 
Judgment  upon  it  as  "any  persons  here  upon  the  spot."  I  commit  this  Letter 
to  your  Prudence  ;  only  desire  you  to  suffer  no  copies  of  it,  nor  to  permit  any 
part  of  it  to  appear  in  the  public  Prints.  You  express  Confidence  in  the  Post 
OfTuc  :  the  Sciil  of  your  Letter  was  broken  before  I  received  it.     Perhaps  this 


FEBRUARY    20,    1773  351 

may  suffer  the  same  T-'ate.  However  I  believe  I  have  given  both  a  just  and 
candid  account  of  Things.  I  am  a  Friend  to  American  Liberty  ;  of  the  final 
prevalence  of  which  I  have  not  the  least  doubt,  though  by  what  means  and  in 
what  way  God  only  knows.  But  I  have  perfect  Confidence  that  the  future 
Millions  of  America  will  emancipate  themselves  from  all  foreign  Oppression. 
I  am  a  Spectator  indeed  of  Events,  but  intermeddle  not  with  Politics.  We  have 
another  Department,  being  called  to  an  Office  and  Work,  which  may  be  success- 
fully pursued  (for  it  has  been  pursued)  under  every  species  of  Civil  Tyranny  or 
Liberty.  We  cannot  become  the  Dupes  of  Politicians  without  Alliances,  Con- 
cessions and  Connexions  dangerous  to  evangelical  Truth  and  spiritual  Liberty. 
Mr.  Richardson  and  Family  are  well.  I  must  defer  the  rest  of  your  Letter. 
Inform  me  your  Reception  of  this.     I  am,  Dear  Sir, 

Most  affectionately  yours  &c. 

Ezra  Stiles.' 
To  Rev.  Elihu  Spencer,  at  Trenton,  New  Jersey. 

In  the  Prints  I  find  that  the  Rev.  Allen  Mather^  was  Feb.  3, 
1773  ordained  Pastor  of  new  or  third  Congregational  Church  in  the 
compact  part  of  the  Town  of  New  Haven.  Rev.  Mr.  Benj""  Wood- 
bridge  of  Amity  preached. 

20.  Rev.  John  Davis^  late  Pastor  of  the  second  Baptist  Church 
in  Boston,  left  it  on  account  of  Blindness,  and  returned  to  Penn- 
sylvania. Recovering,  he  accompanied  some  Baptist  settlers  to 
Ohio,  where  he  lately  died,  and  was  buried  there  on  a  spot  intended 
for  a  Baptist  Meetinghouse.     Mr.  Davis  was  a  Bachellor,  set.  37. 

Mr.  Nelson  just  received  Letters  from  New  York,  from  a  Partner 
who  has  been  negotiating  the  purchase  of  a  Town.ship  22,000 
Acres  on  Onion  River,  about  30  m.  above  Crown  Point  and  a  little 
East  of  lyake  Champlain.  It  was  about  1761  granted  by  the  Gov. 
of  Hampshire.  The  Hampshire  proprietors  ask  a  Thousand  Dol- 
lars or  ^400.  Y.  M.  and  the  Gov.  of  N.  York  asks  ^150.  more  for 
Confirmation.  So  the  22  Thousand  Acres  cost  ^550,  besides 
Expences  of  Survey  &c.  This  about  ^20.  per  100  Acres.  The 
rapacious  or  voracious  Avarice  of  Governors  !     This  L,and  has  been 

'  For  the  fullest  account  of  this  affair  see  J.  R.  Bartlett's  History  of  the 
Destruction  of  the  Gaspee,  Providence,  1861  (reprint  from  the  R.  I.  Colony 
Records). 

*  Yale  1 77 1.  This  church,  called  the  Fair  Haven  Church,  was  formed  in 
June,  1 77 1,  from  families  which  had  seceded  from  the  White  Haven  Church  in 
disapproval  of  the  settlement  of  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Edwards.  They  had  built 
a  house  on  the  site  occupied  by  the  present  United  Chnrch.  See  above,  July  8, 
1771. 

8  See  also  this  Diary,  June  5,  1772  ;  and  Backus's  Hist,  of  the  Baptists,  1871 
ed.,  ii,  176-77. 


-;^2  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

once  granted  by  the  King,  and  now  must  be  granted  by  the  King 
again  :  at  an  exorb.  Price. 

Finished  reading  Mr.  Hemingways  Treatise  of  227  pages  against 
Mr.  Hopkins.  I  judge  hini  to  be  on  the  right  side  of  the  Question, 
and  that  un regenerate  Sinners  may  and  can  seek  God  and  pray  to 
him  acceptably,  and  that  they  are  able  to  use  the  Means  of  Grace 
so  as  to  be  attended  with  a  blessing,  even  to  the  obtaining  regener- 
ating Grace  ;  I  do  not  think  with  Mr.  Hopkins  that  all  that  the 
unregenerate  do  or  can  do  is  Sin — or  that  vSinners  under  Convic- 
tions increase  in  Sinfulness  and  grow  worse. 

21.  Lordsday  A.M.  I  preached  i  Tim"  i,  16,  17,  less  than  three 
Ouarters  of  an  hour  in  the  whole  Exercise,  on  account  of  severit}- 
of  the  Cold.  vSermon  25  Minutes.  And  P.M.  Ps.  Ixxxix,  19  .  .  .  . 
Sermon  25  Minutes.  Exce.s.sivel}^  cold  da5^  This  morning  at 
Vni.  Thermometer  6.  descended  to  3  at  XI,  rose  to  4  at  Noon, 
descended  to  o  at  Ij-  and  at  II  one  deg.  below  o 

22.  I{xtreme  Cold.  Therm"  seven  degrees  below  o,  or  39 
degrees  below  freezing  point  at  VII ^''  mane.  By  X''  it  ascended 
to  o. — At  noon  3jc;  above  o. — -at  11^  to  7 — -at  IV  to  9  nearest  or 
8  *  ,0 — Sunset  7 — IX.  8.  This  Evening  a  Meeting  of  Young  Men  at 
my  House  when  I  discoursed  to  them  on  Eccles.  xi,  9.  A  Jew 
was  present  having  asked  Leave  ;  he  tarried  with  me  and  we  dis- 
cour.sed  an  hour  afterwards  concerning  a  suffering  Messiah 

23.  This  Morn*?  still  cold.     Therm"  9. 

25.  This  morning  about  Sunrise  the  Bells  rang  an  Alarm  for  fire, 
down  at  the  Beach.  Mr.  Nic'  Easton's  house  in  his  N"  Farm  was 
on  fire,  and  .soon  burnt  down,  the  Tenant  and  his  Family  ju.st 
escaped  the  Flames.  He  was  obliged  to  throw  his  Bed  out  at  a 
Chamber  Window  &  let  down  his  Wife  &  6  or  7  Children  upon 

it In  B"  F^ven-    Post    22"   inst At   Weym"  S" 

Parish;  "460  Persons  have  had  the  Measles  in  one  Month,  and 
more  than  500  in  the  Whole,  which  is  near  two  Thirds  of  the 
people  there.  Thirty  eight  persons  have  also  had  it  out  of  eight 
I'"amilies  belonging  to  the  Town  of  Abington  who  attend  public 
Worshij)  at  Weymouth.  But  notwithstanding  the  rapid  Progress 
and  distressing  nature  of  the  Di.sorder,  it  proved  mortal  to  two  per- 
sons only,  one  of  them  an  Infant."  vSo  the  proportion  of  Deaths  2 
out  of  538,  or  1  in  270.  Now  the  small  pox  Mortality  is  i  in  7  or 
8  in  the  natural  way — i  in  70  or  80  in  simple  Inoculation — i  in  7 
or  800  in  mercurial  Inoculation. 


FEBRUARY    2I-MARCH    3,    1 773  353 

I  finished  reading  Rev.  Giles  Firmins  Real  Christian.  He  came 
to  New  England  about  1635,  and  lived  at  or  near  Ipswitch  ;  he  mar- 
ried Rev.  Mr.  Ward's  Daughter,  and  I  think  practiced  physic.  At 
length  he  became  a  preacher,  and  returning  to  Europe  became  a 
Minister  in  Shalford  in  Essex.  He  opposed  some  Niceties  in  Divin- 
it}'  published  by  Mr.  Hooker,  Mr.  Shepherd  of  N.  England,  and 
Mr.  Rogers,  &c  in  Old  England 

26.  I  did  not  attend  M""  Hopkins'  Eecturelast  Evening.     Weather 

exceed^    moderate.     Therm.    47 I  spent   this   evening    at 

Brother  Abr™  Dennis's,  and  had  much  profitable  Conversation  with 
him  on  experimental  Religion,  and  the  Evidences  of  a  Gracious 
Estate.  We  went  thro'  a  Trial  and  Examination  on  three  heads. 
I.  Faith  in  Christ.  2.  evangelical  Repentance,  and  3.  on  Eove  of 
God  and  Holiness.  Where  these  were  found  in  reality,  there  must 
have  been  a  Work  of  God  within  the  Soul,  evidential  of  our  being 
intituled  to  that  great  Wo7-k  without,  the  Atonement  and  Righteous- 
ness of  Christ,  which  alone  is  justifying  in  the  sight  of  God. 

27.  This  day  I  read  out  the  5""  Volume  of  Yoricks  or  Laiwence 
Sterile' s  Sermons.  I  find  by  the  Prints  that  18*"  Inst  died  at  his 
house  near  the  head  of  Niantic  River  in  Connecticut  the  Rev.' 
William  Crocker  set.  70,  but  I  know  not  of  what  place  he  was  Min- 
ister. 

28.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Mat.  xiii,  23.  P.M.  i  Jno.  v, 
I 

March 

I.  Young  women  met  at  my  house  &  I  discoursed  to  them. 
3.  Reading  the  Society's  Abstract  for  the  year  1772.  Dr.  Moss 
Bp.  of  St.  Davids  in  his  Sermon  says  speaking  of  the  Six  Nations 
of  Indians,  the  Mohawks  have  already  embraced  Christianity.  "At 
a  general  Congress  of  those  Nations  consisting  of  the  principal 
Persons  of  each  Tribe,  to  the  number  of  Twenty  four  hundred  it  was 
their  Desire  &c."  Indians  usually  travell  with  Women  and  Chil- 
dren. I  suppose  2400  were  three  Qu"  of  the  Souls  of  the  Six 
Nations.  This  Congress  I  suppose  was  within  a  year  or  two  ago. 
In  the  Abstract  1772  is  the  Account  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Frink  just 
before  his  Death  in  1770  or  1771.  According  to  which  there  were 
then  in  Savannah  in  Georgia 

'  An  error  of  Dr.  Stiles.  The  newspapers  do  not  describe  Mr.  Crocker  as  a 
minister. 

23 


54 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


521  .  . 

1 185 

59  •  • 

193 

172  .  . 

499 

22  .  . 

49 

7  •  • 

30 

40 

Families  Men                    Negroes 

Chh  of  England     ...      180     ...  664 

Lutherans 35     •     •     •  ^34 

Presb.  &  Indepcnd'ts     .       92     .     .      .  327 

Jews 6     .     .     .  27 

Infidels II     .     .     .  23 

Negroes  besides 

324  1 175  782  1996 

I  think  this  is  not  accurate.  The  324  Families  cannot  yield 
many  more  than  1175  souls,  which  he  calls  Men. 

The  number  of  Souls  in  Newfoundland  A.D.  1771  were  3449 
English  and  3348  Irish.  This  Afternoon  I  attended  the  Funeral  of 
Captain  Gibbs  set.  91.  He  was  a  staunch  Friend  to  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Clap,'  and  a  Member  of  his  Church  in  Newport 

5.  Visited  by  Mr.  Cary  of  Chariest"  and  Mr.  Williams  of  Bos- 
ton, two  young  Gentlemen  returning  home  from  Philadelphia. 
They  arrived  here  yesterday  from  New  York,  and  tell  me  there 
came  with  them  from  New  York  a  hebrew  Rabbi  from  Macpelah  in 

the  Holy  Land I  did  not  attend  Mr.   Hopkins  Lecture 

last  Even'g.     This  Aft.  I  preached  m}^  own  Sacramental  Lecture. 

6.  .  .  .  This  Evening  I  married  W"  Whitwell  and  Sarah  Howard 
at  my  house. 

7.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Heb.  iv,  14-16,  and  published 
a  couple  ;  and  administered  the  Communion  to  40  Communicants, 
being  a  very  stormy   season.     P.M.   Exod.   xix,  5,  6. 

8.  This  Evening  I  went  to  the  Synagogue  it  being  the  Eve 
gf  Purim.  The  Chuzan  read  thro'  the  Book  of  Esther.  There  I 
saw  Rabbi  Carigal  I  judge  aet.  45.  lately  from  the  City  of  Hebron, 
the  Cave  of  Macpelah  in  the  Holy  Land.  He  was  one  of  the  two 
persons  that  stood  by  the  Chuzan  at  the  Taubauh  or  reading  Desk 
while  the  Book  of  Esther  was  read.  He  was  dressed  in  a  red  Gar- 
ment with  the  usual  Phylacteries  and  habiliments,  the  w^hite  silk 
Surplice  ;  he  wore  a  high  brown  furr  Cap,  had  a  long  Beard.  He 
has  tlie  appearance  of  an  ingenious  &  sensible  Man 

The  Rev"   Mr.    Page  preached  at  Chh.   yesterday  ;    he 

was  too  evangelical  for  the  Taste  of  that  Congregation.  He  is  said 
to  be  Chaplain  to  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon  to  whom  also  Mr. 
Whitefield  was  formerly  Chaplain.     He  was  last  year  in  America  ; 

'  Nathaniel  Clap  (Harvard  1720),  the  first  pastor  of  the  Newport  Congregational 
Church. 


MARCH    5-16,    1773  355 

and  embarked  from  N.  York  last  June  for  London.  In  London  he 
was  ordained  by  the  Bishop,  and  is  now  come  over  for  the  Orphan- 
house  in  Georgia.  I  am  told  by  a  Gentleman  who  was  in  his 
Company  here,   that  he   is   very  facetious   &   full   of   entertaining 

stories 

In  another  Comp'  Mr.  Page  remarked  that  he  was  grieved  to 
hear  the  King  so  much  vilified  &  abused  in  New  Engld  &  America; 
that  he  was  well  acquainted  with  the  Kings's  Character,  &  had 
been  honored  with  a  personal  Interview  with  his  Majesty  ;  and  that 
he  was  truely  a  religious,  virtuous,  pious  Prince.  Royal  Similes, 
as  well  as  Royal  Gold,  have  powerful  Charms  ! 

9.  This  Day  the  Feast  of  Purim.  Mr.  Page  sailed  for  New  York 
yesterday.  This  day  died  Phyllis  a  Negro  Sister  of  our  Church  :  I 
hope  she  had  chosen  the  better  part.  Her  Husband  Brother  Zingo, 
upon  becoming  religious  and  joyning  my  Church,  had  an  earnest 
Concern  for  his  Wife  and  Children,  and  labored  greatly  to  bring 
her  into  a  saving  Acquaintance  with  her  Redeemer  ;  and  I  doubt 
not  his  Endeavors  and  prayers  were  blessed  to  her  saving  Conver- 
sion. She  was  brought  hither  out  of  Guinea  1759  aet.  13  or  14,  and 
has  lived  in  Gov.  Lyndons  Family  ever  since.  She  was  always 
free  from  the  common  Vices — and  especially  since  her  profession 
has  walked  soberly  &  exemplarly.  She  expressed  her  Trust  in 
the  Merits  of  the  Redeemer,  «&  died  with  a  good  hope. 

10.  The  Parish  of  Long  Meadow  in  Springfield  under  the  Pasto- 
ral Care  of  the  venerable  Mr.  Williams,  may  be  150  Families  ;  from 
Jany.  23,  1772  to  Feb  8,  1773  there  were  but  3  funerals  in  that 
place — a  Woman  set.  69,  another  Woman  aet.  51,  &  a  stilborn  twin 

Infant.     Baptisms  there  eighteen  in  the  same  space This 

Evening  my  Chli.  Meeting  at  Sister  Davenports. 

1 1 .  This  day  my  son  Ezra  is  fourteen  years  old  :  he  has  read  out 
Virgil,  TuUy's  Select  Orations,  &c.  in  Latin — &  in  Greek  the  four 
Evangelists  &  Acts — in  Hebrew  48  Psalms.  In  the  Even-  I  mar- 
ried a  Couple,  &  so  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins'  Lecture. 

12.  Reading  Turkish  Sp3'. 

14.  Lordsday  I  preached  A.M.  from  Ps.  141,  8,  and  published 
Rd  Gardner  and  Mary  Hamand. — P.M.  i  Thess.  iii,  12,  13 

16.  Last  Evening  I  had  a  Religious  Meeting  of  Negroes  at  m\- 
house,  when  I  discoursed  on  2  Cor.  v,  20,  21.  By  the  Boston 
prints  I  find  lately  died  at  Beverly  Rev'"  Joseph  Champney  set.  69, 
Senior  Pastor  of  the  first   Church  there.     At  Boston  the  Sons  of 


356  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Liberty  celebrated  or  coininemorating  the  Anniversary  of  the  Mas- 
sacre 5"'  Inst,  when  Dr  Church  delivered  an  Oration  in  the  Old 
South  Church  or  Meetinghouse.  Gov.  Hutchinson  had  sent  for  Dr. 
Church  and  endeavored  to  dissuade  him,  but  without  Success. 

17.  Governor  Hutchinson  issued  a  Proclamation  appointing 
Thursday  15"'  April  a  public  Fast  ; — as  near  Easter  as  may  be  ! 
The  Courtiers  are  endeavoring  to  bring  the  Anniversar\-  Thanksgiv- 
ings and  Fasts  (which  N.  England  observ^ed   from   the  Beginning) 

to  a  Coincidence  with  Christmas  and  Easter This  Even*^ 

a  religious  Meeting  of  the  married  people  of  the  Congregation  at 
Mr.  Tophams.     I  discoursed  on  i  Cor.  vi,  20. 

18.  From  the  Russian  Accounts  I  collect  the  following  Estimate 
of  the  scattered  Tribes  of  the  Siberian  Tartars  from  the  River  Ob 
to  Kamshatka,  and  between  the  50*''  deg.  of  Lat.  and  the  hyperbo- 
rean Ocean — a  Territory  equal  to  3000  Miles  in  Length  and  12  or 
1500  Miles  in  breadth. 

Tschutshi 

Tungusij 

Jakuti 


Samoieds  say 

O.stiacks 

Cossacks 


The  three  first  numbers  are  given  by  the  Russians,  and  may  be 
considered  as  sufficiently  accurate.  I  estimate  the  others  too  large. 
We  may  confide  in  it,  that  the  collected  number  does  not  exceed 
One  Million.  Hence  that  great  Territory  in  the  Northern  Part  of 
Asia  is  settled  in  the  same  sparse,  thin  and  scattered  manner,  as  the 
Continent  of  America  by  the  Aboriginal  Indians.  I  have  good 
(jrounds  to  Estimate  the  Indians  in  PvUglish  America,  that  is  from 
the  Mississippi  to  the  Atlantic  Ocean,  and  from  Florida  to  the  Pole, 
at  a  collective  or  total  Amount  not  exceeding  one  hundred  and  fifty 
or  at  most  Tico  hundred  thousand  vSouls.  [By  actual  Numeration  in 
1766  they  were  found  fourty  thousand  souls  only.]  And  I  judge 
from  the  s])arse  Maimer  of  vSettlement,  making  Allowance  for 
accumulated  Population  in  .some  few  places  as  Mexico  and  Peru, 
that  the   whole   Continent  of   North  and   South   America  does  not 


4, 

000  Men 

or 

Fam 

ilies 

80, 

000 

30 

000 

114 

000 

50 

000 

50 

000 

50 

000 

One 

264, 

000  Fain 

nni 

MARCH    17-30,    1773  357 

contain  above  One  Million  and  half,  or  at  most  Two  Million  of 
Indians.  Tho'  Dr.  Whitaker  ignoranth'  represented  them  Twenty 
Million  to  the  General  Assembly  of  the  Church  of  Scotland.  I 
intend  to  investigate  the  population  of  the  Mongul,  Calmuk  &c. 
Tartars  :  so  as  to  form  a  more  just  Estimate  of  all  the  Inhabitants 
on  the  Earth,  than  Mr.  Brereivood  did  in  King  James  I  Time  or 
about  A.  D.  1622.     Especially  as  his  Estimate  has  been  generally 

received 

This  Evening  I  finished  reading  the  first  Volume  of  the  Turkish 
Spy.  This  Day  being  the  Anniversary  of  the  Repeal  of  the  Stamp 
Act  1766 — the  Bells  rang — but  no  Ensigns  or  Colors  displayed  on 
Liberty-  Tree  or  Fort,  nor  anj^  particular  Celebration  as  in  former 
3'ears.     I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins'  Lecture. 

21.  Edsdy.     A.M.  I  preached   Hosea  vi,  3.     P.M.  Rom.  xv,  13. 

22.  A  very  storm}'  snowy  Day.  Spent  all  day  in  mj^  Study,  read- 
ing Dr.  Gale's  voluminous  MS.  of  above  100  pages  on  Prophecies 
and  the  Millenium. 

23.  Writing  Criticism  and  Letter  to  Dr.  Gale. 

24.  Reading  first  Vol.  of  Transactions  of  the  American  Philo- 
sophical Society  at  Philadelphia  of  which  I  am  a  Member. 

25.  Reading  Transactions  and  reviewing  my  Observation  of  the 
Transits  of  Venus  and  Mercury  1769  with  those  made  in  different 
parts  of  the  World.     Storm.     No  Lecture  at  Mr.  Hopkins. 

28.  Lordsday,  A.M.  I  published  two  Couples,  and  preached  all 
day  upon  Levit.  xxvi,  12.  Reading  Ainsworth.  In  the  Evening 
I  married  Richard  Gardner  and  Mercy  Hamand  at  my  house. 

29.  Reading  Congreg"^  Accounts  from  the  Moravian  Missionaries 
in  Egypt. 

30.  This  Afternoon  the  Rabbi  came  to  visit  me  in  Company  w4th 
Mr.  Lopez.  The  Rabbi  is  set.  39,  a  large  Man,  neat  and  well 
dressed  in  the  Turkish  Habit.  We  conversed  largeh'  on  the 
Gemara,  the  2  Talmuds  (of  wdiich  he  preferred  the  Babylonish)  the 
Changes  of  the  Hebrew  Language  in  different  Ages  &c.  &c.  He 
was  born  in  Hebron,  where  he  says  are  only  107  Families  of  Jews. 
From  get.  7,  has  followed  his  Studies.  He  says,  one  may  breakfast 
at  Hebron  and  dine  at  Jerusalem,  which  are  but  six  hours  apart. 
He  has  been  at  Samaria,  Tiberias,  and  thro'  the  Holy  Land,  at 
Constantinople  &c.  &c.  He  spake  of  Aly  Bey,  and  shewed  me  a 
passage  in  the  Zohar  which  he  said  predicted  that  the  Russia^is 
should  conquer  the   Turks.     I  observed  that  in  the  Original  it  was 


358  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

tliat  lidom  should  conquer  the  Ismodites — he  replied  that  Edom 
tliere  denoted  a  Northern  Power,  and  the  Ismaelites  those  of  their 
Religion.  He  said  he  did  not  understand  Arabic  to  read  it,  upon 
\\\\  showini^  an  Arabic  I^xtract  from  Eutychius.  Yet  he  said  it 
Avas  the  conunon  Tongue  now  in  the  holy  Land,  only  the  Jews  were 
not  allowed  to  learn  the  Writings.  I  shewed  him  the  first  Psalm 
in  Arabic  but  in  Hebrew  Letters — he  read  it  off  freely — and  I  sup- 
pose I  then  for  the  first  Time  heard  the  true  pronunciation  of 
Arabic.  He  did  not  perfectly  understand  it.  He  said  the  vernacu- 
lar Arabic  now  was  different  from  the  antient.  We  talked  upon 
the  difference  of  the  Dialects  of  the  Chaldee,  Syriac,  and  rabbinical 
Hebrew,  on  the  Targums  &c.  Evening  coming  on  he  took  Eea\'e 
in  a  polite  &  friendly  manner. 

31.  Reading  Dr.  McSparrans  Letters  printed  in  Dublin  1752'  in 
which  he  gives  a  vile  Account  of  the  American  Colonies.  He  says 
the  Coloin-  of  Rhode  Island  "contains  1,024,000  Acres  and  is 
peopled  with  about  30,000  Inhabitants  young  and  old  white  and 
black" — about  Truth  in  1752.  In  1700  he  says  the  Church  of 
England  entered  here  ;  and  a  little  Church  was  built  in  Newport  in 
1702 — another  in  Narraganset  1707.  The  Dr.  entered  on  his  mis- 
sion there  April  1721.  He  says  President  Clap  was  his  Scholar 
w4ien  he  first  came  into  New  England — perhaps  he  might  assist  in 

fitting  him  for  College,  tho'  this  I  never  heard  before 

This  Dr.  McSparran  was  born  in  Ireland,  went  to  School  at  Tog- 
han-vcil  there  as  he  tells  us.  Having  received  a  liberal  Education 
at  the  I'niversity  of  Glasgow  1709,  he  became  a  licensed  preacher 
among  the  Presbyterians  in  the  North  of  Ireland,  but  was  not  there 
ordained.  He  came  to  New  England.  In  1719  he  had  a  call  to 
settle  in  the  Ministry  in  the  Congregational  Church  at  Bristol  ;  and 
the  Church  appointed  a  Day  for  Ordination  [Oct.  22,  17 19]  &  issued 
Letters  for  the  Ordaining  Council.  But  in  Oct.  [loth]  17 19  and 
before  Ordination  he  was  detected  as  having  forged  his  Credentials 
from  Ireland.  Mr.  Hillhouse  a  Presbyterian  Minister  lately  from 
Ireland  ];)rought  over  his  Character — was  at  Bristol,  where  the 
Gentlemen  compared  his  Credentials  with  Mr.  McSparrans  Creden- 
tials, and  became  so  convinced  of  the  forgery  that  the  Church  im- 
mediately [Oct.  13]  dismissed  him  14  out  of  21 — but  the  Congreg^ 
voted  he  should  go  to   Ireland  to  clear  up  his  Character.      He  had 

'  With  the  title,  America  Dissected.  This  is  rejiriiilLd  in  rjKlike's  History 
of  the  Episcopal  Church. 


MARCH    31,    T773  359 

been  charged  with  Forjiication  and  Forgery.^  He  went  to  Europe 
to  clear  his  Character  and  to  return  the  Minister  of  Bristol.  But 
instead  of  this  he  went  to  the  Bishop  of  London  and  was  ordained 
by  him.'  In  allusion  to  this  he  said  in  his  Letter  to  Col.  Cary  of 
Ireland.  "  I  have  great  Reason  to  thank  God  that  I  was  afflicted 
and  abused  by  a  false  Charge  in  ni}^  youth,  as  that  opened  me  a 
Way  into  the  Christian  Priesthood  in  the  most  excellent  of  all 
Churches.  As  I  never  w^as  a  Father  in  any  form,  and  have  none 
but  a  Wife  to  take  care  of  &c. ' '  I  have  seen  him  ;  he  died  at 
Narraganset  since  my  coming  to  Newport,  I  should  think  1756  or 
1757.^  He  was  a  vain  glorious,  turbulent,  haughty  domineering 
priest. 

From  his  Letters  I  collect  his  partial  Account  of  the  Church. 
As  to  the  Southern  Colonies  from  Maryland  to  Georgia  he  contents 
himself  with  a  general  account.  The  Episcopal  Churches,  and  Min- 
isters are  provided  amply  except  in  North  Carolina  where  he  sa^-s, 
are  15  or  20  Thousand  Inhabitants  and  only  tw^o  Clergymen.  I 
shall  attend  only  to  his  representation  of  the  Episcopal  Interest  in 
the  Provinces  North  from  Maryland  as  it  was  A.  D.  1752. 


In  1752,    9  Clergymen  27  Chhs. 
1752. — 8  Do.  perh.  16  Chhs. 
1752.— 12  Do. — 20  Chhs. 


1700  Pennsylv"     The  Chh.  entered. 
1702  Jersies  Do. 

1693  New  York  Do. 

Connecticut  '         1752. —  8  Do. — 16  Chhs 

1700  Rh.  Isld.  Entered,  1702  Chh.  built   j         1752. —  5  Do. —  6  Chhs. 

Massach. 

N.  Hamp. 

Newfoundland 


1752. — 10  Do. — 10  D° 
1752. —  I  Do. —  I  D" 
1752. —  2  D° 


Episcopal  Ministers  55.     96  Churches. 

I  presume  his  number  of  Ministers  is  right.  The  Churches  are 
not  accurately  given.  I  presume  he  would  not  give  them  above 
an  hundred. 

Speaking  of  Connecticut  he  says, — "  and  by  present  appearances 
one  may  foretell,  that  the  Members  of  our  Church,  zvill,  in  a  Century 
more,  amoiait  to  a  Major  part  of  the  whole.''      Now  the  Dr.  dated  his 

^  These  charges  are  exaggerated.  His  own  acknowledgment  of  May,  17 19, 
printed  in  the  Letter-Book  of  Samuel  Sewall  (Mass.  Historical  Society's  Collec- 
tions), ii,  98-101.  A  portion  of  his  private  Diary,  published  in  1899,  shows  him 
to  have  been  a  man  of  piety. 

^  He  was  ordained  Deacon  by  Bishop  John  Robinson  on  Aug.  21,  1720,  and 
Priest  by  Archbishop  Wake  on  Sept.  25,  1720. 

•^He  died  on  Dec.  i,  1757. 


:.6o  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

Letter  Au^.  20,  1752.  There  are  not  above  fifteen  Episcopal  Cler- 
gymen in  Connecticut  1773,  and  thirty  07ie  Episcopal  Churches,  so 
that  their  number  of  Clerj^y  and  Churches  have  only  doubled  in  20 
years,  a  little  more  than  natural  Increase.  Now  there  is  not  one 
Chh  able  to  maintain  its  Minister  or  that  doth  it,  unless  perhaps 
Stratfd  may  be  excepted.  There  are  188  Congregational  Chhs  in 
that  Colony  in  1773.  Now  where  is  the  prospect  of  Episcopizing 
Connect,  in  a  Century  ? 

I  extract  one  paragraph  more.  The  Dr.  .says — "  I  mention  Wool 
as  one  of  the  Productions  of  this  Colony  ;  but  although  it  is  prettj'- 
plenty  where  I  live,  yet  if  you  throw  the  English  America  into  one 
point  of  \'iew,  there  is  not  half  enough  to  make  Stockings  for  the 
Inhabitants y  This  has  been  proverbial  from  Dr.  McSparran. 
England  has  not  double  the  number  of  Sheep  to  the  Inhabitants  ; 
Spain  has  an  Equality  of  both.  Rhode  Island  has  for  many  years 
had  Sheep  nearly  double  the  Inhabitants.  I  have  reason  to  think 
there  were  1752  near  as  many  Sheep  as  Inhabitants  in  the  English 
Provinces.  At  all  Events  New  England  made  not  only  half  but 
most  of  their  Stockings  and  more  than  Nine  Tenths  of  their  wear- 
ing Woolen  Apparrel.  But  Dr.  McSparran  mu.st  depreciate 
America. 

April. 

2.  Yesterday  employed  all  day  in  writing  Letters  to  Dr.  Chauncy 
&c.   .   .   Did  not  attend  Mr.  H.  Lect.  last  Even'g. 

4.  Lordsda}'.  A.M.  I  published  three  couples  and  preached  on 
I  Cor.  ix,  16, — and  extended  the  Intermission  Sea.son  to  II'' >2  P.M. 
P.M.  Lam.  iii,  31-33,  on  occasion  of  the  Death  of  Billy  Merriss  of 
the  Small  pox  in  Hi.spanola,  set  20. 

5 At  V  P.M.  I  catechi.sed  16  Boys,  41  Girls,  4  Negroes 

Total  61.  Mr.  Russmeyer  visited  me,  &  told  me  he  had  received 
a  Letter  from  Re\'.  Matthen.'  Hale  a  Bishop  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum 
at  Bethlehem  in  Pensylvania,  in  which  the  Bishop  sent  his  vSaluta- 
tions  to  me,  and  desired  him  to  inform  me,  that  he  had  forwarded 
my  Letter  of  Aug.  Last  to  Mr.  Bush  of  Astracan — having  first 
took  a  Copy  of  it  (as  I  sent  it  open)  and  then  sent  it  to  the  Direc- 
torium  of  the  Unity  at  Hernhuth  in  (jermany.  Mr.  Ru.s.smeyer 
Ijrought  me  niore  Congreg''  Accounts.     Bp  Hale  is  now  aet.  68. 

6.  In  the  Afternoon  I  visited  Rabbi  Haijm  Isaac  Karigal  aet. 
39.      He  was  Ixjrn   at   Hebron   near   the   Cave  of  Macpelah.      Has 


APRIL    2-7,    1773  361 

travelled  all  over  the  holy  Land  and  to  Aleppo,  Ezekiels  Tomb,  and 
Bagdat  the  Extent  of  his  Travels  Eastward  : — Constantinople — 
Holland — Eondon — America.  We  conversed  much  and  freely — he 
is  learned  and  truly  modest,  far  more  so  that  I  ever  saw  a  Jew.  .  . 
...  I  asked  him  how  he  approved  the  LXX  Translation  ?  He 
said  he  had  never  seen  it  :  but  the  Gemara  spake  of  it  as  made  for 
King  Ptoloni}',  and  allowed  it  to  have  been  done  by  Learned  Jews 
or  72  persons  sent  by  the  Sanhedrim 

7.  In  one  of  the  Philadelphia  Prints  I  find  Accounts  of  about 
half  a  Million  [387,778]  Cocoons  of  Silk  Worms  raised  in  Pensyl- 
vania  in  the  year  1772,  which  received  the  premiums.  This  might 
make  near  100'^  ruled  Silk.  I  think  Dr.  Franklin  received  in 
London  near  200""  ruled  vSilk  the  produce  of  Pensylvania  in  the 
year  1771. 

"  Paris  Nov.  20,  1772. 

"  Mons.  the  Abbe  d'  Expil/y ,  assisted  in  his  Researches  by  Com- 
missaries dispersed  in  the  Generalities  of  France,  hath  just  pub- 
lished a  curious  Accomit  of  the  present  State  of  population  in  this 
Kingdom,  distinguished  in  different  Classes,  b}'^  which  it  appears 
that  there  are  now  in  France 

TT    J       ^t    ^  f  Men  &  Boys      .     .     .     4,747,516 

Under  aet.  20        ■  ^  >+. /t/.o 

t- Women  &  Girls    .     .     4,796,735 —        9,544,251 

„  ,  o         I  Males 4,24^,516 

Between  20  &  50  <  t.   to-o 

i  Females 4,648,050 —        8,991,566 

-n  ,  n   £     (Males 1,097,306 

Between  50  &  65  <  >  -pi^j 

t.  Females 1,318,344 —         2,415,650 

T>  ,  /:..  o   Q    f  Males 413,240 

Between  65  &  80  ■  t  o,  t 

I  Females 588,585 

Upwards  of  80      \  ^^^^^       ......  61,053 

(  Females        ....         100,012 

Total  Males 10,562,631 

"      Females        ....  11,451,726 

Total 22,014,257  Souls. 

As  France  contains  30  thousand  square  Leagues  of  25  to  a  degree 
its  present  population  is  at  the  rate  of  about  737  persons  to  each 
square  League." 

Remarks.  In  all  other  Numerations  the  Males  have  exceeded 
the  Females  ;  not  so  in  France.  2.  There  is  a  body  of  near  200 
Thousand  Ecclesiastics  or  Monks  and  a  standing  Army  or  Forces  in 
pay  of  200  Thousand  more.  So  near  half  a  Million  of  Men  of  dif- 
ferent ages  who  live  in  Celibacy,   tho'    Providence    has   prepared 


362  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Wives  for  tliciu.  3.  The  Boys  and  Girls  under  20  more  nearly 
equal  than  at  other  Ages.  4.  I  conjecture  the  Ecclesiastics  not 
reckoned  :  if  they  are,  I  know  not  how  the  Estimate  is  to  be  recon- 
ciled— for  the  Ratio  of  the  sexes  is  very  different  from  what  has 
ever  been  found  before  in  any  part  of  the  World.  5.  I  doubt  the 
Accuracy  of  this  Ace"  &  suspect  it  is  formed  more  by  Estimate  than 
actual  Xiiwcratioii.  6.  France  has  usually  reckoned  herself  20 
Million  :  but  her  neighbors  accounted  her  but  12  or  15  Million. 

This  Evening  Monthly  Meeting  of  my  Church  at  Sister  Hamond's. 

I  discoursed  on  Ephes.  ii.  19-22 

S.  This  day  is  Passover  with  the  Jews.  I  went  to  the  Syna- 
gogue. The  Chocam  Rabbi  was  there  ;  he  was  one  called  up 
to  the  Reading  of  the  Law — but  I  observed  that  he  did  not  read 
his  On'H  portion  of  the  Law — which  I  wondered  at  ;  however  he 
audibly  pronounced  the  short  prayer  instead  of  the  Huzzan  before 
reading  his  ])arl,  and  after  the  Huzzan  had  read  the  portion,  the 
Rabbi  alone  and  without  the  Chuzan  lift  up  his  voice  and  pro- 
nounced the  Blessing.  This  is  repeated  by  the  Chuzan  usuall}-  for 
every  one  of  the  7  persons — but  this  part  the  Rabbi  did  for  him- 
self ;  and  he  performed  no  other  part  of  the  Service  as  distinct  from 
the  Congregation. 

The  Rabbi's  Dress  or  Aparrel  :  Common  English  Shoes,  black 
Leather,  Silver  flowered  Buckles,  WHiite  Stockings.  His  general 
Habit  was  Turkish.  A  green  Silk  J^est  or  long  under  Garment 
reaching  down  more  than  half  way  the  Legs  or  within  3  Inches  of 
the  Ankles  ;  the  ends  of  the  Sleeves  of  this  Vest  appeared  on  the 
Wri.sts  in  a  foliage  Turn-up  of  3  Inches,  &  the  Opening  little 
larger  than  that  the  liand  might  pass  freely.  A  Girdle  or  Sash  of 
different  Colors  red  and  green  girt  the  Vest  around  his  Body.  It 
appeared  not  to  be  open  at  bottom  but  to  come  down  like  a  petti- 
coat ;  and  no  Breeches  could  be  discovered.  This  Vest  however 
had  an  opening  above  the  Girdle — and  here  he  put  in  his  Handker- 
chief, and  Snuff-ljox,  and  Watch.  Under  this  was  an  inner  Vest  of 
Calico,  besides  other  Jewish  Talismans.  Upon  the  vest  first  men- 
tioned was  a  scarlet  outer  (iarinent  of  Cloth,  one  side  of  it  was 
Blue,  the  outside  scarlet ;  it  reached  down  about  an  Inch  lower  than 
the  \'est,  or  near  tlie  Ankles  :  It  was  o])en  Ijefore,  no  range  of 
Buttons  &c  along  the  Edge,  but  like  a  Scholars  Gown  in  the  Body 
but  ]>lain  and  without  many  gatherings  at  the  Neck,  the  sleeves 
.strait  or  narrow  and  slit  open  4  or  5  Inches  at  the  End,  and  turned 


APRIL    8,    1773  363 

up  with  a  blue  silk  Quarter  Cuff,  higher  ii])  than  the  End  of  the 
sleeve  of  the  Vest.  When  he  came  into  the  S3'na<?o<^ue  he  put 
over  all,  the  usual  Alb  or  white  Stirplice,  which  was  like  that  of 
other  Jews,  except  that  its  Edge  was  striped  with  liluc  straiks,  and 
had  more  Fringe.  He  had  a  White  Cravat  round  his  Neck.  He 
had  a  long  black  Beard,  the  upper  Lip  partly  shaven — his  Head 
shaved  all  over.  On  his  Head  a  high  Fur  [Sable]  Cap,  exactly  like  a 
Womans  Muff,  and  about  9  or  10  Inches  high,  the  Aperture  atop 
was  closed  with  green  cloth.  He  behaved  modestly  and  reverently. 
Some  part  of  the  Singing  in  the  Synagogue  this  day  was  exceeding 
fine  &  melodious. 

Yesterday  Mr.  Hopkins  came  to  see  me  and  discourse  with  me 
on  a  Design  he  is  meditating  to  make  some  Negro  Ministers  and 
send  them  into  Guinea.  Mr.  Hopkins  supposes  the  great  Reason 
why  the  Gospel  is  not  received,  is  because  it  is  mixt  with  so  many 
false  Glosses — he  believes  the  Moravians  have  no  Christianity — most 
Christians  embrace  Delusion — and  I  never  find  him  approving  the 
Doctrines  usually  preached  in  any  Churches  now  in  Christendom 
whether  Congregational,  Presb5^terian  or  &c  he  looks  upon  all  the 
protestant  Churches  and  Ministers  in  general  so  erroneous  and  cor- 
rupt, that  their  preaching  tends  directh'  to  spread  Delusion  and 
lead  souls  religiously  down  to  Hell.  This  is  his  Opinion  to  be  sure 
of  most  of  the  New^  England  Ministers  except  40  or  50  out  of  5  or 
600  Ministers — there  are  about  20  or  25  Ministers  full  in  Mr.  Hop- 
kins's peculiarities  ;  and  20  more  who  admire  Mr.  Edwards  writings, 
and  have  a  hearty  Friendship  for  Mr.  Hopkins,  tho"  rather  as  they 
are  friends  to  all  Calvinists  than  for  his  Singularities.  I  suppose 
there  are  3  or  400  more  true  Calvinist  Ministers  in  New"  England, 
who  disclaim  the.se  peculiarities.  I  do  not  find  that  Mr.  Hopkins 
.speaks  with  Approbation  of  zwy  of  these,  tho'  I  rather  think  that 
he  esteems  some  of  them.  Yet  he  is  evidenth'  endeavoring  to  con- 
solidate these  as  a  distinct  Bod}'  among  the  Churches.  But  he  does 
not  meet  with  that  success  in  propagating  his  Sentiments  in  New 
England  which  he  could  wish.  And  Dr.  Witherspoon  and  the 
Synods  to  the  Southward  in  general  are  against  them.  I  have 
thought  whether  he  had  not  an  Inclination  that  the  Exp'  of  his 
principles  should  be  tried  on  the  Heathen  Africans.  There  are  two 
Negro  Men  Communicants  in  his  Church,  that  he  is  disposed  to 
train  up  for  this  End.  The  one  is  Ouaumino  a  free  Negro,  and  the 
other  Yamma  a  Serv-ant.     Now  if  he  could  engage  some  respectable 


-64  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILES 

person  to  joyn  in  forwarding  this  Affair,  he  thinks  it  would  lay  a 
Foundation  of  Christianizing  the  Africans  on  Principles  to  his 
Mind.  He  wants  therefore  to  contrive  that  these  two  Negroes 
should  be  taken  under  Tuition,  perfected  in  Reading  the  Scriptures, 
and  taught  vSystematized  Divinity,  and  so  be  ordained  and  sent  forth. 
I  told  him  that  if  30  or  40  proper  and  well  instructed  Negroes  could 
l)e  procured,  true  Christians  and  inspired  with  the  Spirit  of  Mar- 
t\rdom  and  go  forth  and  expected  ten  or  a  dozen  of  them  should 
meet  Death  in  the  Cause — and  this  conducted  by  a  Society  formed 
for  the  Purpose — there  might  be  a  hopeful  prospect.  But  even  this 
I  feared  would  be  taken  up  by  the  public  and  secularized — as  Dr. 
Wheelocks  Indian  College,  which  has  already' almost  lo.st  sight  of  its 
original  Design.  That  if  one  or  two  slid  be  sent  thither  by  Pres- 
byterians, I  could  foresee  a  vigorous  opposition  soon  arising  from 
the  Episcopalian  Traders  and  from  Mr.  Quaquo  a  negro  Minister 
already  sent  there  from  the  Church  of  England.  So  we  left  the 
matter  to  further  Thought  and  Consideration.  Mr.  Hopkins  desired 
me  to  talk  with  Quaum  and  examine  his  Abilities  ;  which  I  said 
I  was  ready  to  do.' 

'  For  further  notice  of  this  scheme  see  below,  Nov.  22,  1774,  and  Park's 
Memoir  of  Dr.  Hopkins,  Section  35  ;  also  the  following  letter,  from  Dr.  Stiles  : — 

REVERKND  SIR,  NEWPORT,   Dec.  8,  1773. 

I  did  not  know  till  I  was  informed  yesterday  b}-  Mr.  Hopkins  that  the  B°. 
Ministers  had  deferred  acting  on  his  application  till  you  should  have  received 
an  answer  to  your  Letter  respecting  the  two  Negroes  intended  for  an  African 
mission.  There  are  some  projections  for  the  Public  good  which  we  would  not 
chuse  to  oppose  but  rather  join  iu  forward"-',  tho'  the  Success  may  be  doubtful. 
God  has  a  great  work  carrying  on  in  the  Conversion  of  the  Gentiles,  not  one 
quarter  of  the  human  race  being  yet  indoctrinated  in  the  Religion  of  Jesus. 
From  small  beginnings  &  by  seemingly  despicable  Instruments  God  has  often 
accomplished  great  things  tho  undertaken  in  spern  contra  spern.  For  now 
above  20  years  I  have  had  no  hope  of  the  conversion  of  the  few  Indians  in 
British  America,  &  yet  am  clearly  of  opinion  that  it  is  our  bounden  duty  as 
Christians  &  successors  on  their  territory  to  spare  no  expence  towards  effect- 
ually carrying  the  Gospel  among  them  &  continuing  the  offer  of  grace  till  they 
shall  have  vanished  &  their  Nations  shall  all  be  swept  off  the  Earth.  For  near 
8(j  years  past  the  Merchants  of  Europe  &  America  have  carried  on  that 
unhallowed  Commerce  of  traffic  in  the  Souls  of  Men  to  the  amount  of  a  100  or 
>n<jrc  nearly  200  thousand  souls  a  year  &  a  Negotiation  in  that  trade  of  four  or 
five  Millions  sterling  per  Annum.  We  have  done  them  such  injur}-  &  injustice, 
we  have  taught  them  so  nmch  Iniquity  &  such  dishonorable  Ideas  of  the 
Christian  Morals  that  I  have  not  a  heart  to  oppose  the  least  Attempt  to  carry 
the  gospel  among  them  or  to  discourage  even  persons  of  small  abilities  yet  of 


APRIL   9-II,    1773  365 

This  Afternoon  I  was  at  Mr.  Russmeyers.  He  told  me  his 
Chh,  consist*^  I  think  of  about  20  Communicants  of  which  five  are 
Brethren,  were  to  meet  at  his  House  this  Evening,  previous  to  good 
Friday,  and  celebrate  first  the  Pedilavhim  or  Footwashing,  and  then 
the  Lords  Supper,  which  he  said  would  be  universal  this  Even*^  in 
all  the  Chhs.  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum  thro'out  the  world.  He  freely 
informed  me  all  the  Ceremonies  both  of  the  Pedilarium  &  the  Com- 
munion. And  when  he  spake  of  their  taking  the  Sacrament  on 
their  knees  &  the  subsequent  Prostration  in  the  presence  of  our 
Savior,  he  expressly  renounced  all  Idolatr3^  or  Adoration  of  the 
host,  &  transmutation  of  the  Elements.  This  Evening  I  attended 
Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture.  He  preached  on  Rom.  xiii,  9.  these  Words — 
thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself.  He  made  many  fine  &  judi- 
cious Observations  on  this  difficult,  tho'  heavenly  Precept. 

g.  Good  Friday  at  the  Church  of  England,  and  at  the  Mora- 
vians. Sermons  at  both.  Received  a  Letter  from  Dr.  Gale  of 
Killingsworth,  from  which  I  find  he  is  still  writing  further  on 
Prophecy  &  the  Apocalypse. 

10.  Read*"  Sinai  Cov'  &c.,  Theol.  Dissertations  by  Rev''  Dr. 
Jno.  Erskine. 

11.  Ldsdy  A.M.  I  published  four  Couples  &  preached  on  Ezek. 
38.  23.  P.  M.  Duke  xxiv.  5-8,  and  notified  the  public  Fast  next 
Thursday.  This  is  Easter  Sujiday  so  called.  In  my  preaching 
this  Afternoon  I  considered  the  Question  whether  this  Anniversary 

Sobriety   &   Virtue  who  shall  offer  themselves  in  so  discouraging  an  enter- 
prize. 

I  confess  God  did  not  put  it  into  my  heart  to  originate  this  Design  but  after 
Mr.  Hopkins  had  conceiv'd  it  I  have  thought  upon  it  in  the  foregoing  Light. 
As  to  the  2  Negroes  proposed  I  may  say  that  they  are  persons  of  Sobriety  & 
were  both  admiitted  Members  in  full  communion  in  the  first  Congreg*  Chh. 
here  before  Mr.  Hopkins  came  ;  they  have  good  common  natural  abilities  but 
are  of  slender  acquirements  as  to  Letters.  .  .  I  conceive  they  are  not 
capable  of  being  initiated  into  the  metaphysical  subtleties  [of  Mr.  Hopkins' 
System].  .  .  .  And  further  I  am  assured  by  Mr.  Hopkins  that  it  is  not  his 
intention  or  desire  to  instruct  them  in  metaphysicks,  but  to  teach  them  only 
the  plain  &  most  important  principles  of  religion.  The  Education  of  the  2 
Negroes  will  probably  be  under  Mr.  Hopkins  ;  he  is  willing  indeed  &  desirous 
that  I  should  assist  him  therein,  the  which  I  shall  be  ready  to  do — tho'  in  that 
case  the  Superiority  of  his  talents  &  influence  will  persuade  the  public  that 
they  are  initiated  in  his  System  of  Divinity.  This  matter  however  is  unde- 
termined &  Mr.  Hopkins  is  very  willing  to  be  advised  upon  it  &  to  have  them 
sent  abroad  out  of  Newport  for  Education  if  this  should  be  judg'd  mostly 
expedient 


-66         ■  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

was  kept  b\-  the  Apostles  ? This  day  my  Church  has 

hccu  gathered  fourty  five  years. 

13.  Kxamining  Balaams  Prophecy.  Last  even^  Ouaiun  came 
to  .see  me  to  discourse  upon  the  scheme  of  his  becoming  a  Minister. 
He  tells  me  he  was  born  at  Anamaboc  on  the  African  Gold  Coast; 
that  when  he  was  about  ten  years  old  his  Father  delivered  him  to 
Capt.  to  l)ring  him  to  Rhode  Island  for  Learning  ;  he 

came  here  about  iS  or  19  years  ago,  or  1754  or  1755.  After  send- 
ing him  to  school  a  w^iile  the  Capt.  sold  him  for  a  slave.  About 
1761  he  fell  under  serious  Impressions  of  Religion — and  thence- 
forward sought  to  God  by  secret  prayer  about  three  years.  At 
length  it  pleased  God  that  he  experienced  as  he  hopes  a  divine 
change — of  which  he  gave  an  Account  to  Madam  Osborn  in  Writing 
which  he  addressed  to  her  dated  Oct.  8,  1764  dictated  by  Quaum 
and  written  b\-  his  Female  fellow-servant  :  and  afterwards  in  another 
to  Deacon  Coggeshall — which  Mr.  Hopkins  brought  me  yesterday. 
In  1765  he  made  a  profession,  was  baptized  by  Rev.  Mr.  Vinall,  and 
admitted  a  Member  in  the  first  Congregational  Chtirch  in  Town. 
And  has  beha\-ed  exemplarily  and  soberly  ever  since.  He  tells  me 
that  ever  since  he  tasted  the  Grace  of  the  Lord  Jesus  he  conceived 
a  Thought  and  P^arnest  Desire  or  Wish  that  his  Relations  and  Coun- 
trymen in  Africa  might  also  come  to  the  knowledge  of  and  taste  the 
same  blessed  Things.  I  examined  his  Reading  and  asked  him 
what  part  of  the  Bible  he  read  most — he  said  Matthew,  John, 
Romans  and  Corinthians.  I  turned  him  to  the  first  Chap,  of 
John's  Gospel — he  read  but  indifferently,  not  freely,  but  slowly, 
yet  distinctly  and  pretty  accurately  ;  —I  turned  him  to  the  10''' 
Chapter  and  also  g8"'  Psalm  ;  which  he  read  slowly  and  though  not 
freely  yet  distinctly.  I  advised  him  to  read  the  Bible  in  Course 
two  or  three  Chapters  daily  to  perfect  himself  in  reading,  while  at 
the  same  time  he  would  increase  in  vScripture  Knowledge.  He  has 
had  but  little  Time  for  reading,  seldom  any  but  Lordsdays.  I  did 
ntjt  try  him  as  to  Writing,  but  he  said  he  had  begun  to  write  last 
Winter.  He  is  pretty  judicious,  but  not  conununicative,  and  I  am 
doubtful  whether  he  would  be  apt  to  teach.  He  certainly  wants  much 
Improv'  to  qualify  him  for  the  Gospel  Ministry,  if  indeed  such  a  Thing 
was  adviseable.  ....  This  Aftern.  came  here  Deacon  Kklad  Taylor 
of  Westfield  the  only  Ih'other  of  my  Mother,  whom  I  rejoyced  to  see.' 

'  Fourteenth  and  youngest  child  of  the  Rev.  Kdward  Taylor,  and  the  only 
surviving  son.    He  died  in  1777,  in  his  69th  year.    (See  this  Diary,  April  29,  1777.) 


APRIL    13-17,    1773  367 

14.  Had  much  conversation  with  Uncle  Taylor  respecting  Grand- 
father Taylor  first  Pastor  of  Westfield  who  died  1729  set.  87. 
Uncle  tells  me  Grandfather  Taylor  was  born  at  Hinkley  in  Leicester- 
shire." At  my  request  Uncle  this  day  sat  for  his  Picture,  which 
Mr.  King  began  to  draw. 

15.  This  day  is  public  Fast  Day  among  the  Congregational 
Churches  in  Massachusetts  and  New  Hampshire  ;  and  in  the  two 
Congregational  Churches  here.  A.M.  I  published  3  couples  and 
preached  on  Isai.  lix,  1,2.  P.  M.  on  Jer.  iii,  22,  23,  after  which  a 
Contribution  for  the  poor.  We  did  not  sing  in  the  forenoon  and 
only  after  Sermon  this  Afternoon.  Mr.  vSnow  of  Providence 
preached  Mr. Hopkins'  Fast. 

16.  Uncle  Taylor  set.  65,  sat  again  for  his  Picture.  In  the  After- 
noon we  rode  out  to  Mr.  Redwood's  Garden.  In  the  Evening  Mr. 
Snow  came  to  see  me. 

17.  Went  to  the  Synagogue.  Mr.  Rivera  began  and  read  the 
Prayers  &c  till  the  Taking  out  of  the  Roll  of  the  Law,  which  Rabbi 
Hajim  Isaac  held  up  and  turn  round  and  shewed  to  all  parts  of  the 
Synagogue,  and  then  went  to  his  place  and  the  Chuzzan  proceeded 
&  read  the  Law. 

By  the  prints  I  find  that  Mr.  Punderson  Austin  died  March  28  ult. 
set.  29,  at  Albany,  where  he  was  teaching  an  Academic  School. 
This  young  Gentleman  was  born  in  New  Haven,  educated  at  Yale 
College  where  he  was  sometime  a  Tutor.  He  became  a  Preacher 
and  an  adept  in  the  New  Divinity.  In  1769  he  lived  in  this  Town 
about  half  a  year  and  preached  to  the  Congregation  now  Mr.  Hop- 
kins'. He  was  a  good  Scholar  in  the  3  learned  Languages,  in 
Math,  and  Nat.  Philosophy,  and  in  all  the  Sciences.  He  was  of 
mild  ingenious  and  amiable  Behavior,  strict  Virtue  and  exemplary 
Piety.  Though  we  differed  on  some  theological  points  yet  had  he 
settled  here  I  should  have  been  very  happy  in  him.  He  assisted 
me  in  Observing  the  Transit  of  Venus  June  3,  1769,  and  we  were 
together  in  all  the  Astronomical  Calculations  respecting  the  Transit. 
He  preached  at  several  places  afterwards  to  good  acceptance  :  as  at 
Montreal  in  Canada  to  a  small  Congregation  of  English  Merchants 
&c.  from  whence  he  returned  in  Aug.  1772.  I  saw  him  at  New 
Haven  the  September  following  in  a  low  state  of  Health.  He  w^as 
of  very  small  stature,  a  thin  habit,  and  of  a  very  weakly  Constitu- 
tion.     Infirmities  preyed  upon  him  and  finished  his  Life  on  Earth. 

'  He  was  born  in  Sketchley,  a  hamlet  one  mile  south  of  Hinckley. 


-68  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

He  has  left  an  amiable  and  excellent  Character  behind  him — and 
his  immortal  part  I  doubt  not  now  is  rejoycing  in  Glory.  This  day 
Dauo:hter  Betsy  aet.  15. 

iS.  Lordsday. — I  preached  A.M.  on  Ps.  xxv,  4,  5,  and  P.M.  on 
Numb.  X,  29.     Mr.  Snow  preached  for  Mr.  Hopkins. 

19.  Married  James  Way  and  Mary  Ann  Cartwright. 

20.  Mr.  Snow  preached  an  P^ven*^  Lect.  at  Mr.  Hopkins'  Meet- 
ing :   I  did  not  attend. 

2 1 .  This  forenoon  Uncle  Taylor  went  away  ; — a  sensible  pious 
good  Man — a  Puritan  like  his  venerable  Father.  In  the  Evening 
attended  the  monthh"  married  Meeting  at  Mr.  Davenports  :  I  dis- 
coursed on  Rom.  x,  1,  2,  &  afterwards  married  W"  Cole  &  Sarah 
Donaldson Proxy.      Emilia's  Birthday  get.  11. 

22.  At  Synagogue  Evening  prayers. 

23.  I  visited  the  Rabbi.  He  shewed  me  the  form  of  the  Candle- 
sticks of  Moses  and  Zechariah.     We  discoursed  on  many  Things. 

I  asked  him  whether  Moses  wrote  all  the  Pentateuch,  par 

ticularh^  the  Account  of  his  own  Death?  &  also  Gen.  36,  31  ? — he 
answered,  yes :  that  he  wrote  of  Things  future  as  present,  so 
Isaiah  wrote  of  Cyrus.  I  asked  him  whether  by  the  usual  Interca- 
lation, the  hebrew  Chronology  was  perfect — the  Jewish  year  exacth' 
solar  ? — 3-es.  How  long  their  Chronology  had  been  reduced  to  per- 
fection, &  whether  antiently  there  were  no  Errors  or  Deviations 
from  Solar  Time?  He  said,  //  was  perfect  fro^n  the  Beginning,  the 
principles  of  it  were  laid  down  in  the  six  Days  Creation,  &  had  been 
delivered  down  from  the  earliest  Antiquity.  I  w^anted  more  closel)' 
to  attend  to  this  Matter,  as  he  spake  with  the  deliberate  Confidence 
of  Demonstration — and  he  is  a  Man  of  great  Modesty  &  Candor, 
&:  most  remote  from  a  disposition  to  obtrude  his  own  Assertions 
without  being  ready  to  open  the  Reasons.     But  we  had  not  Time. 

24.  Read  Mr.  Tutor  Dwights  English  Oration  on  the  History, 
Eloquence  &  Poetiy  of  the  Bible,  delivered  at  the  public  Commence- 
ment of  Yale  College  Sep.  9,  1772.'  It  is  in  general  a  beautiful  and 
masterly  Composition.  He  says  "that  of  the  vehement  kind  of 
Eloquence  St.  Paul  has  left  no  Examples,"  and  he  distinguishes  the 
vehement  from  the  animated.  I  think  this  distinction  not  just,  not 
rhetorical — the  vehement  and  animated  are  one.  How^ever  if  dif- 
ferent.  I  think  Pauls  Writings  abound  with   the  vehement — both 

'  The  earliest  publication  of  Dr.  Stiles's  distinguished  successor  in  the  Presi- 
dency at  Yale. 


APRIL    18-26,    1773  369 

Nature  and  Grace  conspired  to  make  him  the  most  lively  and  ev^en 
vehement  i.  e.  very  warm  and  seraphic  Preacher  and  Writer.  He 
could  scarcely  write  cooly.  It  would  derogate  from  the  Eloquence 
of  a  Seraph,  one  descended  from  the  Vision  of  God  and  the  burning 
lyight  of  the  third  Heaven,  to  speak  not  with  the  most  vehement 
ardor.  Others  may  praise  a  certain  calm  coolness  in  Reasoning  and 
Discourse,  I  desire  to  ascend  above  such  philosophic  Dulness,  and 
listen  to  Messengers  from  the  Throne  of  God,  all  alive  with  Energy, 
and  animated  and  even  enflamed  with  a  sense  not  onl}^  of  the  Truth, 
but  of  the  Importance  &  Glory  of  it.  But  the  most  of  this  Oration 
is  exceeding  beautiful  &  sublime.  Mr.  Dwight  is  certainly  an 
honor  to  Yale  College. 

This  day  I  received  by  Mr.  Hopkins  a  Letter  from  Rev.  Sam' 
Mather  Son  of  the  late  Dr.  Cotton  Mather  dated  17'''  Instant, 
together  with  a  Copy  of  his  late  pamphlet  ' '  America  known  to  the 
antients."  Mr.  Mather  says  he  is  now  above  a  twelvemonth  older 
than  his  Father  was  when  he  died. — Read  Mr.  Mather's  pamphlet. 

25.  Edsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  46,  4.  P.M.  2  Thes.  ii,  12. 
.  .  .  Read^  Dionysius  the  Areopagite — a  truly  divine  &  sublime 
Writer. 

26.  A  Case  of  Conscience  was  once  put  to  me  by  one  who  was  in 
the  English  Army  at  Cuba  at  the  Seige  and  taking  of  the  Havanna 
1762.  He  had  in  the  Night  broken  into  one  of  the  Romish  Churches 
and  secretly  took  a  piece  of  Silver  plate,  I  think  not  an  Image,  but 
a  Silver  Candlestick  or  however  some  utensil  of  their  idolatrous 
Worship,  which  he  secreted  and  brought  away  with  him  to  New 
England.  It  was  in  a  Church  without  the  City  and  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  English  before  the  Capitulation.  He  had  scruples 
whether  he  had  done  right  and  whether  he  might  use  it  now  he  had 
gotten  it.  Had  it  been  an  Image  the  Answer  had  been  more  easy. 
As  it  was  a  Candlestick  I  was  at  a  loss  and  could  not  resolve  him 
clearly.  I  told  him  I  was  sorry  he  had  taken  it,  and  asked  him 
whether  it  could  not  be  returned — because  in  doubtful  Cases  espe- 
cially where  Religion  is  concerned  it  is  best  not  to  act. — But  read- 
ing to-day  Deut.  vii,  25,  26,  I  could  now  resolve  him  what  to  do. 
I.  That  any  Man  may  do  right  at  any  Time  (though  it  ought  to  be 
openly,  not  in  a  purloining  Way)  to  destroy  Idols  and  all  Imple- 
ments of  idolatrous  Wor.ship.  2.  That  the  manner  of  his  Taking 
was  wrong.  Yet,  3.  Now  he  had  got  it  he  was  not  to  convert  it 
into  Bullion  and  use  it  as  money,  for  that  it  is  an  Abomination  to 

24 


370 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


the  Lord,  and  a  Curse  to  him  that  iiseth  it.  4.  That  he  should 
destroy  it,  bv  burying  it  in  the  Land  or  Ocean,  or  melt  it  with  such 
mixture  that  it  might  be  powdered  to  the  Dust  and  scattered  as 
Moses  did  by  the  golden  Calf 

This  afternoon  Rabbi  Isaac  with  Mr.  Tauro  visited  me,  &  sat  with 

me  in  my  Study  till  Evening We  viewed  a  large  sheet  of 

antient  Characters  of  the  original  Oriental  Paleography  ;  &  exam- 
ined some  Medallions  or  Coins  with  Samaritan  Letters,  one  of 
Simeon  the  Maccabean  Prince.  Upon  which  a  Dispute  arose, 
whether  Moses  wrote  in  Samaritan  or  Chaldee  ?  The  Rabbi  said 
he  wrote  in  the  present  Letter  of  the  Heb.  Bible — that  Ezra  did 
not  change  the  Letter,  &  would  by  no  means  allow  that  the  Samar- 
itan was  original.  He  had  never  seen  these  Sheckels  &  Coins,  & 
was  unacquainted  with  the  Reasoning  upon  them.  He  attempted 
to  con.sider  them  as  spurious,  but  at  length  seemed  to  grant  them 
genuine  ;  yet  knew  not  how  to  account  for  Inscriptions  in  Samari- 
tan with  Jerusalem  the  Holy,  which  a  Samaritan  would  not  say  after 
the  Return  from  Babylon.  He  was  puzzled  yet  spake  like  a  Man 
of  Candor,  &  dissented  in  such  a  manner  as  was  pleasing  & 
noble 

I  asked  him  whether  Lots  Wife  was  still  standing  in  a  Pillar  of 
Salt  on  the  Shores  of  the  Dead  Sea  ?  or  wdiether  this  Fable  was 
without  Truth.  He  said  he  had  not  seen  it,  having  never  been 
there,  nor  even  to  any  part  of  that  Sea,  tho'  Hebron  was  but  6  or  7 
miles  off  from  the  Sea.  For  the  Turks  do  not  suffer  the  Jews  to 
travel  all  the  holy  Land — they  are  allowed  to  visit  Jerusalem  & 
some  other  places  freely — but  restricted  as  to  others  ;  which  was 
the  reason  that  tho'  he  lived  so  near  the  Dead  Sea  of  Sodom,  he 
had  never  visited  it. 

27.  The  14th  Inst.  Rev.  Mr.  Sanford'  was  ordained  at  Medway  : 
and  2 1  St  Inst.  Rev.  Mr.  Emmons'^  was  ordained  at  a  Chh.  in 
Wrentham. 

28 Lately  died  at  Huntington  on  Long  Island  the  Rev. 

James  Greaton,'  an  Episcopalian  Missionary,  formerly  of  Boston. 
I  am  assured  that  Rev.  Mr.  Blair  of  Philadelphia,  formerly  a  Con- 
gregational or  Presbyterian  Minister  in  the  Old  South  Church 
Bo.ston,  is  about  to  go  over  to  the  Bishop  of  London  for  Ordination 

^  David  Sanford  (Yale  1755). 

'  Nathanael  Emmons  (Yale  1767). 

"  Yale  Coll.  1754. 


APRIL    27-29,    1773  371 

in  the  Church  of  England,  being  designed  for  Trinity  Church 
Boston.  His  conscience  would  not  suffer  him  to  baptize  the  chil- 
dren of  any  who  were  not  Communicants — but  now  he  must  baptize 
all  promiscuously.      [Mistake.] 

29.  Trade  &  Finances  of  France —  ...  As  to  cash  &  circulate 
medium  "  it  is  granting  too  much  to  allow  that  the  Mass  of  Circu- 
lation, which  is  reckoned  at  15  hundred  Millions,  is  thirteen  hundred 
Millions  of  Livres,  or  about  Sixty  Millions  of  poiaids  sterling  .  .  ." 
lyond.  Mag.  Dec.  1772. 

"  By  a  Work  of  the  Abbe  de  Expelly  lately  published  ...  it 
appears — that  from  the  year  1691  to  the  year  1700  inclusively 
France  contained  35,127  Parishes,  in  which  within  the  above  period, 
by  an  exact  &  complete  Abstract  taken  from  the  Public  Registers 
there  were 

Births         .....  7,679,083 

Marriages  ....  1,807,891 

Deaths        .....  6,784,724 

From  1754  to  1763  inclu-sively.  being  a  like  period  of  nine  years 
&  in  the  same  35,127  Parishes,  there  have  been 

Births         .....  8,522,110 

Marriages  ....  1,890,472 

Deaths        .....  6,564,694 

And  within  the  latter  period  ...  in  the  42,105  Parishes  in  the 
Kingdom  of  France,  in  which  those  of  Eorrain  &  Barre  are  com- 
prized 

Births  .....  8,661,381 

Marriages  ....  1,922,163 

Deaths        .....  6,664,161  " 

.  .  Voltaire  writing  an  Account  of  the  Injustice  &  Cruelty  of  the 
Laws  which  separates  the  Protestants  from  Papists  as  to  the  rights 
especially  of  civil  Society,  says — "the  fatal  Separation  which  has 
deprived  the  country  of  between  Seven  &  Eight  Hundred  Thousand 
u.seful  Citizens,  and  which  involves  an  hundred  Thoiisand  Families 
more  in  a  constant  Uncertainty  of  their  Fate  .  .  ."  Gent.  Mag. 
Jany  1773. 

Remark  i .  The  Mass  of  Circul''  probably  includes  Bills  &  Cash  : 
so  no  determine  the  quantity  of  Specie.  Engl'd.  has  about  Ten 
Million  sterl'g.  Coinage  circulating  &  perhaps  as  much  more  in 
Bills.     But  certainly  ^60,000,000  sterl^'.  is  a  great  Circulation.     2. 


372 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


France  is  a  great,  &  flourishing  Kingdom — notwithstandg  all  we 
say  of  their  \'assalage  &  bad  Gov^  which  is  a  despotic  absurd 
Tyranny.  3.  If  the  Number  of  Births  &c  are  taken  with  any 
tolerable  Accuracy,  they  shew  a  great  People.  The  Deaths  in  the 
same  Territory  &  half  a  Cent^  apart  are  at  least  6}^  million  a  year 
— the  living  must  be  30  times  as  many — which  implies  18  or  20 
million  souls  at  least — which  has  been  the  French  Ace"  of  them- 
selves for  a  long  Time,  but  which  we  have  disbelieved.  4.  I  have 
seen  the  Protestants  in  France  estimated  at  Three  Million  Souls,  & 
again  at  a  Million.  There  is  an  Ambiguity  in  Voltaire.  An  hun- 
dred Thous''  Families  imply  about  half  a  IMillion  Souls — if  he 
means  to  add  7  or  Soo  Thous'',  this  makes  1J4  Million  Protestants. 
Elsewhere  I  remember  Voltaire  estimated  the  Protestants  one 
Twelfth  of  France,  &  the  Total  18  or  20  Millions.  5.  The  yearly 
profits  of  Land  are  estimated  at  60  Millions  sterl'g.  This  I  admire. 
Mr.  Pitt  estimated  the  Rental  of  Engld.  at  sixty  Million  Sterlg. 
yearly — or  rather  the  Produce  at  3  times  the  common  estimated 

Rental  of  20  Millions Now  I  shd.  think  France  hav'g.  four 

Times  the  people  of  Engld.  &  near  Twice  the  Territory,  the  Produce 
would  be  more.  Engld.  has  40  Million  Acres,  France  70  m.  Acres. 
6.  If  F'rance  has  not  double  Territory,  then  it  is  four  times  as 
populous  as  Engld.  7.  It  is  certain  all  Complaints  of  Depopulation 
from  Emigration  of  Protestants,  have  not  influenced  the  Court ;  nor 
have  they  been  convinced  of  the  Impolicy  of  revoking  the  Edict  of 
Nantz — at  which  I  have  often  wondered.  But  I  now  see  that  it 
does  not  hurt  the  Kingdom  to  loose  3  or  4000  a  year  out  of  20 
million,  more  than  it  would  affect  the  human  body  to  take  one 
ounce  of  blood  every  year.  The  political  Benefit  of  Uniformity 
&  sy.stematically  ruling  18  twentieths  of  a  State  by  holding  the 
ecclesiastical  reins,  is  more  pleas^'  to  Polititians,  than  the  Loss  of  a 
few  thous''  Discontents  gives  Pain  :  political  good  &  evil,  not  Coft- 
sa'ence,  influence  Politicians.  ...  I  attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture. 
30.  At  III  P.M.  I  preached  my  Sacramental  Lecture  2  Thess. 
i,  12. 

May 

1.  Examining  Goodwin  &  Calmet  on  the  Shekels. 

2.  Ldsda3\  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  43,  3,  4,  and  administered 
the  Lds.  Supper  to  67  Communicants.  P.M.  Acts  xv,  18,  and 
baptized  two  Infants. 


APRIL  30-MAY  10,   1773  373 

3.  Mr.  Mansfield'  a  resident  Master  at  Harvard  College  and 
candidate  for  the  Ministry  visited  me.  At  V  P.M.  I  catechised  18 
Bo3^s,  33  Girls,  4  Negroes,  Total  55. 

4.  Visited  by  Mr.  Mansfield. 

5.  This  day  was  the  annual  General  Election  here,  when  Hon. 
Joseph  Wanton,  Sen.,  was  chosen  Governor  of  this  Colony  for  the 
year  ensuing,  &  Hon.  Darius  Sessions  was  chosen  Dep.  Governor. 
— Mr.  Marchant  also  was  chosen  Attorne}^  General. 

6.  I  attended  Mr.  Hopkins'  Even'g.  Lecture  when  he  preached 
on  Ezek.  xxxiii,  11. 

7.  Received  a  Letter  from  Dr.  Chauncey  with  his  five  Sermons 
on  the  Lds  Supper. 

8.  General  Assembly  granted  a  Lottery  for  repairing  the  Con- 
gregational Meetinghouse  in  Providence.  They  also  appointed  a 
Committee  of  Correspondence  with  the  other  As.semblies  on  the 
Continent  ;  also  drop't  Agent  Sherwood. 

9.  Lordsday.  Mr.  Mansfield  a  candidate  for  the  Ministry 
preached  for  me  all  day — A.M.  Gen.  xxii,  10.  P.M.  Titus — good 
Works.  His  forenoon  Sermon  was  an  ingenious  Composition.  In 
the  Afternoon  I  baptized  William  son  of  Job  Bissel  &c.  ...  In 
the  Even^  I  married  M''  William  Channing  and  Miss  Lucy  Eller}-." 

10.  This  Afternoon  R.  Isaac  visited  me  again.  I  shewed  him 
the  Inscriptions  on  Mt.  Sinai,  which  he  had  never  seen  nor  heard 
of  before — but  he  could  not  read  them — j^et  seemed  much  pleased 
with  them.  I  shewed  him  my  Drawing  of  the  IVriiiJtg  Rock  at 
Dighton,  but  neither  could  he  decipher  this.  ...  I  asked  him 
what  age  the  oldest  Copy  of  the  Hebrew  Bible  was  he  ever  saw  ? 
He  said  the  oldest  he  ever  saw  was  one  at  Hebron,  which  was  nine 
hundred  years  old.  I  observed  there  was  a  Copy  of  the  LXX  in 
the  Kings  Library  in  England  1400  years  old  written  in  Egj^pt  by 
a  Christian  Lady  Thecla  ;  and  this  was  the  oldest  Book  I  knew  of 
in  the  World. ^  He  said  he  had  never  heard  of  this.  As  he  had 
been  at  Bologna,  having  lived  six  years  in  Italy,  I  told  him  Mont- 

'  Isaac  Mansfield  (Harvard  1767),  afterwards  pastor  in  Kxeter,  N.  H. 

'^Parents  of  the  Rev.  William  Ellery  Clianning,  D.D.  The  bridegroom  was 
a  graduate  of  Princeton  in  1769,  having  been  partly  prepared  for  College  by 
Dr.  Stiles.  The  bride  was  a  daughter  of  the  Hon.  William  EUery  (Harvard 
1747)  and  Ann  Remington. 

^  The  famous  Codex  Alexandrinus,  transferred  from  the  King's  Library  to 
the  British  Museum  in  1753  ;  now  referred  to  aboiit  A.D.  450.  The  inscription 
upon  it  which  makes  Thecla  the  scribe  is  not  credited. 


374 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLEvS 


faucon  said  that  there  was  a  very  antient  Copy  of  the  Law  in  the 
University  of  Bologna,  which  had  been  bought  of  certain  Rabbins 
who  asserted  it  to  be  the  very  copy  written  by  Ezra  the  Scribe. 
I  asked  him,  whether  he  saw  it  when  he  was  there  ;  he  said  he 
heard  nothing  of  it,  &  did  not  believe  it  true. 

12.  Monthly  Chh.  Meeting  at  Brother  Otis' s.  Mr.  Mansfield 
preached. 

13.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Lect.  he  preached  Isai.  xi,  9. 

14.  \'isited  at  Mr.  Ellerys,  &  had  much  Conversation  with  Mr. 
Dana'  of  Cambridge.  He  tells  me  that  the  Church  of  Bolton  in 
Mas.sachusetts  being  dissatisfied  with  Rey.  Mr.  Goss'  their  Pastor, 
called  a  Council,  which  advised  a  mutual  Council  i.  e.,  one  chosen 
by  Pastor  and  Church  mutually.  vSuch  a  Council  was  convened,  & 
advised  not  to  dismiss  the  pastor,  or  rather,  did  not  dismiss  him 
themselves.  But  the  Church  then  by  Vote  did  dismiss  him. 
Whereupon  Mr.  Goss  preached  at  his  own  house  to  as  many  as 
assembled — and  at  length  sued  for  Salary.  At  Court  the  Question 
arose  whether  the  Church  had  right  to  dismiss  without  the  advice 
and  contrary  to  the  Advice  of  a  mvitual  Council  ?  Mr.  Dana  was 
Attorney  for  the  people  of  Bolton. 

15.  Went  to  Synagogue— while  the  Huzzan  read  the  Law,  the 
Rabbi  sitting  at  the  upper  end  of  the  Synagogue,  the  Huzzan  pro- 
nounced a  Word  wrong  Levit.  25,  29,  upon  which  the  Rabbi 
corrected  him  publicly,  and  called  out  Gaulto,  Ganlio,  and  obliged 
the  Huzzan  to  correct  him.self.  The  Rabbi  appears  to  have  great 
Authority. 

16.  Ld.sdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  James  iy,  13-15.  P.M.  Mr. 
Man.sfield  preached  for  me  on  2  Cor.  v,  10.  Reading  Diony.sius 
Areopag.  and  Origen  agt.  Celsus. 

17.  Read  Dr.  Gill's  Life. 

18.  Went  over  to  Narragansett  to  our  pastoral  Convention  at 
Dr.  Torreys  at  S"  Kingston— present  Rev''  Messrs.  Torrey,  Ellis, 
Stiles,  Townsend,    Parks,  Rogerson  &  Hopkins. 

19.  Mr.  Ellis  preached  the  Lecture.     We  returned  this  Evening. 

20.  Much  Conversation  this  day  with  Mr.  Man.sfield  who  is 
attacked  with  a  Temptation  to  turn  to  the  Church  of  England.  I 
laid  before  him  a  full  view  of  the  Episcopal   Controvensy,  and  the 

■rrancis  Dana  (Harvard  1762),  who  soon  iii;irrie-(l  the  Hon.  William  Ellery's 
eldest  daughter,  Elizabetli. 

*  See  also  this  Diary,  Oct.  3,  1771. 


MAY  12-26,   1773  375 

Reasons  which  formerly  dissuaded  me  from  accepting  a  like  Offer 
to  like  Orders  in  that  Church.  But  I  think  worldly  Motives  will 
prevail  with  him.  I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture.  Mr. 
Mansfield  preached  it. 

21.  To-day  Dr.  lyCverett  Hubbard'  came.  He  was  a  Delegate 
with  Rev''  Chauncy  Whittelsey  from  the  first  Church  in  New 
Haven  to  attend  the  Ordination  of  Rev''  Mr.  How  late  Tutor  of 
Yale  College,  who  was  Wednesday  last  ordained  Pastor  of  the  New 
South  Church  in  Boston—.  The  Ordin''  Council  consisted  of  sun- 
dry Boston  Ministers  and  Churches,  and  five  Ministers  from  Con- 
necticut viz.  Rev.  Dr.  Dana  of  Wallingford  Rev.  Mr.  Whittelsey 
and  Rev.  Mr.  Dagget  of  New  Haven  and  Rev.  Mr.  Whitman  of 
Hartford,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Brown  of  Kellingly.  Dr.  Chauncy,  Dr. 
Pemberton,  Mr.  Dagget  and  Mr.  Brown  laid  on  Hands — Mr.  Brown 
gave  the  Charge  and  Dr.  Chauncy  the  Rt.  Hand  of  Fellowship. 

22.  The  12"'  Inst,  was  the  anniversary  Election  in  Connecticutt. 
Hon.  Jonathan  Trumbull  chosen  Gov.  and  Hon.  Griswold  D. 
Gov.  At  the  same  Time  were  convened  at  Hartford  Gov.  Hutch- 
inson, Gov.  Tr^^on  &c.  Commissioners  to  settle  the  Line  between 
the  Provinces  of  Massachusetts  and  New  York — which  they  settled 
agreeable  to  Massachusetts  extending  the  Dividend  Line  from  the 
N.  W.  Corner  of  Connecticutt  (which  lies  20  miles  East  of  Hud- 
sons  River)  northward  to  Hampshire  old  Line.  Thus  an  import- 
ant Claim  of  Jurisdiction  is  at  last  settled 

23.  Ldsday.     I  preached  A.M.   Ps.  119,  57.     P.M.  Jno.  viii,  38. 

24.  This  day  died  here  Mr.  Jn°  Scott  after  a  Bacchanalian  Life. 
His  Uncle  Edward  Scott  Esq.  a  Bachellor  set.  60  died  about  4  years 
ago,  and  left  to  his  Nephew  Jn"  an  Estate  of  Nine  Thousand 
Pounds  Sterling  or  ^300,000  Old  Tenor.  His  nephew  has  lived 
most  profusely,  having  squandered  about  ;^8o,ooo  Old  Tenor 
since  his  Uncle's  Death.'' 

25.  Col.  Leverett  Hubbard  went  away.  Reading  Monthly 
Reviews. 

26.  Yesterday  Judges  Oliver  and  Auchmuty  two  of  the  Com- 
missioners came  to  Town  according  to  Adjournment  for  the  Gaspee 
Affair.     In  the  Prints  I  find  the  Dividend  Line  between  Massachu- 

'  Mrs.  vStiles's  brother,  Yale  Coll.  1744. 

'^  Here  is  inserted  in  the  Diary  a  letter  in  Hebrew  to  Rabbi  Carigal,  with  an 
English  translation,  bearing  this  date.  The  subject  is  the  antiquity  of  the 
Hebrew  letters. 


376  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILHS 

setts  and  New  York  settled  to  be  drawn  from  the  N.  W.  Comer  of 
Oblong  near  the  N.  W.  Corner  of  Connecticutt,  to  run  21°  10'  30" 
East  as  the  Mag7ietic  Needle  now  points  to  the  North  Line  of  the  Mas- 
sachusetts  

27.  The  Commissioners  instead  of  sitting  on  Business  to  day, 
went  to  the  Friends  Meeting  to  see  a  Marriage.  L,ast  Evening 
Monthl}-  Meeting  at  Mr.  Newtons,  I  discoursed  Rom.  v,  i,  2. 
Next  to  be  at  Col.  Daytons  23''  of  June.  This  Day  we  had  a  Spin- 
ning Match  at  ray  House,  about  60  Wheels — they  spun  and  made 
us  a  present  of  183  fourteen  knotted  vSkeins. 

28.  Pentecost.  Went  to  the  Synagogue  at  IX''  A.M.  At  read- 
ing the  Law  the  Rabbi  was  desired  and  read  the  Ten  Command- 
ments. But  before  reading  the  Law  and  the  prophets  the  Rabbi 
went  to  the  Desk  or  Taubauh  and  preached  a  Sermon  about  47 
minutes  long,  in  Spanish.  It  was  interspersed  with  Hebrew.  His 
Orator}-,  Elocution  and  Gestures  were  fine  and  oriental.  It  was 
very  animated.  He  exhorted  them  not  to  perplex  themselves  with 
Traditions  and  Criticisms,  but  to  attend  to  certain  capital  points 
and  principal  points  of  Religion — he  expatiated  upon  the  Miseries 
and  Calamities  of  their  Nation  in  their  present  Captivity  and  Dis- 
persion and  comforted  them  under  their  Tribulations  b}^  the  assured 
Prospect  of  the  Messiahs  Kingdom — he  exhorted  them  not  to  be 
discouraged  but  persevere  &c — he  shewed  that  Calamities  and  suf- 
ferings were  not  Evidence  of  their  being  forsaken  of  God — that 
Adversity  and  Judgments  were  the  common  Lot  of  all  Nations 
Kingdoms  and  Countries — and  instanced  in  the  Desolations  made 
by  the  Eruption  of  Mt.  Vesuvius  near  Naples  in  Italy  which  he 
said  he  had  seen,  and  beheld  the  Deluge  of  liquid  Matter  flowing 
and  carrying  all  before  it,  overwhelming  Villages,  Houses,  Temples, 
people  &c — yet  Christians  did  not  consider  this  as  au  Evidence 
against  their  Religion  ;  neither  was  the  Destruction  of  the  Temple 
and  City  of  Jerusalem  by  the  Romans  &c  any  argument  against 
the  Truth  of  the  Jewish  Religion.  They  were  chasti.sed  for  their 
vSins,  Ijut  not  forsaken  of  God,  who  was  the  common  Parent  of  all 
mankind,  while  he  had  chosen  Israel  his  peculiar  Treasure.  Then 
he  enlarged  with  Fervor  on  the  Divine  Benevolence  and  seemed  to 
1>e  elevated  with  very  sublime  Ideas  of  the  divine  Benevolence 
Mercy  aud  Love  :  which  he  converted  into  an  Argument  for  their 
loving  one  another,  which  he  earnestly  pressed  upon  them — and 
closed  with  a  serious  Prayer. 


MAY    27-28,    1773  377 

The  Affinity  of  the  Spanish  and  Latin  enabled  me  to  understand 
something  of  the  Discourse — but  after  all  I  have  but  an  imperfect 
Idea  of  it.  He  wore  Spectacles  thro'  the  whole  Sermon,  and  fre- 
quently looked  down  on  the  Desk  before  him  as  if  he  had  the  Dis- 
course written,  but  I  dont  know  that  he  had  any  Writing.  The 
Jews  intend  to  print  it.  He  was  dressed  in  his  Fur  Cap,  scarlet 
Robe,  green  silk  Damask  Vest,  and  a  chintz  under  Vest — girt  with 
a  Sash  or  Turkish  Girdle— besides  the  Alb.  with  Tzizith.  The 
Jews  dont  admire  his  reading  (the  X  Commandments)  and  indeed 
he  speaks  off  with  much  greater  Fluency  and  Ea.se  than  he  reads, 
tho'  he  reads  correctly.  There  was  Dignity  and  Authority  about 
him,  mixt  with  Modesty.  After  the  Sermon,  two  Rolls  of  the  Law 
were  brought  forward  with  great  Solemnity,  and  after  Elevation, 
the  parasang  including  the  XX"'  Chapter  of  Genesis  was  read  as 
usual  :  at  reading  the  X  Commandments  the  whole  Congregation 
rose  up  and  stood.  After  which  Mr.  Rivera's  little  son  8  or  9  aet. 
read  the  first  Chapter  of  Ezekiel — then  Prayers  for  all  Nations,  for 
the  Jews,  for  the  King  and  Royal  Family,  for  the  Magistrates  of 
Rhode  Island. — The  Law  was  then  returned  in  solemn  procession 
singing  the  usual  Psalm  :  then  Alms  Prayers  and  Singing  concluded 
the  Whole.  The  Synagogue  was  decorated  with  Flowers  &c. 
About  the  Time  the  Rabbi  began  Sermon  which  was  a  few  minutes 
before  X''  three  of  the  Commissioners  came  in,  viz.  Gov.  Wanton 
&  Judge  Oliver  and  afterwards  Judge  Auchmuty  and  were  seated 
in  the  Seat  of  the  Parnass  or  President  of  the  Synagogue.  The 
whole  service  ended  a  quarter  after  twelve. — -I  have  often  found 
that  I  can  better  understand  the  F^nglish  pronounciation  of  Hebrew 
than  the  Spanish,  German  or  Polish  ;  ever}^  nation  pronounces  a 
little  differently.  I  mean  that  the  Jews  whose  Vernacular  Tongue 
is  English  pronounce  so  that  I  understand  it  better  than  when  pro- 
nounced by  a  Jew  whose  vernacular  Tongue  is  dutch  &c.  Accord- 
ingly I  easily  perceive  the  Words,  when  Riveras  son  (born  here  ) 
reads,  tho'  he  is  taught  by  a  Dutch  Master.  But  when  this  Jerusa- 
lem Rabbi  read  the  Law  I  could  understand  it  as  well  as  if  I  read 
it  mj'self,  and  much  better  than  I  can  understand  Mr.  Tauro  the 
Huzzan,  tho'  I  have  been  used  to  his  reading  13  or  14  j^ears.  I 
must  say,  however,  that  tho'  the  Rabbi  reads  more  correctly  than 
Tauro,  yet  the  latter  exceeds  him  in  a  certain  Grandeur  of  Utter- 
ance, and  a  more  bold  and  lofty  Sonitus  Verborum.  [The  Sermon 
was  translated  and  printed.] 


T^jS  DTARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

29.  The  14"'  Inst,  died  Rev.  Daniel  Kirtland  of  Norwich  aet. 
72  emeritus;  and  18  Inst,  died  Rev.  John  Fisk  of  Killingly 
jet.  90  &  supra,  emeritus.  Dr.  Dana  and  Mr.  Whittelsey  came 
from  Boston.  Dr.  Winthrop  Professor  of  Mathematics  in  Harvard 
College,  was  this  Week  chosen  into  the  Council  of  the  Legislature 
of  Mas.sachusetts  :  [he  declined  accepting  &c.] 

30.  Lordsda)-.  A.M.  Dr.  Dana  preached  for  me  on  Rom.  iv, 
16,  and  Mr.  Whittelsey  preached  for  Mr.  Hopkins,  P.M.  Mr. 
WHiittelsey  preached  for  me  on  the  eternal  Judgment.  [Arrived 
Judges  Horsmanden  and  vSmyth.  So  all  the  Commissioners 
present.] 

31.  Set  out  on  a  Journey  to  Woodstock.  Dined  at  Towerhill, 
and  at  H''  P.M.  took  leave  of  Mr.  WHiittelsey  &c.  bound  for  New 
Haven.      I  lodged  at  Judge  Greens  in  Warwick. 

June 

1.  At  IX  A.M.  I  preached  at  the  Courthouse  in  Greenwich  on 
Mat.  V.  20  without  Notes,  as  desired.  The  Quakers  general  Meet- 
ing broke  up  yesterda}-  and  few  were  gone  home.  I  had  about  200 
Hearers.  After  Lecture  I  rode  7  miles  and  dined  at  Mr.  Nath' 
Greens'  at  the  Iron  Works  in  Coventry. — 

2.  I  arrived  at  my  Uncle's  at  Woodstock,  but  found  him  gone 
on  a  Journe}'  to  Boston.     I  returned  to  Newport  on  Saturday. 

6.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  i  Cor.  i,  31.  P.M.  i  Pet. 
iv,  8.     Reading  Dionysius  Areopagita. 

7.  Last  Monday  just  before  I  set  out  on  my  Journey  I  received 
a  Letter  in  Hebrew  from  Rabbi  Isaac  Karigal,  in  answer  to  mine. 
To-day  I  sent  a  Note  to  him,  and  this  Afternoon  he  made  me  a 
\'isit  accompanied  with  Mr.  Lopez.  We  spent  the  Afternoon  very 
agreeably.     We  had  much  Conversation  upon  the  Antiquity  of  the 

Hebrew  Letters We  went  to  the  Redwood  Library.     He 

admired  the  Writings  of  Selden. 

8.  The  Rabbi  told  me  that  he  had  nothing  written  when  he 
preached  at  the  Synagogue — but  that  he  had  sealed  it  first  in  his 
head  and  so  delivered  it — that  he  was  able  to  recollect  it  and  to 
gratify  the  Jews  here  he  should  write  it  in  Spanish,  and  they  would 
translate  it  into  English,  and  then  he  would  give  me  a  Copy.  But 
he  w(jul(l  not  consent  that  it  sliould  l)e  printed.      He  said  that  none 

'Tin-  future  Ceiieral  Greene  of  tlie  Revolution. 


MAY  29-jUNK  10,  1773  379 

but  Rabbles  preached,  and  they  usuallj^  preached  on  all  the  Holi- 
days, but  not  every  Sabbath,  &  always  without  notes. 

On  May  20  ult.  died  aet.  87  Rev.  Thomas  Hiscox  Minister  of 
the  Sabbatarian  or  Seventh  day  Church  in  Westerlj^  in  which 
he  labored  near  40  years.  He  had  not  a  learned  Education,  but 
was  a  man  of  strong  natural  Powers  &  a  commanding-  Elocution, 
well  studied  in  the  Scriptures  and  in  the  Writings  of  the  Baptists. 
I  have  heard  him  preach.  He  was  a  man  of  strict  piety  and 
amiable  Morals — and  as  a  Preacher  in  ever}^  way  superior  to  any 
Baptist  Minister  I  ever  saw  who  had  not  received  an  Academic 
Education.  He  was  ordained  at  Newport  about  40  years  ago  viz. 
Oct.  8,  1732  by  the  Laying  on  of  Hands  of  aged  Elder  Crandal,  and 
a  Deacon  as  Evangelist,  Elder,  and  travelling  Minister  with  Power 
to  "  administer  the  Ordinances."  Mr.  Hiscox  then  lived  in  Wes- 
terly, the  Churches  of  Westerly  and  Newport  the  only  Sabb. 
Churches  and  held  general  Meeting  and  transacted  as  one  Church, 
and  were  one  Church  in  two  Branches  till  1708.  Then  divided 
into  2  Churches  and  Elder  Jos.  Crandal  was  ordained  over  that  at 
Newport  by  his  Collegue  Elder  Gibson'  (who  was  a  learned  man 
&  left  a  Hebrew  Bible  &  Greek  Testament  to  his  Chh).  Now 
Mr.  Hiscox  was  ordained  by  this  Elder  Crandal  ;  he  used  to 
itinerate  but  his  settled  labors  were  at  Westerly,  where  he  had  the 
largest  Sabb.  Church  in  America,  perhaps  250  Communicants. 
About  1737  and  1752  he  used  to  administer  the  Ordinances  at  New- 
port at  Vacancies. 

g.  The  Commissioners  are  still  sitting.     Monthly  Meeting  of 
my  Church  at  Sister  Trevetts.     I  preached  on  Mat.  v,  20 

10.  Metcalf  Bowler  Esq.  one  of  the  Justices  of  the  Superior 
Court  of  this  Colony  shewed  me  a  Letter  which  he  received  yester- 
day signed  by  all  the  Commissioners  (except  Judge  Oliver)  requir- 
ing his  Attendance  to-day  at  X"  A.M.  at  the  Courthouse  as  one 
of  the  Justices  to  have  such  Matters  respecting  the  Burning  of 
the  Gaspee  laid  before  him  as  thej^  should  judge  necessary  in 
discharge  of  his  Majesty's  Commission.  I  asked  him,  what  he 
would  do  if  they  should  officially  request  him  to  apprehend  any 
persons.  He  said,  first  he  should  take  upon  himself  to  be  judge 
whether  there  was  sufficient  reason  and  Cause  for  apprehending — 
and  then  he  would  issue  a  Warrant  to  commit  to  Goal  for  Trial 
before  the  Sup'^  Court  of  Judicature  in  this  Colony.     I  then  asked 

^William  Gibson,  who  came  from  London,  died  in  1717,  aged  79. 


-8o  DIARY    OF    RZRA    STiLEvS 

liim  what  he  would  do  if  they  should  request  him  to  issue  a  War- 
rant to  bring  before  them,  or  to  deliver  and  commit  any  persons  to 
the  Admiral  or  on  Board  a  Man  o'  War  for  Transport  to  Europe 
for  Trial  ?  he  replied  he  never  would  do  it.  He  said  the  Commis- 
sioners had  issued  Letters  to  Judge  Hopkins  and  Judge  Helme,  so 
there  were  three  which  was  a  Quorum  of  the  Judges  of  the  Sup. 
Court  :  he  expected  Judge  Helme,  but  not  Mr.  Hopkins.  I 
observed  it  was  a  very  delicate  Transaction  and  that  if  the  Public 
could  not  have  an  intire  Confidmce  in  him  and  Judge  Helme  that 
they  would  stand  firm,  there  would  be  great  &c.  He  replied  that 
he  had  reason  to  think,  it  was  the  finishing  off  of  the  affair — and 
that  the  Commissioners  intended  nothing  more  than  to  l^y  before 
the  Justices  such  Matters  and  Evidences  as  they  had  collected,  and 
request  them  particularly  to  charge  the  Jurors  at  the  next  Sup. 
Court  of  Judicature  with  an  Inquiry  &c.  and  so  take  Leave  of  the 
Affair.     I  hope  he  ma>'  be  right. 

Mr.  Storer  of  Boston  suffered  in  the  Stamp  Act  1765  and  went 
home  for  Redress.  The  Ministr}-  put  him  off,  till  he  should  obtain 
Governor  Hutchinson's  Recommendation,  and  indeed  it  was  finallj^ 
referred  to  the  Governor  to  provide  for  him  some  provincial  office. 
It  has  not  been  done.  Mr.  Storer  to  have  a  Rod  over  &c.  procured 
18  Letters  of  Lt.  Gov.  Oliver  and  half  a  dozen  of  Governor  Hutch.' 
to  one  of  the  Secretaries  of  some  of  the  Ministerial  Boards  in  Lon- 
don, as  a  specimen  of  their  Correspondence  for  15  years  past  urging 
and  recommending  the  present  arbitrary  Government  over  the 
Colonies.  The  Governors  Hutchinson  and  Oliver  were  last  year 
given  to  understand  that  Mr.  vStorer  had  them  in  his  power  by 
means  of  a  Collection  of  these  Letters,  and  that  the  only  Condition 
of  not  exposing  them  was  his  being  provided  for.  The  matter  was 
neglected.  Judge  Oliver  now  here  once  took  occasion  to  ask  the 
Governor  whether  there  was  any  Danger  &c.  when  the  Gov.  said 
he  was  under  no  Apprehensions.  The  Judge  says,  he  himself 
apprehended  both  for  Governor  Hutchinson  and  especially  for  his 
Brother  the  Lieutenant  Governor  who  was  greatly  exasperated  in 
the  Time  of  the  Stamp  Act. — Besides  these,  other  Letters  have  been 
procured  from  London  shewing  the  Correspondence  held  by  others 
in  the  Colonies,   and  particularly  Mr.  Rome  of  Newport  Rh.  Isld. 

'  Deacon  Ivbcnezer  Storer,  Jr.  (b.  1730,  d.  1S07),  was  a  prominent  merchant, 
but  his  name  is  not  used  in  the  ordinary  accounts  of  these  letters.  Cf.  Mass. 
Hist.  Society's  Proceedings,  xvi,  42-49. 


JUNE    lO,    1773  381 

with  the  Ministry  and  their  Tools,  giving  malicious  Informations, 
and  recommending  violent  and  arbitrarj^  Regulations  for  the  Colo- 
nies. Now  all  this  was  on  Wednesday  of  last  week  laid  before  the 
Massachusetts  House  of  Representatives  now  sitting,  but  not  yet 
communicated.  The  House  resolved  that  those  Letters  tended  to 
destroy  the  Constitution.  The  Governor  and  the  whole  Body  of  the 
Court  Anti- American  Connexions  are  alarmed.  Some  here  at 
Newport  tremble.  But  alas,  our  Enemies  are  steeled  and  hardened 
against  us.  They  fear  nothing  on  this  side  the  Water,  but  the 
Tumult  of  an  exasperated  people  :  if  they  can  divert  or  escape  this, 
they  will  do  anj^  Thing  to  enslave  us.  Some  of  them  will  frankly 
own  that  the  Civil  Constitution  of  the  Mother  Country  and  the 
Colonies  is  broken  up,  and  smile  at  all  Notions  of  civil  Libert}^  or 
public  Right — and  say  that  the  Will  of  the  Governors  and  what 
the}^  judge  expedient  and  are  able  to  enforce  from  Time  to  Time, 
is  and  always  has  been  the  only  Laxv ;  that  the  Prerogative  coa- 
lesced with  the  Parliament,  Arm}^  Navy  and  Crown  officers,  is 
become  an  aggregate  Pozver  which  it  is  in  vain  for  the  Body  of  the 
Common  People  to  resist,  for  it  is  a  Pozver  irresistable  which  can 
alter  the  Constitution,  change  Laws  and  give  Authority  as  to  the 
Ministerial  Directors  of  this  aggregate  Power  shall  seem  meet : — 
that  this  System  is  full  of  Corruption  and  so  corrupt  that  the  Cor- 
ruption must  proceed  being  impossible  to  be  amended — neither  can 
corruption  destroy  the  State  so  long  as  there  subsists  a  Union 
among  the  Majorities  of  this  aggregate  collective  Power.  Perhaps 
a  Variance  among  the  majorities  of  these  individual  Powers  may 
arise  (as  in  the  Time  of  Charles  I)  and  then  indeed  the  present  pre- 
rogative system  falls.  But  at  present  the  Power  is  at  length  effec- 
tually taken  out  of  the  hands  of  the  people  ;  and  we  courtiers  &c. 
well  knowing  this  and  feeling  strong  in  the  irresistable  Weight  of 
our  System,  can  bear  the  Bawling  and  Madness  of  the  Populace  in 
fetters,  and  the  Bellowings  &c  of  those  Bulls  of  Bashan  the 
Patriots  and  Sons  of  Liberty  in  England  and  America.  Thus  the 
Prerogative  people  seem  to  bid  Defiance  to  all  Principles  of  Right 
and  Liberty,  we  have  been  accustomed  to.  Having  brought  tliem- 
.selves  to  believe  that  the  Ideas  of  the  Patriots  being  reallized  into 
actual  Administration  would  terminate  in  Anarchy  and  Confusion  : 
they  pass  to  the  Alternative  of  an  absolute  Government,  and  really 
think  this  best  for  every  Country.  After  the  struggle  of  Ages  the 
English  Government  has  at  length  arrived  to  a  particular  mode  of 


382  DIARY    OF    p:ZRA    STILES 

Absolufejiess,  and  that  they  sa}-  never  happen  till  the  present  happy 
Reign.  And  now  they  have  a  Work  peculiar  to  the  present  Age 
of  reconciling  and  taming  the  body  of  the  people  to  it.  Thus 
when  the  Prerogative  in  Spain  &  France  had  gained  the  absolute 
Dominion  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Cortes  of  the  one  and  Parliaments 
of  the  other,  it  required  iManagement  to  compleat  the  subjugation 
on  the  popular  spirit.  The  British  Empii'e  is  sustaining  a  like 
Mutation  of  Polity  and  Laws — into  a  System  almost  as  new  and 
aliene  as  that  brought  by  the  Roman  Senate  over  the  conquered 
Kingdoms  of  Spain,  Gaul,  the  East — or  by  the  Mahometans  over 
the  Oriental  Empires.  Old  Laws,  Politics  and  Dominions  must 
give  way  to  the  new. 

In  the  Afternoon  Judge  Oliver  came  and  drank  Tea  with  me. 
He  has  a  Copy  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Hubbards  MSS.  of  Ipswitch, 
•which  he  himself  copied  from  a  Copy  which  had  Corrections  in 
Mr.  Hubbards  own  Handwriting.'  I  think  it  contains  3  or  400 
pages  Polio.  This  with  Gov.  Bradfords  and  Gov.  Winthrops 
MSS.  are  the  three  most  considerable  historical  Accounts  of  the 
first  settlement  of  New  England. 

Just  before  he  took  leave  the  Judge  of  his  own  Accord  told  me, 
that  the  public  had  been  mistaken  as  to  the  Nature  of  their  Com- 
mission, as  if  it  impowered  the  Commissioners  to  apprehend,  seize 
and  send  home  persons  to  England  ;  which  was  not  the  Ca.se — they 
had  no  Power  of  this  Kind: — and  that  after  he  went  from  home 
last  Winter,  in  riding  the  Circuit  of  the  Superior  Court  of  which 
he  was  Chief  Justice,  the  Uneasiness  of  the  people  was  so  great 
against  him  that  he  had  been  obliged  to  declare  in  his  Charges- 
to  the  Grand  Juries  the  real  Powers  of  this  Rhode  Island  Com- 
mission. Which  he  said  was  thu.s — Suppo.se  you  have  a  Tract  of 
Land  in  Connecticutt  on  which  you  hear  Trees  have  been  cut  and 
Damage  done  ;  you  send  and  impower  your  P'riend  there  to  take 
knowledge  and  Inform '  of  the  Trespass  &  collect  all  the  Evidences 
&  state  the  Case  in  order  for  prosecution  in  due  Course  of  Law — 
having  done  this  he  is  to  apply  himself  to  the  proper  Civil  Authority 
of  the  Colony  for  Arrest,  Trial  &  Deci.sion  of  the  Whole.  Our 
power,  he  said,  is  no  more.  Accordingly  his  Majesty  commissioned 
us  to  repair  on  the  .spot  or  to  the  Colony  where  Mischief  the  Tres- 
pass was  committed,  and  make  Inquiry  and  gain  Information  what 

'  Cf.  Mass.  Historical  Society's  Procec-dinj^s,  xvi,  40,  for  a  further  notice  of 
this  copy. 


JUNE    lO,    1773  383 

the  Circumstances  and  true  Cause  of  this  Mischief,  not  only  the 
P'acts  and  the  Authors  but  the  Cause  and  Motives  and  particularly 
whether  it  had  been  owing  to  the  Misbehavior  of  the  Officers  & 
.people  of  the  Navy  or  not  and  transmit  him  Information  ;  and  in 
case  they  found  out  any  of  the  Burners  of  the  Gaspee  and  Evi- 
dences and  Proofs  which  they  should  judge  of  Weight  for  Convic- 
tion, the  Commissioners  should  apply  themseves  to  the  civil 
Authority  of  this  Colony.  Accordingly  they  had  this  day  laid 
the  Matter  before  all  the  Justices  of  the  Superior  Court  of  the 
Colon)'  of  Rhode  Island,  who,  at  the  Desire  of  the  Commissioners, 
were  present  together  in  the  Council  Chamber.  Particularly  they 
had  laid  before  them  the  Deposition  of  the  Negro,  and  also  the 
Evidences  and  Circumstances  to  invalidate  his  Evidence.  And 
thus  whatever  was  to  be  done  as  to  apprehending  or  not  was  in  the 
Breasts  of  the  Judges  of  our  Superior  Court  of  Judicature.  He 
added  that  the  King  in  his  Commission  had  shown  Impartiality 
and  Tenderness  by  impowering  them  to  hear  on  both  sides,  not 
only  the  Accusations  of  the  Navy,  but  any  Cases  wherein  his 
Majestys  subjects  the  People  here  had  been  abused  or  oppressed 
by  any  of  his  Majestys  Servants.  Here  I  asked  him  if  I  under- 
stood him  rightly  ? — Did  their  Commission  confine  them  to 
the  Affair  of  the  Gaspee,  or  did  it  extend  at  large  to  any  other 
Matters,  so  that  they  could  take  and  receive  information  and 
Accusations  for  Abuse,  which  the  Trade  here  met  with  from  his 
Majestys  Servants  here  ?  He  said,  yes,  it  was  not  limited  to  the 
Gaspee,  but  extended  to  all  Obstructions  of  his  Majestys  Service 
here,  and  all  Hardships,  Complaints  and  Oppressions  of  the 
people  by  the  Misconduct  of  his  Servants  here — the  King,  said  he, 
wanted  to  know  where  the  blame  lay  and  where  was  the  true  Cause 
of  Complaint — and  in  this  Connexion  the  Commissioners  were  to 
receive  any  and  all  Complaints  and  Accusations  as  well  from  the 
people  as  from  the  Admiral  &c.  I  clearly  understood  the  Judge, 
that  all  our  Insults  from  the  Men  o'  War  and  Customhouse  and 
Revenue  Officers  might  have  been  properly  laid  before  the  Commis- 
sioners ;  who  would  in  that  Case,  not  have  determined  any  Thing, 
but  have  transmitted  them  home  Lo  the  Kings  Majesty.  Not 
that  there  was  proposed  any  Redress,  but  only  that  the  King  might 
know  what  to  do  with  his  own  Officers  &c,  so  as  to  keep  them  in 
good  Regulation  and  prevent  their  carrying  their  Irritation  of  Amer- 
ica too  far.     Judge  Oliver  added,  he  thought  (excepting  as  to  him- 


384  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILEvS 

self)  \ve  were  happy  in  the  Commissioners  ;  did  we  know  them  as 
well  as  he  did,  we  should  find  they  were  real  friends — I  said  we 
had  all  along  hoped  well  from  Judge  Oliver,  but  feared  as  to  some — 
he  replied,  we  did  not  know  how  friendly  he  was,  whom  we  most 
feared,  viz  Judge  Horsmanden  ;  and  that  it  was  happy  that  there 
were  among  the  Commissioners  some  that  understood  Law,  and 
were  determined  not  to  counteract  the  Principles  of  Laiv :  that  he 
believed  that  the  King  could  not  have  pickt  out  a  Sett  of  Men  less 
inimical  to  entrust  with  the  Commission  ;  &  added  if  the  Commis- 
sion had  fallen  in  the  Hands,  not  of  Civilians  but  of  Officers  of  the 
Navy  &  Army,  it  might  have  been  attended  with  very  unhappy 
Consequences.  This  was  the  Substance  of  his  Convers''  on  this 
Affair,  and  just  at  Parting.  As  he  had  thus  frankl)^  and  of 
his  own  accord  opened  so  fulh-  on  the  subject,  which  I  had 
altogether  avoided  hitherto  ;  I  asked  him,  whether  they  had  nearly 
finished,  as  he  was  departing  in  the  Morning?  He  said,  matters 
were  concluded  and  nearl}'  finished — he  was  called  aw^a}^  to  the 
Sup.  Court — the  other  Commiss'*  might  sit  a  few  Days  longer — 
&  he  hoped  all  would  terminate  to  the  public  Satisfaction. 

Notwithstanding  all  Palliatives  and  Softenings,  the  Commission 
was  justly  obnoxious,  alarming  and  arbitrar}^ — it  not  only  medi- 
tated but  directly  provided  for  seizing  and  sending  home  persons 
to  London — nothing  looks  like  bringing  the  Trial  of  Offenders 
before  our  Sup'  Court  ;  the  Trial  w^as  to  have  been  in  England. 
The  Commissioners  were  to  apply  to  a  Justice  or  some  of  the  civil 
Authority  for  a  Warrant  for  seizing — and  Lawyer  Judges  Com- 
missioners have  chosen  to  appl}^  to  the  whole  Bench  of  the  Judges 
of  the  Colony  Court — who  ma}-  if  they  please  issue  Warrants  and 
do  what  they  please.  But  had  this  Commission  been  in  the  hands 
ot  Adm.  Montague  and  a  few  Tars,  they  might  have  onl}^  applied 
to  some  single  bought  up  Justice  of  Peace,  privately  got  a  Warrant, 
called  Troops  from  N.  York,  and  traversed  Providence  and  War- 
wick, &  seized  such  persons  as  a  Negro  or  a  Duddingston  might 
accu.se,  and  whip  him  aboard  ship  and  so  to  England  for  Trial. 
And  I  apprehend  .something  severe  would  have  been  done  by  the 
present  Commissioners  had  not  the  Commission  given  an  extensive 
Alarm  to  all  the  A.ssemblies  upon  the  Continent,  and  occasioned 
the  Resolutions  and  Measures  proposed  by  the  Virginia  Assembly 
in  March  la.st,  which  are  now  circulating,  and  will  undoubtedly 
become  universal,  viz,  forming  Assembly  Committees  of  Correspond- 


JUNE    II-I3,    1773  385 

ence  and  enjoyning  a  particular  Inquiry  into  the  Poivers  of  this  Court 
of  Coniviissione7-s  at  Rh.  Island.  These  Assembly  Committees  zcill 
finally  terminate  in  a  Genej-al  Congress,  than  which  Nothing  more 
alarming  to  the  Ministry — and  nothing  more  contributed  to  this 
and  to  establish^  a  Union  and  Confederacy  of  the  Colonies,  than 
this  stroke  which  they  all  feel  of  sending  for  Persons  3000  Miles 
across  the  Water  for  Trial.  I  doubt  not  also,  the  late  Instructions 
from  the  Ministry  to  the  Commissioners,  has  contributed  to  letting 
the  matter  go  off  easily.  A  Congress  had  been  sure,  if  one  person 
had  been  seized  &  carried  off  from  Rh.  Island. 

11.  I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture  last  Evening,  being 
in  Convers''  with  Judge  Oliver.  Writing  a  Letter  to  D"^  Chauncy, 
and  another  to  Mr.  Sergeant  of  Stockbridge. — Speaking  of  the 
Circumcision  of  the  Copti  christians,  I  observed  R.  Is.  Karigal  pro- 
nounced it  not  Copt  but  Kijit.  I  suppose  this  is  a  relict  of  the  old 
Name  in  Homer's  Day  Egypt  which  the  English  pronounce  Ejipt, 
the  Germans  nearl}^  Ecipt  or  Ekipt — the  English  accent  the  E,  the 
Germans  the  y  and  almost  suppress  the  E.  If  we  consider  y  as  Y 
or  ui ;  and  accenting  i  assume  the  power  of  vi  in  Guipt  as  wi  in 
wit,  at  the  same  time  using  u  as  a  vowel  and  not  as  V,  we  shall 
come  nearly  to  the  original  sound  of  Eguipt  or  'Guipt  or  'Kuipt  or 
'Cuipt  or  'Cypt  or  'Gypt — Thus  Equipt  armed.  Homer  wrote  it 
atyvTTT-os — The  Hebrews  called  that  country  Mitzraim,  but  if  we 
write  Egypt  in  Hebrew  Letters  and  point  the  Vav  with  hirak  it 
will  show  not  Egopt  nor  Egupt  but  Eguipt  or  Egipt  not  Ejipt  but 
Ekipt  or  Kipt  as  the  Rabbi  called  it. — Judge  Oliver  went  out  of 
Town  to-day.     Friends  Gen.  Meeting. 

12.  Reading  Selden's  Opera.  Finished  the  travels  of  Chevalier 
D'Arvieux  into  Arabia. 

13.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  119,  71,  on  occasion  of 
two  young  Men  of  my  Flock  being  drowned  at  Sea.  P.M.  Heb.  v, 
8,  9,  and  notified   Catechising.     Deut.    xviii,    10,    11. — that  useth 

Divination  or  an  Observer  of  Times  or  an  Enchanter — or  a 

Witch — or  a  Charmer  or  a  consulter  with  familiar  Spirits  or  a  Wizard 
— or  a  Necromancer.  Here  remark  i.  That  all  these  are  conjoined 
together  parts  of  the  same  System — departing  from  God  and  seek- 
ing to  an  Evil  Power.  2.  The  having  a  familiar  Spirit  is  rendered 
cyyao-rpt/Av^os  Ixx,  which  is  Ventriloquism 

The  Powaws  of  the  American  Indians  are  a  Relict  of  this  antient 
System  of  seeking  to  an  evil  invisible  Power ;  .  .   .  Something  of 
25 


386 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


it  subsists  among  some  Almanack  Makers  and  Fortune  Tellers,  as 
Mr.  Stafford  of  Tiverton  lately  dead  who  was  wont  to  tell  where 
lost  things  might  be  found  and  what  day,  hour  and  minute  was 
fortunate  for  vessels  to  sail  &c.  Some  old  Women  (Midwives) 
affect  it,  as  old  Granny  Morgan  set.  70  now  living  in  Newport 
accustoms  herself  on  occasion  to  a  hocus  pocus,  &  making  Cakes 
of  flour  and  her  own  Urine  and  sticking  them  full  of  pins  and 
divining  by  them.  But  in  general  the  System  is  broken  up,  the 
A'essel  of  Sorcery  shipwreckt  and  only  some  shattered  planks  and 
pieces  disjoyned  floating  and  scattered  on  the  Ocean  of  the  human 
Activity  and  Bustle.  When  the  System  was  intire,  it  was  a  direct 
seeking  to  Satan  ;  and  this  the  Indians  avow  their  Powaws  to  be 
to  this  day  (tho'  no  Powaw  now  exists  in  N.  England)  for  they 
say,  the  good  Power  will  not  and  never  did  hurt  us^he  does  nothing 
but  good,  he  does  all  the  good  and  does  it  unasked  :  the  Evil  Power 
hurts  us,  does  all  the  Mischief,  and  who  should  we  seek  to  to  pre- 
vent or  remove  Mischief  but  to  him  that  does  it  ?  Some  40  or  50 
3'ears  ago  there  was  a  great  Drought  and  the  Indians  of  Narragan- 
sett  held  a  great  Poivaiu  for  sundry  Days.  One  Babcock  or  Stanton 
at  length,  being  well  known  to  the  Indians,  went  among  them  and 
rebuked  them  as  serving  and  worshipping  the  Devil :  an  old  Powaw 
Indian  readily  owned  and  justified  it — saying  all  the  Corn  would 
die  without  rain  and  Chepi  the  Evil  Power  withheld  that — now  said 
he.  If  I  was  to  beat  you,  7oho  ivould  you  pray  to  f  to  me,  or  to  yoiir 
Father  Ten  miles  off?  you  would  pray  me  to  leave  off  and  not  beat 
3'Ou  any  more  :  so  we  pray  to  the  Devil  to  leave  off  affecting  us 
with  Evil.  Indian  Divinity  !  But  I  suspect  this  preserves  the 
true  principle  upon  which  Satan  deceived  all  the  East  into  the 
complicated  system  forbid  in  Deut.  18,  11  and  2  Chron.  xxxiii. 
Whether  it  might  not  be  well  to  lay  this  whole  Iniquity  open,  that 
all  the  remains  of  it  might  be  rooted  out  ? 

14.  This  Afternoon  at  V''  I  catechised  18  B.  50  G.  7  Neg.  Tot.  75. 
In  the  Forenoon  I  went  to  visit  the  Rabbi — discoursed  on  Ventril- 
oquism &  the  Witch  of  Endor  &  the  Reality  of  bringing  up  Samuel. 
He  had  not  heard  of  Ventriloquism  before  &  still  doubted  it.  He 
shewed  me  a  Hebrew  Letter  from  Isaac  Pinto  a  Jew  in  N.  York, 
in  which  Mr.  Pinto  who  is  now  reading  Aben  Ezra  desires  R. 
Carigals  Tho'ts.  upon  some  Arabic  in  Aben  Ezra.  But  the  Rabbi 
says  he  supposes  Aben  Ezra  wrote  in  the  Coran  Arabic  which  he 
doth  not  understand.     The  Rabbi  ...   is  extremely  fond  of  per- 


JUNE    14-15,    1773  3S7 

suad^'  himself  that  there  has  been  no  change  in  the  Pentateuch 
since  Moses  left  it  ;  and  shewed  me  a  Passage  of  St.  Austin  de 
Civitate  Dei  in  a  Hebrew  Book  of  David  Nieto ;  it  was  rendered 
into  Hebrew  to  this  Effect,  that  there  was  an  Impossibility  that  the 
Jews  slid,  have  corrupted  their  holy  Books,  since  in  all  Dispersions 
they  were  found  the  same.  He  was  much  pleased  that  he  was  able 
to  shew  me  something  out  of  our  Fathers  for  my  Extracts  out  of  his 
Rabbins. — I  turned  him  to  the  strong  Expression  in  his  Letter 
"  your  Eove  has  made  such  an  indelible  impression  upon  the  inmost 
Tlio'ts.  &  Affections  of  my  Heart  that  Volumes  of  Book  are  not 
sufficient  to  write  the  thousandth  part  of  the  eternal  Love  wherewith 
I  love  thee" — and  asked  him  how  he  could  use  so  strong  an 
Expression  of  Friendship  ?  He  in  reply  said  he  wished  well  to 
others  besides  his  own  Nation,  he  loved  all  Mankind,  &  turned 
me  to  Levit.  xix,  iS, — thoii  sl^alt  love  thy  Neighbour  as  thyself. 

15.  This  Morning  died  Mrs.  Mundy  set.  65.  I  spent  the  Evening 
in  Company  with  Colonel  Bennet  one  of  the  Judges  of  our  Sup. 
Court.  He  said  that  he  had  seen  and  read  the  Commission  of  the 
Commissioners  and  their  Instructions — both  which  directed  them  to 
collect  what  Evidence  they  could  and  laj^  it  before  the  Magistrates 
of  this  Colony  ;  accordingly  they  had  laid  in  before  the  Judges  of 
the  Superior  Court  (four  of  which  present  viz.  Chief  Justice  Hop- 
kins, Justices  Helme,  Bowler  &  Bennet ; — one  Justice  absent)  all 
the  Information  they  had.  The  Judges  received  it,  took  Time  to 
consider  and  deliberate,  «&  next  Day  gave  their  Opinion  to  the 
Commissioners  that  the  Testimonies  were  so  vague,  uncertain  and 
contradictory  that  they  judged  it  not  proper  to  issue  forth  any 
Warrants  for  Apprehension.  Four  of  the  Commissioners  continue 
to  sit  daily.  Gov.  Hutch.  &c  Letters  make  a  great  Noise  in  Bos- 
ton. Also  Mr.  Geo.  Room  of  this  Town  is  alarmed.  He  disobliged 
in  some  Lawsuits  wrote  a  Letter  to  Dr.  Moffat'  of  N.  London 
asserting  the  Corruption  and  Perjur}^  in  the  Courts  of  Justice  and 
Gen.  Assembly  here.  Dr.  Moffat  sent  this  Letter  home  to  Engld  to 
evidence  the  total  Depravity  of  this  Colony.  This  Letter  is  also  got 
hither — &  the  Jury  threaten  Mr.  Rome  to  bring  1 2  Actions  ag*  him 
for  ^290  ster.  each  (so  low  as  no  Appeal)  for  Defamation  &c. 

1  Thomas  Moffatt.  See  Sabine's  American  Loyalists,  ii,  85.  He  died  in 
London  on  March  14,  17S7,  at  the  age  of  87.  He  was  educated  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Edinburgh.  Among  Dr.  Stiles's  papers  is  an  interesting  letter  of  his 
from  lyondon,  March,  1766,  giving  information  of  the  repeal  of  the  Stamp  Act. 


^88  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

17.  Read  Dr.  Jonathan  Shipley  Bp  of  vSt.  Asaph  his  Sermon  on 
Luke  ii.  14,  before  the  Society  for  propagating  the  Gospel  19  Feb. 
1773.  It  is  greatly  in  favor  of  America.  It  is  reprinted  at  Boston, 
Attended  Mrs.  Mundy's  Funeral. 

18.  Reading  Szegedini  Theologia.  Also  began  to  read  Mr. 
Hopkins  Pamphlet  on  Holiness  ]\xst  printed. 

19.  Hot  day,  Therm"  88  at  XI  A.M.  Finished  reading  the 
Description  of  Arabia  bj'  Sultan  Ismael  Abidfeda. 

20.  Lordsda}^  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  119,  125,  and  published 
Jos.  Burges  King  and  Esther  Phillips.  P.M.  i  Thess.  ii,  19,  20, 
and  propounded  Elizabeth  Ellery  jun,'  for  Admission  into  the 
Church. 

21.  Reading  Vitringa' s  Chap,  on  Infant  Baptism.  .  .  .  Visited 
the  Rabbi.     Discoursed  on  the  Metempsycosis. 

22.  Visited  by  Mr.  Delisle.  Read  a  Pamphlet  just  published  on 
Illustration  of  the  Subject  of  the  Psalms,  as  exhibiting  the  Sufferings 
and  Glory  of  Christ,  with  a  defence  of  Paedo-baptism — written  by 
a  Sandemanian  at  Boston.  Gov.  Hutch.  &c.  Letters  make  a  great 
Noise — they  are  collected  and  printed  in  a  pamphlet  which  the 
Post  bro't  from  B"  this  day. 

23.  Read  Mr.  Turner's  Election  Sermon."  By  the  Prints  I  find 
Rev.  Mr.  Brown  Episc"  Minister  at  Piscataqua  died  lately  at  Cam- 
bridge, being  on  a  Visit  there  to  his  Daughter :  he  was  Father  of 
the  late  ^Ir.  Brown  Episc"  Minister  of  this  Town.'  This  day  began 
to  raise  the  Addition  of  25  feet  to  Mr.  Kelly's  Meetinghouse 
belonging  to  the  first  Baptist  Church  in  Town — the  whole  hou.se 
will  now  be  55  long  and  nearly  40  wide. 

In  the  Afternoon  Mr.  Delisle  and  I  went  and  visited  the  Rabbi, 
and  conversed  with  him  from  III  o'clock  to  Sunset.  Then  I  went 
to  a  monthly  Evening  ^Meeting  at  Col.   Day  tons  and  preached  on 

Col.  i,  12,  14 I  asked  him  whether  a  Man  loosing  his  Wife 

by  Death,  might  marry  her  Sister  afterwards? — requesting  his 
Exposition  of  Levit.  xviii,  18.  He  a.sked  what  .should  forbid  it? 
and  added,  it  was  never  di.sputed, — it  was  frequently  practised  with 
the  Jew.s — it  was  plain  from  the  Words  of  Moses,  "  /;/  her  Lifetime'^ 

*  Eldest  daugliter  of  the  Hon.  William  Ellery,  and  sister  of  Lucy  Ellery, 
mentioned  on  ISIay  9.  She  was  born  in  August,  1751,  and  married  the  Hon. 
Francis  Dana,  of  Cambridge,  mentioned  on  May  14. 

'By  Rev.  Charles  Turner,  of  Duxbury,  Mass.,  May,  1773. 

'See  this  Diary,  March  16,  1771. 


JUNE    17-24,    1773  389 

that  the  prohibition  extended  no  longer,  and  that  after  the  L,ife- 
time  and  at  the  Death  of  his  Wife  the  prohibition  ceased.  I  asked 
him  whether  a  man  might  Marry  his  Wife's  Sister's  Daughter?  he 
asked,  what  should  forbid  it  ?  it  was  often  done  so  with  the  Jews. 
I  said  Moses  forbid  an  Aunt  marrj'ing  the  Nephew,  or  a  Woman  to 
marry  her  Sisters  Son,  and  why  not  a  man  to  marry  his  (Wifes) 
Sisters  Daughter.  He  said  there  was  a  difference — the  Aunt  and 
Nephew  mentioned  by  Moses  were  of  kin  i.  e.  one  blood  and  one 
£esh  ;  not  so  the  Wifes  Sisters  Daughter. — I  ought  to  have  stated 
the  Case  a  little  otherwise,  and  put  the  parrallel  Question,  on  a 
Woman  or  Aunt  marrying  he7'  Hiisbands  Brotheis  Son,  where  there 

is  no  blood 

24.  Visited  me  Rev.  Mr.  Samuel  I,ocke  President  of  Harvard 
College,  and  Mr.  Marsh'  a  Tutor.  Had  much  Conversation 
together  on  a  Variety  of  Things  both  in  Politics  and  I^iterature. 
The  President  is  a  Gentleman  of  fine  Understanding,  clear  distin- 
guishing Mind,  rather  adapted  for  active  gubernatorial  lyife,  than 
for  the  deep  Researches  of  Literature.  He  keeps  a  good  Ivookout 
and  will  pass  serenely  through  Life.  He  will  be  in  Danger  of  a 
Duplicity  of  Character  for  he  is  ever  adjusting  himself  to  every- 
body, that  it  is  somewhat  difficult  to  find  his  real  Judgment  on 
some  Points.  Yet  he  is  open  and  vigorous  against  the  New  Divin- 
ity. In  politics  he  will  never  oppose  the  Governor  nor  Crown 
Interest,  and  will  rather  lean  on  that  side  the  BalP  and  against  the 
patriots  ;  but  he  can  talk  strong  for  Patriotism.  I  believe  he  likes 
neither  at  heart ;  and  designs  to  trouble  himself  about  neither, 
further  than  as  either  affects  the  Interest  of  College — in  which 
Case  he  will  secure  both  parties  if  possible,  else  that  which  will  be 
most  beneficial.  He  will  make  no  stand  in  politics  either  for 
•or  against  the  Liberty  of  his  Country,  and  will  rather  divert  him- 
self with  the  Folly  of  those  who  are  most  ventersome  and  enter- 
prizing  on  both  sides.  If  America  should  become  an  independent 
^Empire,  he  would  be  for  a  pretty  firm  Government  which  the  peo- 
ple could  not  easily  overthrow.  His  own  Dominion  would  make  a 
State  happy.  In  his  hands  a  Tyranny  would  be  good  Govern- 
ment. Was  Pres't  Locke  at  the  Head  of  Government  either  in  a 
Tyranny  or  Republic,  his  Government  would  be  administered  with 
Firmness,  Justice,  Mildness.  It  would  be  so  good  that  the  most 
popular  Republic  would  never  call  him  to  an  account ;  it  would  be 

^  John  Marsh,  afterwards  minister  of  Wethersfield,  Conn. 


390 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


SO  good  that  the  subjects  of  an  absolute  Monarchy  would  forget 
their  Chains  and  think  themselves  in  the  fullest  possession  of  true 
Liberty.  Under  the  Idea  and  Purpose  of  governing  well,  I  believe 
his  Judgment  would  adopt  a  Theory  of  high  and  Absolute  Govern- 
ment. But  was  he  in  au}^  other  part  of  the  world  he  would  forget 
Theory  and  adapt  his  practice  to  the  Exigencies  and  Usages  of 
Places.  Neither  would  he  suffer  himself  to  be  harrassed  with 
laboring  the  surreptitious  Introduction  of  a  Theory  different  and 
very  opposite  to  that  which  took  place  where  he  was  called  to  act. 
He  will  aim  at  the  Glor}'-  of  a  really  useful  Man.  He  will  have 
but  little  Leisure  for  Reading  and  Contemplation.  But  will  profit 
by  Conversation  with  the  Literati  of  every  Branch  of  Erudition. 
He  has  a  liberal  Understanding,  a  penetrating  Discernment  &  is 
capable  of  looking  into  and  judging  upon  everything.  He  has 
great  Affection  for  his  Pupils,  and  feels  the  Father  the  tender 
Parent  towards  all  of  them.  He  tells  me  he  has  about  i8o  Under- 
graduates. He  is  a  man  in  almost  all  respects  of  an  excellent 
Character.  He  is  in  the  midst  of  Life  or  rather  young,  I  believe 
about  aet.  3S,  he  is  a  good  classical  scholar  in  Latin,  Greek, 
Hebrew  and  Chaldee — he  made  an  Oration  in  Chaldee  at  the  first 
public  Commencement  after  his  Election  to  the  Presidency,  which 
I  heard  ;  he  is  excellent  in  Philosophy  and  academical  Literature — 
and  in  all  Branches  of  Knowledge  is  far  superior  to  any  President 
of  any  of  the  American  Colleges,  unless  Dr.  Witherspoon  of  Nas- 
sau Hall  should  excede  him  in  Theology.  He  is  one  of  those 
Minds  which  will  enlarge  to  a  great  Size,  will  grow  and  magnify 
through  Life.  His  Morals  are  excellent ;  Piety  and  a  holy  Life 
set  on  him  with  a  good  Grace.  I  doubt  not  he  is  determined 
to  live  well,  to  act  his  part  with  Dignity,  to  die  well,  and 
obtain  the  Crown  of  immortal  Glory.  He  is  a  firm  Friend  to 
Revelation. 

Mr.  Tutor  Marsh  is  an  ingenious  and  ver)'  sensible  j^oung  Gen- 
tleman. 1  could  discern  Genius  in  him,  but  had  not  Time  to  weigh 
his  Talents  and  Improvements.  I  take  him  to  be  a  good  Scholar 
and  to  fill  his  Station  with  Dignity.  He  is  capable  with  Applica- 
tion of  becoming  a  very  considerable  Man. 

We  went  to  the  Redwood  Library — afterwards  to  Mr.  Ellery's, 
then  drank  Tea  at  Mr.  Redwood's,  visited  Mr.  Chesebro'  &c. 
And  .spent  the  Evening  till  Midnight  in  learned  Conversation. 
They  lodged  at  my  house.     In  the  Morning  they 


JUNE    25-27,    1773  391 

25.  Rode  away.  I  accompanied  them  to  Mr.  Redwood's  Gardens 
and  parted.  The  President  told  me  that  as  Deism  spread  in  Eng- 
land in  general,  so  the  most  eminent  dissenting  Divines  were  adopt- 
ing the  notion  of  an  Universal  Salvation,  tho'  with  some  differences. 
In  the  End  all  Sin  and  Misery  would  be  done  away  :  Dr.  Price 
seemed  to  suppose  that  the  finally  incorrigible  would  be  annihi- 
lated ;  Dr.  Bourn  had  another  Hypothesis  &c.  but  still  a  final 
Cessation  of  natural  &  moral  Evil  they  agreed  in. 

The  Commissioners  I  am  told  broke  up  yesterday,  and  Mr. 
Auchmuty  was  to  set  out  for  Boston  this  day  accompanied  with 
Judge  Horsmanden.  Judge  Smyth  goes  by  Land  in  his  Coach 
thro'  Connecticutt.  They  have  done  so  very  little,  and  have  finished 
with  so  much  Stillness,  that  we  scarcely  know  what  they  have 
done.  Yesterday  &  to  day  Raising  the  Addition  to  Mr.  Kelly's 
Meetinghouse. 

26.  Reading  I^athrop  on  Paedobaptism.  Visited  Mr.  Kelly  and 
offered  him  and  his  people  my  Meetinghouse,  but  they  are  to  meet 
in  the  Sabbatarian  Meetinghouse. 

27.  Lordsday,  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  cvi,  4,  5.  P.M.  2  Thess. 
i,  II,  12  and  propounded  Mrs.  Bowers,  and  notified  the  lyord's 
Supper  &c. 

Rabbi  Isaac  Carigal  was  at  Meeting  in  the  Forenoon,  having 
asked  me  lyiberty  before  hand.  I  sent  my  son  to  wait  upon  him 
to  my  house  before  Meeting  and  he  came  accompanied  with  two 
Jews — I  put  them  into  my  Pew.  These  are  the  notes  or  leading 
Thoughts  in  the  Sermon  I  preached. 

Ps.  cvi,  4,  5. 

I.  The  Seed  of  Jacob  are  a  chosen  and  favorite  people  of  the 
most  High,  and  the  subjects  of  the  peculiar  Care  of  Heaven,  and 
of  most  marvellous  Dispensations.  II.  That  notwithstanding 
God's  Chastisements  of  their  Iniquity  &  Imperfection  in  Calami- 
ties, Captivities  and  Dispersions  ;  yet  God  hath  not  forgotten  his 
Covenant  with  Abraham  and  his  posterit}',  but  intends  them  great 
Happiness  and  will  fulfill  his  promise  in  making  them  a  very 
glorious  Nation  and  a  Blessing  to  the  World  in  the  latter  Day 
Glory  of  the  Messiahs  Kingdom.  III.  It  should  be  the  Desire  of 
Christians  and  of  all  Nations,  to  partake  hereafter  with  Israel  in 
their  future  glorious  state,  that  we  may  share  &  rejoyce  in  the 
Gladness  of  God's  people  &  the  Glory  of  his  Inheritance 


392 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


Improvement. 

I .  Hence  how  highly  priviledged  was  Israel  in  being  chosen 
&c.?  2.  Hence  learn  the  Design  of  Providence  in  still  preserving 
a  Remnant  of  this  people,  that  of  this  seed  he  may  make  a  glori- 
ous Nation  hereafter.  Jer.  xlvi,  27,  28.  3.  Hence  learn  the 
Dignity  and  Glorious  Character  of  the  Messiah.  He  is  worthy  of 
all  Honor  and  Obedience  and  L,ove  and  Praise  from  all  the  Nations 
on  Earth,  yea  from  all  Worlds.  4.  I,ive  so  holily  here,  that  we 
may  all  come  together  united  in  one  glorious  Body  before  the 
Throne  of  God  ;  and  joyn  in  the  endless  Hallelujahs  of  the  Eternal 
World. 

These  are  only  Minutes  which  I  had  written  before  me ;  but 
I  enlarged  in  Delivery,  being  an  hour  and  quarter  in  Sermon.  The 
Rabbi  came  home  and  staid  with  me  till  I''  o'clock.  He  said  he 
had  never  heard  a  Christian  preach  a  vSermon  before — and  3^et  he  had 
been  at  Church  in  vSt.  Peters  in  Rome  and  St.  Pauls  in  London, 
and  at  Venice  &c  &c.  but  never  heard  anj^thing  but  prayers.  He 
had  been  in  the  Christian  Chhs  at  Jerusalem,  but  heard  only 
Pra^-ers.  Thus  he  said,  I  was  the  first  Minister  he  had  ever  heard 
preach  in  all  his  Travels.  He  said  the  Eatin  Church  at  Jerusalem 
had  an  Organ,  but  none  other  ;  neither  Greek  or  Armenian  &c. 
Churches  in  the  East  have  any  Organ.  I  asked  whether  Davids 
Organ  was  like  the  Organs  in  Churches  ?  he  smiled  and  said,  he 
did  not  know.  I  asked  him  whether  they  had  organs  in  the  Syna- 
gogues ?  he  said  he  never  saw  but  one,  and  he  knew  not  of  any 
other — in  the  Synagogue  at  Prague  he  saw  and  heard  an  Orgaji. 
He  brought  me  a  cop)'  of  his  own  Sermon  at  the  Syna- 
gogue, translated  into  English.  He  said  he  understood  near  half 
my  Sermon  to-day. 

28.  This  Afternoon  the  Rabbi  visited  me.  We  spent  the  After- 
noon very  agreeably.  He  told  me  that  there  was  one  Rabbi  at 
the  Synagogue  in  Jamaica,  another  at  Surinam,  and  a  third  at 
Eustatia  or  Curacoa.  Thus  there  are  now  three  Rabbies  settled  in 
America.  There  are  none  on  the  Continent  of  No.  America.  The 
Rabbi  has  a  prospect  of  settling  in  the  Synagogue  in  Antigua,  and 
this  will  make  a  fourth  in  America.  Isaac  Carigal  says  he  was 
made  a  Rabbi  when  he  was  about  19  or  twenty  years  old.  He  said 
the  Ceremony  of  Imposition  of  Hands  was  not  used  in  these 
Day.s — that  after  an  Examination  and  Approbation  by  other  Rabbies 
they  gave  him  a  written  Certificate  in  which  he  was  declared  a 


JUNE    28-30,    1773 


393 


Rabbi.  He  wants  now  3  or  4  months  of  being  fourty  years  old, 
so  was  born  A.D.  1733,  and  was  made  a  Rabbi  about  A.D.  1753. 
He  began  to  travel  aet.  20.  and  has  visited  Damascus,  Alleppo, 
Grand  Cairo,  Bagdat,  Ispahan,  Smyrna,  Constantinople,  Salonica, 
Rome,  Florence,  Bologna,  Venice,  Vienna,  Prague,  Paris,  London 
&c.     Of  all  Cities  he  gives  the  preference  to  Venice  &  London. 

29.  Copying  the  English  Translation  of  R.  Carigals  Sermon 
at  Pentecost.  The  two  Houses  of  the  Massachusetts  Assembly 
have  resolved  that  the  Letters  of  Gov.  Hutchinson  and  Lieut.  Gov. 
Oliver  to  Mr.  Whately  in  London,  are  injurious  to  the  Colonies, 
and  have  petitioned  the  King  to  remove  them  both  from  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  Massachusetts  Bay.  [Present  91  Members — 80  for 
&  II  against.] 

30.  Counted  618  Silkworms  in  their  last  Stage.  The  Episcopal 
Society  in  London  expended  A.D.  1772  ;^688i.  9.  10  Sterl.  in 
Episcopizing  America,  and  evidently  give  their  chief  attention  to 
the  Northern  most  populous  Tract  from  Pens3dvania  to  Nova 
Scotia,  which  need  it  least,  being  already  Christianized  though 
not  episcopized ;  but  on  this  Tract  are  two  Thirds  the  Souls  in 
America  and  the  greatest  Increase  and  population  is  in  this  part  ; 
hence  their  Intrigue  and  vigorous  Exertion  to  get  Footing.  The 
Missionaries  and  Schoolmasters  supported  by  this  Society  in  1772 

I  Schoolmaster 


At  Newfoundland 

3  Missionaries 

I 

Nova  Scotia 

6 

7 

New  Hampshire     . 

2 

I 

Massachusetts 

II 

0 

Rhode  Island 

3 

I 

Connecticutt 

•       17 

I 

N.  York 

•       15 

8 

N.  Jersey 

10 

2 

Pensylvania 

10 

I 

77 

22 

No.  Carolina 

4 

So.  Carolina 

I 

Georgia 

2 

Muskito  Shore 

I 

I 

Bahama  Islands 

2 

I 

Africa 

I 

Barbadoes 

3 

This  Afternoon  Mr.  Abraham  de  Isaac  Tauro  the  Hazan  or  Reader 
in  the  Synagogue  here  was  married  to  Miss  Hayes  a  Jewess.  Rabbi 
Isaac  performed  the  Ceremony. 


394  DIARY   OF    EZRA    STILES 

July. 

I Attended    Mr.   Hopkins   Evening  Lecture — Rev. 

David  Sanford  of  Medway  preached 

2.  Made  two  Sermons,  one  upon  Ruth  ii,  12.  I  preached  my 
sacramental  Lecture  on  Joshua  iii,  5,  and  published  Mr.  King  the 
last  Time. 

3.  This  forenoon  went  over  to  Conanicott  and  preached  a 
funeral  Sermon  at  the  Interment  of  Mrs.  Milward  Wife  of  Mr. 
W°'  Milward  ast.  23.  She  was  of  my  Congregation,  removed  a 
Month  or  6  Weeks  ago  to  Providence,  where  she  died  first  Inst,  and 
was   brought   to  her  Native    Place    Conanicott  and  buried  there 

I  am  told  that  all  the  Indian  Scholars  at  Dr.  Wheelocks 

College,  took  an  Afront  last  Winter,  &  went  off  in  great  Wrath. 

4.  Lordsdaj'.     I  preached  A.M.   on  Heb.  i,  3,  and  administered 

the  Lords  Supper  to  65  Communicants.      P.M.  Ruth  ii,  12 

This  day  at  the  Sacrament  I  admitted  Miss  Eliz^  Ellery  a  Member 
of  the  Chh. 

5.  Dined  with  the  Tozon  Council:  Visited  the  Rabbi.  At  VI'' 
P.M.  I  catechised  14  Boys,  43  Girls,  7  Negroes — Total  64. 

7.  Mr.  Pemberton  brought  me  Benj.  Mason'  set.  iij^,  one  of  his 
Scholars,  who  has  read  out  Virgil  twice  and  is  reading  Horace. 
He  has  studied  Greek  only  20  Days  or  not  three  Weeks,  I  mean 
besides  his  Grammar.  Not  3  Weeks  ago  he  began  the  Gospel  of 
John,  the  whole  of  which  he  has  learned  and  recited  through  ;  and 
entered  on  another  Book.  I  examined  him  in  perhaps  a  dozen 
places,  ad  Aperturam  Libri,  thro'  that  Gospel,  and  he  translated 
any  part  readily  &  accurately,  &  parsed  well.     He  is  a  Genius. 

This  Afternoon  I  spent  with  the  Rabbi.  ...  I  asked  him  when 
he  expected  the  Messiah  ?  He  said  daily,  probably  within  about 
40  years — but  they  had  no  Reckoning  in  which  they  were  agreed. 

I  asked  if  he  had  any   knowledge  of  the   Relicts  of  the 

Tribe  of  Manasseh  at  Patna  or  the  Ganges  in  Bengal  ?  He  said 
no — and  was  .surprized  with  the  account  I  related  to  him  given  by 
English  Merchants.  I  told  him  I  had  written  a  Letter  to  Astracan 
to  inquire  after  the  X  Tribes,  and  the  Queries  I  sent — as  Circum- 
cision on  8"'  Day,  Aversion  to  Swine's  flesh.  Marriage  Leviri  cum 
Glore  &c.  This  brought  on  the  Question  about  the  Countenance 
of  the  Usage  of  marrying  a  Brothers  Wife.     He  said   the  Rabbins 

'  Harvard  Coll.  1779,  son  of  Benjamin  Mason,  became  a  distinguished  phy- 
sician in  Newport. 


JULY  1-7,  1773  395 

had  for  a  long  Time  been  against  this  practice,  except  under  a 
perfect  state  of  their  Inheritance  and  Religion  :  that  they  recom- 
mended the  pulling  off  the  Shoe  &c — and  that  this  was  usually- 
done,  especially  at  Constantinople — that  sometimes  the  Brother 
would  not  give  up  his  right,  and  then  the  Widow  was  held  not  to 
marry  any  else — that  this  particularly  was  the  Case  of  his  own 
Daughter,  who  had  been  married  to  her  Husband  but  a  few  months, 
and  he  dying  his  Brother  insists  on  her  as  his  Right,  but  she  refus- 
ing to  marry  him,  is  however  so  tied  to  him  (as  the  Rabbi 
expressed  it)  that  she  cannot  marry  to  another  ;  tlio'  she  would  be 
glad  to  cast  away  the  shoe. 

Memoir  of  R.  Isaac  Karigai,. 

A.  D.  1733,  Oct.  15  or  Tisri  15  A.M.  5493  born  at  Hebron  ;  & 
studied  under  R.  David  Malamed,  R.  Meir  Gedalia,  R.  Mordecai 
Zabi,  R.  Haijni  Jehuda  Gomez  Pato,  R.  Haijm  Rechamim  Bajaiu 
Brother  of  Mordecai,  and  R.  Isaac  Zedeka  :  the  three  first  dead, 
the  others  now  living. 

1750.  yEtat.  17,  created  and  entituled  Hocham  &  Rabbi  by 
the  above  Rabbins  at  Hebron.  The  Honor  pronounced  and 
declared  by  R.  David  Malamed.  Read  half  the  Talmud.  Began 
to  preach.     Some  created  at  reading  a  quarter  of  the  Talmud. 

1754.  ^t.  20J3  began  his  Travels.  Went  first  to  Egypt,  visited 
Damiata,  Alexandria,  &  Cairo  2  or  3  months  ; — thence  by  Water 
to  Smyrna,  resided  there  2  or  3  months  ; — thence  to  Constantinople, 
resided  there  two  years  ; — thence  by  Land  to  Adrianople  and  Salon- 
ica  and  by  Water  again  to  Smyrna,  about  3  months ; — from 
Smyrna  by  L,and  in  a  Caravan  thro'  the  lesser  Asia  by  'Cogni,  and 
Aleppo  to  Damascus  ; — from  Damascus  to  Aleppo  again,  thence 
across  Euphrates  to  Ur  of  Chaldees,  Bagdat  and  Ispahan,  which 
terminated  his  oriental  Travels  :  From  Ispahan  back  to  Aleppo. 

1757.  Embarking  on  board  ship  at  Scandarone  he  arrived  at 
Leghorn  in  Italy  Oct"  1757.  Spent  two  j'^ears  in  travelling  Europe. 
From  Eeghorn  he  went  to  Florence,  Rome,  Bologna,  Milan,  Padua, 
Venice  (twice),  Vienna,  Prague,  Nuremberg,  Ausburg,  Frankfort, 
Mentz,  Holland  and  London. 

1 76 1.  He  came  to  Curacoa  in  America,  &  tarried  there  two 
years,  taking  care  of  the  Synagogue  in  room  of  one  gone  to  Hol- 
land to  finish  his  Studies  and  be  made  a  Rabbi :  upon  whose 
Return  R.  Isaac  went  about 


396  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 

1764  From  Curacoa  for  Amsterdam— &  thence  over  Land  to 
Frankfort,  Nuremberg,  Ausburge,  to  Leghorn.  At  Leghorn  took 
ship  for  the  holy  Land,  landed  at  Joffa  or  Joppa,  thence  rode 
to  Jerusalem  in  one  da}^  and  in  half  a  day  more  the  next  day  to 
Hebron  [in  Aug.  1764] — arriving  at  Hch'on  21  Days  after  he  sailed 
.from  Leghorn.  He  has  a  Wife,  a  Son  and  a  Daughter  at  Hebron. 
He  tarried  at  Hebron  almost  four  years  ;  and  then 

176S.  Shipt  at  Joppa  and  landed  at  Marseilles  ; — thence  by  Land 
through  France ,  resided  at  Paris  4  months  ;  thence  to  England. 
He  resided  in  London  2)^  years,  and  taught  the  scholars  in  the 
Bit  Madrash  there,  receiving  an  annual  Salary  of  ^100  sterling. 
There  was  but  one  Rabbi  in  Ofiice  in  London  R.  Moses  Cohen  Aza- 
vado  now  living  :  R.  Nieto  was  indeed  living  then,  but  Emeritus 
or  out  of  Office. 

1 77 1.  From  London  R.  Isaac  came  a  second  Time  to  America 
and  went  to  Jamaica,  where  he  staid  one  year,  and  remitted 
thence  \'ia  London  and  Leghorn  1000  Dollars  to  his  Wife  in 
Hebron. 

1772.  He  came  from  Jamaica  in  the  Summer  of  1772  to  Phila- 
delphia where  he  staid  one  month  ;  and  came  to  N.  York  where  he 
staid  5^  months  ;  and  arrived  at  Newport  March  3,  1773.  He 
goes  from  hence  to  Surinam. 

[Died  in  Barbadoes  1778  circa.] 

Ex  Ore  Rabbi. 

8 Mr.  Russmeyer  tells  me  that  about  2  years  ago, 

or  1 77 1  Martin  Mack  was  ordained  at  Bethlehem  in  Pennsylvania  a 
Bishop  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum  by  Bishop  Nathaniel  Seidel  and 
Bishop  Matthew  Hchl  two  Bishops  of  the  Unity.  This  as  far  as  I 
learn  is  the  first  Bishop  ordained  in  America.  Bishop  Mack  was 
ordained  for  the  West  Indies  and  resides  at  St.  Thomas's  or  St. 
Croix.  And  June  6,  1773  Trinity  Sunday,  at  Bethlehem  aforesaid, 
John  Michael  Graff  ^\..  55,  cir.  was  ordained  a  Bishop  of  the  Unity 
by  Bp.  Seidel  and  Bp.  Hchl.  Bishop  Graff  is  ordained  for  Warhovia 
in  North  Carolina,  Warhovia  so  named  from  a  place  in  Germany, 
is  a  Tract  of  100,000  Acres  granted  to  the  Brethren  for  a  settle- 
ment;  it  is  made  a  Parish  by  Act  of  Assembly.  Thus  at  length 
we  have  Episcopal  Bishops  made  in  America.  We  have  long 
ago  made  Apostolical  Bishops  or  Pastors  of  the  Churches,  coequal 
Presbyters. 


JULY  8-12,  1773  397" 

9.  The  24th  lilt,  died  Rev.  George  Wlieatoii'  of  Clermont  set. 
22,  and  second  year  of  his  Ministry.  His  Father  was  a  Baptist,  his 
Mother  a  pasdobaptist,  and  he  was  baptized  in  Infancy  :  and  at 
adult  years  chose  to  settle  a  paedobaptist  Minister.  His  Life  was 
short,  but  he  was  of  an  amiable  Character.  Thermometer  here  83 
[at  Providence  96]. 

10.  Went  to  Synagogue.  Instead  of  reading  the  prophets,  the 
Hazan  chaunted  the  Chapter,  which  was  the  first  Chapter  of  Jere- 
miah. But  what  was  more  remarkable  was  that,  after  chaunting  a 
period  in  Hebrczv,  he  chaunted  the  same  in  Spanisli.  I  believe  it 
was  so  done  here  before.     This  is  Targum.     Therm"  88^. 

11.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Jer.  xxvi,  13  on  occasion 
of  the  present  severe  Drought,  there  having  been  no  Rain  since 
17th  of  June  except  a  shower  the  25th.  At  Noon  I  received  a 
Racquet  from  Rev.  Mr.  Zubly^  of  Georgia,  in  which  he  recom- 
mended Rev.  Mr.  Lawton  an  Episcopal  Clergyman  Rector  of 
Savanna,  coming  hither  for  his  Health,  with  his  Wife  and  Child  in 
the  same  Vessel  with  my  Letter.  The  Vessel  arrived  here  this 
Morning  ;  but  it  has  pleased  God  that  Mr.  Lawton  Died  on  the 
Passage  Eight  days  ago.  His  Corps  was  preserved  and  brought 
in  here.  P.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  xxxvi,  8,  9.  Attend  Mr.  Law- 
ton's  Funeral.  At  Sunset  his  Corps  brought  ashore,  but  too 
offensive  to  admit  of  a  procession.  He  was  carried  to  the  Church 
Yard  and  buried  there  ;  a  great  Concourse  of  People — most  kept  at 
a  Distance.     Therm '^  91,  at  highest. 

12.  This  Forenoon  visited  by  Mr.  Washington  an  English  Gen- 
tleman of  considerable  Reading.  Mr.  Zubly  writes  me  concerning 
the  Orphan  House — "  of  the  Students  Lady  Huntingdon  sent  over 
three  (Cook,  Hill  and  Roberts)  preach  every  Lordsday  and  twice 
in  the  Week.  The  President  Mr.  Pierce  twice  every  Lordsday; 
the  Chaplain  and  Tutor  and  one  of  the  Students  are  returned  to 
England,  and  Matters  seem  to  me  carried  on  without  common 
prudence  and  not  with  much  more  Honesty.  There  have  been  no 
Orphans  at  Dethesda  for  years  ;  and  now  here  come  a  parcel  of  Lay- 
preachers,  and  live  on  what  was  given  to  Orphans.  The  Destruc- 
tion of  that  House  &c In  the  Fright  the  Pictures  of  the 

'Born  in  Norton,  Mass.,  1751  ;  graduated  at  Harvard  1769;  ordained  in 
Claremout,  N.  H.,  1772, 

-  A  part  of  Mr.  Zubly's  letter  is  printed  in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Mass.  His- 
torical Society,  viii,  214-19. 


398  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

Reformers,  were  saved  ;  Mr.  Whitfield's  Bust,  his  Effigies  in  Wax 
Work,  and  Picture  which  cost  lOo  Guineas  left  to  the  Flames. 
Since  this  Conflagration  the  President  has  made  a  purchase  of  53 
new  Negroes"  for  the  Orphan  House  Lands. 

The  Rabbi  came  and  spent  the  Afternoon  with  me 

He  said,  when  he  was  a  Boy  set.  10,  there  came  to  Hebron  a 
Samaritan,  who  spent  the  Sabbath  I  think  at  the  House  where  he 
lived — that  the  Samaritan  kept  the  Sabbath  very  strictly  &  soberly 
continually  reading  his  Prayers,  but  did  not  go  to  the  Synagogue 
with  the  Jews  at  the  Time  of  their  Worship,  but  went  there  after- 
wds. — that  he  supposes  they  must  have  a  considerable  Collection 
of  Prayers,  &  thinks  the  most  of  them  may  be  probably  like  the 
Jews,  &  so  ver}'  antient 

13.  Examin-  Philo  de  Vita  Mosis. 

14.  Writing  an  Hebrew  Letter.     This  day  my  Wife  is  aet.  42. 

15.  Spent  the  Afternoon  with  the  Rabbi,  partlj'  at  the  Redwood 
Library  and  partly  at  my  House.  I  asked  him  whether  the  Rabbins 
of  this  Age  thought  themselves  to  have  anj^  particular  Reasons  for 
expecting  the  Messiah  immediately  ?  He  said  not  ;  but  he  thought 
it  was  high  Time  for  him  to  come  ;  He  added,  that  if  all  Nations 
were  in  War  and  universal  Tumult  and  Confusion,  then  he  should 
expect  him  immediately,  but  this  not  being  more  the  Case  now 
than  in  every  current  Age,  &c.  .  .  .  The  Rabbi  has  the  Zohar  in 
3  vol.  4'",  printed  at  Constantinople 

16.  Comparing  my  Zohar  with  the  Rabbi's.  In  comjiany  with 
the  Rabbi.  He  told  me  he  rode  over  the  River  Jordan  on  Horse- 
back against  Jericho  which  was  near  the  River  :  he  said  it  was  a 
very  shallow  River  and  almost  dr}-  in  vSummer.  He  had  been  at 
all  the  twelve  or  13  Synagogues  in  the  I10I3'  Land,  and  gave  me  the 
following  account  which  I  wrote  from  his  Mouth. 


One  Thousand 

Families 

Jews  in  all 

Judea 

or  Holy  Land 

A.  D.  1773. 


5  Synagogues  at  Jerusalem,  large 

2  at  Sapliat  large  2  at  Damascus 

T  at  Tiberias  small  i  at  vSidon 

I  at  Hebron  large  107  Families,  i  at  Alleppo  large 

I  at  Gaza  large  Only  12  Synagogues  in  the 

I  at  Shechem  small  Holy  Land. 

I  at  Acco  —  large 

12  and  I  at  Jaffa  only  a  Chamber  for  Worship  occasionally, 
but  not  every  Sabbath. 


He  said  there  were  more  Synagogues  in  Syria  than  Palestine. 


JULY  13-19,  1773  399 

18.  Lordsday  A.M.  I  published  the  Banns  of  Marriage  between 
W"  Thurston  and  Priscilla  Norman.  I  preached  all  day  on  i 
Chron.  xxviii-9. — and  baptized  Mehitable  Daughter  of  Capt.  W" 
Augustus  Peck  and  Mary  his  Wife.  In  the  Evening  Rabbi  H.  I. 
Karigal  came  to  take  his  Ivcave  of  me  and  my  Family,  which  he 
did  very  affectionately.     He  is  to  sail  the  first  Wind  for  vSurinam. 

19.  Finishing  a  Hebrew  lyetter  to  the  Rabbi.  In  the  Afternoon 
I  visited  the  Rabbi,  and  shewed  him  my  Letter  which  I  had  not 
Time  to  copy  it  being  four  leaves  or  eight  pages.  He  desired  me 
to  cop3^  it  and  send  it  to  him,  and  to  correspond  wntli,  telling  me 
he  would  always  write  to  me  from  anj^  part  of  the  World  wherever 
he  should  be.  As  he  had  told  me  that  he  had  rode  over  Jordan 
against  Jericho,  I  observed  to  him  that  he  had  then  seen  the  place 
where  Joshua  led  Israel  thro'  Jordan  on  dry  Ground  ;  and  asked 
him  if  the  stones  Joshua  put  in  the  Bottom  of  Jordan  were  still  in 
being — adding  that  if  they  were  there  they  might  easily  be  found, 
as  the  water  was  so  shallow.  He  said  he  did  not  think  of  it  when 
he  passed  Jordan,  but  that  he  believed  the  place  of  the  Passage  was 

a  little  higher  up Mr.   Rivera'   shewed  me   a   Marriage 

Contract  of  his  Wife  to  her  former  Husband.  Conversed  upon 
their  Customs  as  to  Matrimony.  ...  I  asked  the  Rabbi  whether 
there  would  be  any  marrying,  any  Relations  of  Husbands  and 
Wives  in  the  Resurrection  ?  he  said  yes.  Whether  vSarah  would 
then  be  Abraham's  Wife?  yes.  If  a  Woman  had  had  more  Hus- 
bands than  one,  whose  wife  would  she  be?  particularly  whose  Wife 
would  Mrs.  Rivera  be  then  present,  whether  Mr.  Rivera's  or  her 
former  Husbands — in  the  Resurrection  ?  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rivera 
joyned  me  in  this  Question?  The  Rabbi  was  at  a  loss  and  could 
not  determine.  He  said  there  were  various  opinions  about  it— -God 
Almighty  only  could  determine — he  was  contented  to  know  that 
the  Resurrection  state  would  be  happy  and  glorious,  though  he  did 
not  pretend  to  be  able  to  answer  and  solve  all  Questions  and  mys- 
teries concerning  the  Circumstances  of  the  Resurrection  state.  He 
again  took  leave  of  me  ver}^  affectionately  praying  God  to  bless  me. 
I  told  him  I  parted  from  him  with  great  Reluctance,  and  should 
ever  retain  an  affection  for  him — that  it  was  probable  we  might 
never  see  each  other  in  the  Land  of  the  Living  and  wished  we 

^  Jacob  Rodriguez  Rivera,  one  of  the  most  prominent  of  the  early  (Portuguese) 
Jews  in  Newport.  He  was  a  large  importer,  particularly  of  dry  goods.  He  died 
on  Feb.  19,  1789,  aged  72  years. 


400 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


might  after  Death  meet  together  in  the  Garden  of  Eden  and  there 
rejoyce  with  Abraham  Isaac  and  Jacob,  and  with  the  soul  of  the 
Messiah  till  the  Resurrection.  He  wished  me  reciprocally  and  my 
Family  every  Blessing  and  desired  me  to  write  him  by  every  oppor- 
tunity— said  he  loved  me  from  the  Heart,  had  my  Name  in  his 
Book,  and  should  send  it  to  Jerusalem,  where  1  should  be  soon 
known  as  I  was  here. 

20.  There  is  a  pamphlet  in  town  by  Mr.  Murray  of  Philadelphia. 
It  is  .said  that  Mr.  Murray  in  Conversation  uses  this  Simile — the 
King  has  sent  over  a  Universal  pardon  and  assigned  to  all  an 
Inheritance  ;  those  who  believe  the  good  News  enjoy  the  Inheri- 
tance alread}-  in  Prospect — the  others  will  as  really  come  to  the 
promised  possession  as  they,  whether  Believers  or  not.  So  universal 
Salvation. 

21.  This  day  Rabbi  Haijm  Isaac  Karigal  sailed  for  Surinam. 
Rev.  Mr.  Emmons  of  Wrentham  visited  me  with  Mr.    Hopkins  ; 

also  3  Scholars  of  Providence  College I  attended  my 

monthly  Meet^'  of  married  People  &  preached  to  them  on  Philip,  iii, 
S,  9,  at  Squire  Richardsons. 

22.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Even"  Eect.  Mr.  Emmons  preached 
Ps.  65,  4- 

23.  Began  to  read  Dr.  Mosheims  Eccl.  Histor3\ 

25.  Lordsda3\  A.  M.  I  preached  on  Prov.  xxvii,  i.  P.M.  Ps. 
86,  4,  5,  and  propounded  Mary  Doubleday  for  full  Communion, 
and  Sarah  Brown  for  owning  the  Covt.  for  Baptism 

27 At  XI'' A.M.  I  baptized  John  an  Infant  Child 

of  Mr.  Bowers  a  Quaker  and  his  Wife  a  Presbyterian,  at  his  House, 
he  having  consented  to  it.  I  had  propounded  Mrs.  Bowers  in  the 
Congregation  some  weeks  ago,  and  now  I  read  the  Covenant  to 
her  and  baptized  her  Child,  she  holding  it  up.  Mr.  Bowers  sailed 
a  fortnight  ago  for  London. 

28.  At  the  public  Commencement  at  Harvard  College  last 
W^ednesday  were  graduated  35  Bachellors  of  Arts,  33  Masters  of 
Arts  besides  2  ad  eundem.  And  the  Degree  of  Doctor  in  Divmity 
was  conferred  on  the  Rev''  Samuel  Locke  President  of  the  College  ; 
and  on  the  Rev.  Samuel  Mather  of  Boston  Son  of  Rev.  Dr.  Cotton 
Mather.  Also  the  Degree  of  Doctor  of  Laws  was  conferred  on  the 
Hon.  Professor  Winthrop,  pro  Meritis.  Besides  the  Syllogistic 
and  other  usual  Academic  Exercises,  there  was  a  Dialogue  in 
Arabic,    and    an    Oration   in   the  Indian    Lajignage  by   an   Indian 


JULY    20-28,    1773  401 

Missionary.  Last  Sabbath  Dr.  Coopers  new  Meetinghouse  in 
Brattle  Street  Boston  was  so  finished  that  the  Congregation  assem- 
bled in  it  for  the  first  Time.  The  Hon.  Tho.  Hubbard,  Esq.  of 
Boston  died  14th  Inst.  set.  71.  He  was  educated  at  Harvard  Col- 
lege of  which  he  was  Treasurer — he  had  been  of  the  Council — an 
eminent  Merchant  —  a  hospitable  ministerial  Man — of  a  pious 
Character. 

There  have  been  great  accessions  this  j^ear  from  Europe  chiefly 
to  the  Western  provinces.  In  April  last  there  were  thirty  two 
Ships  advertised  at  Belfast  &c  in  the  North  of  Ireland  for  Passen- 
gers removing  to  settle  in  America. 

Letter  from  Cherry  Valley  to  the  Board  of  Commissioners  at 
Boston  for  propagating  the  Gospel  among  the  Heathen  Nations 
dated  July  2,  1773,  giving  an  account  of  the  Ordination  of  Mr. 
Crosby  their  Missionarj^  at  Onahoquaughe — near  the  Sources  of 
the  East  Branch  of  Susquahanna  River. 

"  HONORABI,E  AND  REVD  GENTLEMEN. 

I  am  desired  to  transmit  to  you  some  Account  of  the  Ordination  of  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Crosby  now  Missionary  at  Onaghoquage.  Present  the  Rev''  Messieurs 
Samuel  Dunlop  of  Cherrj-  Valley,  Samuel  Kirtland  Missionary  at  Oneyda, 
Alex.  Miller  of  vShenacdada,  and  Samuel  Johnston  of  New  Lebanon.'  Mr. 
Aaron  Crosbj^  appeared  with  a  Testimonial  of  his  being  licensed  to  preach  the 
Gospel  by  an  Association  held  at  Brookfield  in  New  England  ;  and  after  the 
Examination  had  of  the  candidate,  the  Ministers  proceeded  to  his  Ordination 
by  Prayer  and  Laying  on  of  Hands  &c.  The  Sermon  was  preached  by  Mr. 
Miller  from  Mark  xvi,  15.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Dunlop  presided  in  the  Ordination 
taking  the  Candidates  Obligation  and  making  the  Ordination  Prayer  with  the 
Imposition  of  Hands  ;  Mr.  Kirtland  gave  the  Charge,  first  in  English  and  then 
in  Indian,  that  the  Indians  might  be  made  acquainted  with  the  great  Import- 
ance and  Solemnit}^  of  the  Charge  ;  and  Mr.  Johnston  gave  the  Right  Hand  of 
Fellowship.  Near  thirty  Indians,  as  Representatives  of  the  Church  at  Onoho- 
quaghe  were  present ;  and  about  as  man}-  more  from  Oneida  attended  on  the 
Occasion,  who  behaved  with  great  Decency  and  Regularity,  performing  the 
psalmody  both  at  the  beginning  and  close  of  the  Work  in  three  parts  with 
great  Exactness — they  also  sang  an  Anthem  in  Indian  composed  by  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Kirtland  for  that  Occasion.  In  the  Evening  the  Rev''  Mr.  Kirtland  con- 
vened the  Indians  again,  gave  them  a  Lecture  in  the  Indian  Tongue,  and 
prayed  both  in   English  and  Indian  for  the  benefit  of  the  promiscuous  Multi- 

^Mr.  Crosby  was  graduated  at  Harvard  in  1770;  Kirtland  at  Princeton  in 
1765  ;  Miller  at  Princeton  in  1764  ;  and  Samuel  Johnson  at  Yale  in  1769. 
Onaghoquage  was  included  in  the  present  township  of  Windsor,  Broome 
County,  N.  Y.     See  also  Documents  relating  to  the  Colonial  Hist,  of  N.  Y., 

viii,  551- 

26 


402 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


tude  ;  at  wliicli  Time  the  Indians  performed  the  Psahnody  and  sang  an  Anthem, 
\nth  oreat  Solemnit}-.  Next  morning  the  Chiefs  of  the  Indians  retnrned  their 
most  sincere  thanks  to  their  Fathers  the  honorable  Board  &c — and  also  to  the 
Ministers  who  officiated  in  the  Ordination,  observing  that  they  never  before 
conceived  or  had  even  the  most  distant  Thought  of  the  Weight  &  Importance 
of  a  Gospel  Ministry.'' 

Yesterda}'  I  spent  the  Afternoon  in  Company  with  Mr.  Washing- 
ton, an  Enghsh  Gentleman,  of  whom  I  can  form  no  Idea.  I  judge 
him  cet.  40  [50] ,  ver}'  genteel,  something  versed  in  Books  and  of 
general  Learning.  He  took  Neals  History  Puritans  out  of  the 
Library  and  also  Colliers  Dictionary- — brotight  over  a  Collection  of 
Books  for  himself,  and  says  he  has  another  parcel  come  for  him  at 
Piscataqua.  He  does  no  apparent  business,  is  at  private  Lodgings 
and  has  no  Connexions  in  Town  nor  will  have  any.  He  is  inti- 
mately acquainted  with  Administration  and  came  from  London  last 
April.  He  told  me  he  was  last  year  in  America,  and  from  N.  York 
went  to  Albany,  vSir  William  Johnsons,  Ontario,  and  as  far  as 
Niagara  Falls,  but  no  farther.  He  had  carefully  observed  the 
Indians.  He  has  been  in  the  Southern  Provinces,  resided  at 
Chariest"  So.  Carolina.  He  is  very  polite,  but  still  not  in  the  least 
taken  up  in  Gaiet}'  and  Dissipation.  Appears  always  full  of 
Thought  and  Weightiness,  not  Anxiety  ;  his  Mind  is  deeply  taken 
up  with  some  thing  ;  but  what  that  something  is  does  not  appear. 
He  conversed  freely  on  any  subject  as  Antiquities,  natural  History, 
the  Jtis  civile  &c.  I  tried  him  on  many  subjects — he  was  ready  at 
all,  but  I  could  see  they  were  all  indifferent  to  him,  they  were  not 
that  something  that  engrossed  his  Mind.  I  believe  he  is  a  ver}^ 
substantial  and  judicious  Man  whose  Observations  might  be  well 
relied  upon  even  b}-  a  Pitt.  I  endeavored  to  consider  him  as  travel- 
ling America  to  explore  Mines — to  pitch  for  a  Colony — seek  out 
Birth  for  an  Office  here — philosophic  Search  of  Fossils,  Vegetables, 
Minerals  &c.  &c.  I  brought  on  Things  in  Conversation  that  made 
Trial  of  him  in  such  respects.  But  nothing  appeared.  He  has 
no  Views  of  settling  in  America.  Judge  him  on  the  whole  to 
be  a  Man  of  great  Importance,  not  indeed  of  the  Nobility,  but 
a  Man  of  real  political  Greatness — he  carry s  an  Air  about  him 
of  being  something  more  than  common.  The  Ministry  have  sent 
out  many  to  travel  and  report  and  observe  the  internal  State 
of  the  Colonies — I  have  known  several  of  very  slender  Talents. 
This  Man  I  believe  to  be  one,    and   I   am   sure  he  will  report  with 


JULY    29,    1773  403 

great  Judgment.  He  is  undoubtedly  prejudiced  against  America, 
but  I  believe  he  will  give  a  more  true  Idea  of  it  than  any  before. 
He  is  a  Man  fit  to  travel  the  Empire  of  China  as  a  Spy  to  be  relied 
upon. — Monthly  meeting  of  my  Church  at  Sister  Stevens.  I 
preached  on  i  Jno.  iv,  9. 

29.  Went  to  the  Synagogue,  it  being  the  Anniversary  Fast  for 
the  Destruction  of  the  Temple  both  by  Nebuchadnezzar  and  Titus. 
They  began  at  VII  and  held  till  Noon 

Capt.  Simon  Rhodes  of  Stonington  tells  me  that  Capt.  Dennison 
of  that  place  arrived  about  10  days  ago  in  13  days  from  Guardaloiip , 
and  says  that  a  few  days  before  he  came  away,  the  ecclesiastical 
Estates  of  all  the  Religions  were  seized  to  the  Kings  use — and  it 
was  said  that  the  Edict  was  universal  and  to  be  executed  in  Old 
France  and  in  the  Plantations  on  the  same  day — and  that  the  King 
of  France  designed  to  abolish  all  the  Fraternities  and  reduce  the 
religions  to  one  order  : — and  that  the  common  people  were  rather 
pleased  with  it.  I  can  scarcely  believe  the  measure  so  extensive. 
There  are  200  Thousand  Ecclesiastics  in  France,  and  of  25  Millions 
Sterling  public  Revenue  they  command  16  Millions.  Thej^  ma}^  be 
reduced  to  15  Thousand,  eno'  for  Ministers  to  15  or  20  Million 
people.  This  Reformation  and  Revolt  of  near  one  Third  of  the 
whole  Pontifical  Body  must  be  a  great  Shock  to  the  Man  of  Sin, 
should  it  prove  true.  The  Extirpation  of  the  Jesuits  was  wonder- 
ful. God  can  make  the  Avarice  of  Princes  a  means  to  effect  great 
Purposes. 

Mr.  Washington  spent  the  Afternoon  with  me  at  the  Library 
from  HI"  to  Sonset.  He  told  me  that  he  had  known  persons  per- 
forming with  a  seco7id  Voice,  i.  e.  could  so  alter  their  Voice  that  it 
should  seem  to  come  from  different  parts  of  a  Room,  but  he  thought 
not  without  motion  of  Lips.  Judge  Eightfoot'  was  by  and  said 
he  remembered  at  the  Playhouse  Covent  Garden  to  have  seen  one 
mimick  an  Infant  with  Voice  without  Motion  of  Lips,  the  Man 
entered  seemingly  with  a  crying  Baby  in  his  Hat  closed,  it  wept, 
cried  and  howled,  so  that  all  thought  it  real,  till  opening  the  Hat 
they  saw  there  was  no  Babe.  I  think  the  Art  of  making  a  Voice 
seem  to  come  from  Heaven  or  in  any  Direction  ad  libitum,  is  a  suf- 
ficient Degree  of  Ventriloquism  to  solve  all  the  Oracles  of  Apollo 
and  the  speaking  oaks  of  Dodona,  or  the  Voice  of  Memnon.     Mr. 

^Robert  L,ightfoot,  formerly  Judge  of  Vice  Admiralty  in  the  Southern  Co2o. 
nies,  who  had  removed  to  Newport  for  his  health. 


404 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


Washington  conversed  on  all  subjects  sensibly.  He  is  extensively 
and  not  superficially  acquainted  with  Books,  he  has  for  years  been 
a  Member  of  the  Society  of  Arts  in  London,  &  tells  me  he  was  on 
the  Committee  1763  for  adjudging  the  Gold  Medal  to  Dr.  Jared 
Eliot. — I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture. 

30.   Read   Dr.    Furneaux's  Letters  in  Defence  of  the  Dissenters 
against  Dr.  Blackstone. 

Aug. 

1.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  2  Pet.  iii,  8,  9,  and  published  a 
Couple.  P.M.  Ps.  cxix,  174,  and  notified  Catechis^.  Reading 
Dionysius  the  Areopagite. 

2.  At  V'   P.M.    catechised    14    Boys,    42  Girls  &    5    Negroes. 

Tot.  61 The  American  Prints  are  frequently  giving  an 

Account  of  Ships  arriving  with  settlers.  I  have  several  Times 
attempted  to  collect  the  scattered  Accounts,  but  have  not  done  it  so 
as  to  form  an  accurate  View  of  the  Accessions.  In  general  it  may 
be  said  that  now  is  a  Time  of  profuse  Accessions  to  America,  be5^ond 
an}'  heretofore.  The  greatest  Accession  formerly  was  that  at  the 
first  settlement  of  New  England,  when  in  a  dozen  years  from  1629 
to  1642  arrived  Twenty  Thousand  Souls  ;  and  I  think  Gov.  Win- 
throp  says  the  greatest  amount  of  Arrivals  in  one  3'ear  was  about 
three  Thousand  or  perhaps  3200 

4 Mr.  Otis  tells  me  that  Mr.  Murray  has  been  to  Georgia 

and  preached  in  Mr.  Zublj's  Meeting  at  Savanna.  In  the  pamphlet 
entitled  Apostolic  Preaching  ascribed  to  Mr.  Murray,  he  has  this 
' '  The  Apostle  saith  that  God  hath  given  us  Eternal  Life,  and  that 
this  Life  is  in  his  Son  ;  and  that  he  zvho  believeth  not  this  Record,  hath 
made  God  a  Liar,  i  Jn"  v,  10,  11.  From  whence  it  is  plain,  that 
he  who  believeth  not  hath  Eternal  Life  given  him  in  the  Son  of 
God  as  full}'  as  him  who  believeth,  else  it  doth  not  appear  how  he 
could  make  God  a  Liar  bj-  not  believing  ;  nor  how  the  Unbeliver 
can  be  censured  for  not  believing  what  was  not  true."  It  is  plain 
the  Author  holds  universal  Salvation,  yet  he  denied  this  to  me. 

5 This  Evening  I  married  W"   Thurston  and  Priscilla 

Norman.  This  Afternoon  I  was  visited  by  Mr.  Bo.stwick*  set.  20, 
Son  of  the  late  Rev.  David  Bostwick  Presbyterian  Minister  in  N. 
York.  He  has  lately  turned  Baptist.  His  Story  is  this.  The 
Presbytery  of  N.  York  have  a  Fund   to  assist  Students  in  Divinity 

^  See  below,  Sept.  23,  1773. 


JULY    30- AUGUST   6,    1773  405 

in  their  Education  at  College.  They  procured  young  Bostwick  to 
be  fitted  for  College.  But  being  of  a  roving  and  unsettled  Disposi- 
tion and  somewhat  venturous  and  enterprizing  he  went  off  in  a 
Voyage  to  Guinea.  This  did  not  content  him,  but  he  struck  off 
again  and  went  another  Voyage  to  London.  The  Ministers  for  his 
Fathers  sake  took  much  pains  with  him,  and  a  change  being  hope- 
fully wrought  in  him,  they  put  him  to  Jersey  College  under  Dr. 
Witherspoon  ;  this  is  his  3"  or  Junior  Year.  At  length  last  Fall  or 
Winter  he  privately  married  at  N.  York  and  kept  it  a  secret  4  or  5 
Months.  He  tells  me  he  has  been  inclined  to  the  Baptists  about 
I  >2  5'ear.  He  left  College  last  May.  He  tells  me,  he  laid  his  Case 
before  the  Presbj^tery  as  thinking  it  not  honest  to  continue  longer 
■on  their  Charity,  while  he  could  no  longer  be  a  psedobaptist.  They 
used  all  the  Arguments  to  convince  him  but  without  Effect  ;  they 
generousl}^  offered  him,  he  said,  to  maintain  him  in  College  till  he 
took  his  Degree  notwithstanding  he  was  a  baptist,  and  I  suppose 
notwathstanding  his  Marriage,  tho'  I  don't  know  that  this  was 
then  public.  But  he  declined  it,  and  came  hither  with  Mr.  Gano 
of  N.  York,  who  rebaptised  him  b}-  Immersion  at  Providence  a  few^ 
weeks  since 

....  Rev.  Mr.  Miles  of  Swanzy  was  the  only  Baptist  Minister 
in  New  England  that  had  been  ordained  by  the  Bp.  in  England. 
And  notwithstanding  Mr.  Backus  attempt  to  prove  the  N.  E.  Bap- 
tists Ordination  derived  from  him  ;  I  had  reason  to  be  verj^  nearl3^ 
assured  that  he  never  ordained  a  Minister.  And  that  Rhode  Island 
and  Providence  Baptist  Ministers  commenced  their  Origin  in  I^a}'- 
Ordin"-  above  20  years  before  Mr.  Miles  came  to  Sw^anz3\ 

6.  Read  Rev.  Edward  Barnards  Convention  Sermon  27  May 
lilt. — and  Observations  on  Congregational  Church  Government  by 
Boston  Convention  May  26  continued  by  Adjournment  to  23''  July 
last — chiefly  against  a  Church's  dismissing  and  deposing  its  Pastor 
without  and  especially  contrarj^  to  the  Advice  of  an  ecclesiastical 
Council.  The  Occasion  of  it  w^as  this,  the  Church  of  Bolton  had 
voted  a  Dismission  of  their  Pastor  Mr.  Goss  contrarj^  to  the  Advice 
of  a  Council  which  they  had  jo3-ned  in  calling. 

From  Mr.  Bostwick  I  learn  more  of  Mr.  Page,  [see  March  8,  1773.] 
He  is  an  illiterate  man,  knowing  Nothing  of  Eatin  or  Greek.  He 
was  sent  over  to  America  a  few  years  ago  to  take  Care  of  some  New 
Jersey  Eands  belonging  to  a  Eady  in  England.  He  became  relig- 
ious and  joyned  as  a  Communicant  in  the  Presbyterian  Church  at 


4o6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

N.  York  under  Dr.  Rogers.  He  had  a  mind  to  set  up  preaching 
in  Imitation  of  the  Westleian  Methodists.  His  business  carrying 
him  among  the  New  Lands,  he  exhorted  and  preached  among  the 
Settlers  in  the  Frontiers  ;  till  at  length  he  wanted  Ordination,  but 
did  not  at  first  see  how  he  could  obtain  it.  He  indirectly  applied 
to  the  Presby.  without  success.  He  then  addressed  himself  to  a 
Westleian  Preacher  of  Note  in  N.  York  and  asked  his  Testimonial 
and  Recommendation — again  without  success.  He  then  conceived 
a  Scheme  of  going  to  Quebec  and  getting  Ordination  from  the 
popish  Bp.  Briand  there,  then  to  renounce  Popery  and  become  a 
protestant  Clergyman — in  free  but  secret  Converse  he  communicated 
this  to  a  Friend  :  who  was  so  disgusted  with  this  Hypocrisy,  that 
he  wrote  a  Letter  to  Mr.  Harding  the  Romish  Priest  at  Philadelphia 
and  informed  him  the  whole  matter.  Mr.  Page  waited  on  that 
Priest  and  asked  his  Recommendation  to  Bp.  Briand  for  Ordination 
as  a  Roman  Catholic  ;  the  Priest  produced  the  Letter — Mr.  Page 
was  confounded  and  went  off.  Then  he  conceived  another  Scheme, 
and  embarkt  for  Europe,  appeared  as  a  ]\Iethodist  in  London  and 
was  for  going  forth  one  of  the  many  Successors  of  Mr.  Whitfield. 
He  applied  to  the  Countess  of  Huntingdon  who  took  him  under  her 
Patronage  among  the  Number  whom  she  was  procuring  to  be 
ordained  for  America  to  carrj-  on  Mr.  Whitfields  Work.  Mr.  Page 
also  worked  himself  into  an  Intimacy  with  the  Bp.  of  London's 
Son,  who  commended  him  to  his  Father.  Lady  Huntington  pro- 
cured and  brought  about  that,  I  think  6  or  7  Gentlemen,  were  last 
fall  ordained  by  the  Bp.  of  London  for  the  Orphan  House  at 
Georgia  and  for  travelling  America.  Mr.  Page  was  one  of  the 
Number,  tho'  he  knew  nothing  of  Greek  or  Latin,  or  of  Ecclesias- 
tical History  and  Theology.  He  came  immediately  to  America  ; 
landing  in  N.  England,  the  general  Fame  was  that  he  was  one  of 
Lady  Huntingdons  Chaplains  and  going  to  reside  at  the  Orphan 
House,  and  a  mixture  of  other  blind  report  that  he  might  settle  in 
some  of  the  frontiers.  It  is  to  be  remembered  that  previous  to  his 
going  to  London,  he  tra\-elled  the  Frontiers  of  Pensylvania  and 
read  prayers  and  preached  among  the  Settlers  on  the  West  Branch 
of  Susquehanna ;  and  had  the  Art  to  obtain  a  few  subscriljers 
among  them  to  a  petition  to  the  V>p.  of  London  to  ordain  him  for 
them.  At  some  places  in  Boston  he  talked  so  much  of  Lady  Hunt- 
ingdon and  sliewed  Letters  from  her — that  Mr.  Mason  who  corre- 
sponded with  her  and  knew  her  Writing  asked   Mr.  Page  for  some 


AUGUST   6,    1773  407 

of  her  Letters,   when   he  owned   lie  had  none.     He  passed  thro' 
Newport  to  N.  York.     When  he  came  there  the  City  was  alarmed 
with  Mr.   Whitfields  Successor.     And  tho'   he  was  known  there, 
3^et  it  was  rather  as  a  pious  man,  for  his  Hypocris}^  was  not  yet 
fully  developed.     It  is  said  to  have  been  his  Stipulation  with  the 
Bp.  of  London  that  he  would  first  offer  to  preach  at  Church  if  any, 
and  not  elsewhere  till  refused.     This,  or  at  least  Mr.  Page's  Epis- 
copal   Ordination   was   notified    to   the    Clergy.     Accordingly    Dr. 
Auchmut}^    asked   him   to   preach    at    Church.     The   Church  was 
crouded  and  Mr.  Page  delivered  one  of  ArchBp.   Sharps  Sermons 
on  the   Deceitfulness  of  the  Heart,  to  good  Acceptance.     In  the 
Afternoon  the  Assembh'  was  more  crouded,    (the  other  places  of 
Worship  being  derelict)  when  he  preached  not  Dr.  Sharp  but  him- 
self, and  made  such  a  contradictory  and  confused  Discourse  as  dis- 
gusted the  Auditor3\     Dr.  Rogers  the  Presb.  Minister  intended  to 
have  invited  him — but  the  public  were  cloyed  with  him  ;  and  the 
Church  Doors  became  litterally  barred  against  him.     Upon  this  a 
Number  of  his  Admirers  turned  a  large  Store  into  a  Church,  built 
a   Pulpit  and   Gallery-,  and  here  Mr.  Page  preaches  and  uses  the 
Liturgy  to  this  Day — tho'  his  Numbers  decrease,   that  it  is  that 
only  3  or  4  Men  of  Weight  adhere  to  him.     Soon  upon  his  return- 
ing to  America  he  visited  Princeton.     On  Lordsday  Morning  Dr. 
Witherspoon  sent  one  of  his  pupils,  Mr.  Bostwick  to  offer  him  his 
Pulpit.     Mr.  Page  readih'  accepted  and  preached  for  him.     But  the 
Doctor  was  so  disgusted  that   he  took  no  further  Notice  of  him. 
Mr.  Page  had  said  in  his  Sermon,  that  if  a  Man  had  any  sorrow  for 
sin  of  any  kind  and  for  whatever  motive  it  was  true  Repentance. 
Bostwick  returned  with   him   after  Meeting  to  his  Lodgings  and 
objected  against  this  and  some  other  Expressions.     Mr.  Page  per- 
sisted in  it,  with  an  Air  of  iVrrogance  dispising  that  he  was  treated 
with  Neglect  by  the  President — and  spake  some  high  things  of  what 
he  should  be  able  to  do  now  that  he  was  in  Orders.     And  speaking 
of  New  York  expressed  himself  thus   ' '  I  have  blown  up  a  Nor- 
Wester  in  N.  York  which  they  will  not  be  able  to  lay."     Sundry 
such  Expressions  have  escaped  him  indicating  a  light  trivial  Mind, 
having  no  sense  of  the  Importance  and  Solemnity  of  the  Evangeli- 
cal Ministry-.     Mr.  Bostwick  told  me,  that  he  once  heard  Mr.  Page 
in  his  new  Church  on  an  Evening  when  a  Plaj-  was  acted,  and 
many  were  gone  to  the  Plaj'house.     He  said  in  his  Sermon,    "  that 
not  one  who  was  gone  to  the  Pla3-house  was  converted,  and  declared 


4oS  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

that  never  was  a  person  converted  at  a  Playhouse — but  this,  says 
he  reminds  nie  of  a  Man  who  told  me  he  was  converted  upon  the 
stage,  and  from  that  moment  I  doubt  not  he  became  a  good  Chris- 
tian." Many  such  Contradictions  in  preaching  and  Stories  came 
out  with  the  most  foolish  Inadvertance.  So  that  a  Gentleman 
hearing  that  some  were  taking  pains  to  prove  Mr.  Page  a  Liar, 
laughed  at  it  and  said  he  proved  that  himself  in  every  one  of  his 
Sermons.  Mr.  Bostwick  further  told  me,  that  afterwards  being  in 
Company  with  him  Mr.  Page  shewed  him  sundry  Affidavits  and 
Testimonies  of  Mr.  Harding  the  Romish  Priest  at  Philadelphia 
and  others  respecting  Mr.  Pages  Application  for  Romish  Ordina- 
tion, and  also  sundry  Falshoods,  and  spurned  laughed  at  dispised 
them,  saying  his  Character  was  too  well  established  to  be  hurt 
by  them. 

8.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  cxix,  59,  60.  P.M.  on 
Heb.  xi,  I.  After  Sermon  I  admitted  Mary,  Wife  of  Doubleda}-  a 
Member  in  full  Communion  ;  and  led  Widow  Mar}^  Brown  to  pro- 
fess her  Faith  and  enter  into  Covenant  with  God  and  baptized  her 
and  her  Daughter  Elizabeth  set.  6. 

10.  This  Day  Isaac  was  Ten  years  old.  Yesterdaj-  visited  me 
Rev.  Samuel  West  of  Dartmouth  and  Rev.  Mr.  More'  of  Rochester. 

11.  Employed  in  hearing  Mr.  West  read  his  MS.  Piece  for  the 
Press  against  divine  prescience  being  founded  in  Decree. 

12.  Rev.  Mr.  Burt  of  Bristol  and  Rev.  Mr.  Shaw  of  Barnstable 
came.  So  with  Mr.  Hopkins  we  were  six  Congregational  Ministers 
together.  All  attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture, — preached  by  Mr. 
More  Eph.  v,  8. 

13.  Dined  together  at  Major  Otis's. 

[14.  Celebrated  at  Boston  and  Roxburj^  b}'  400  Sons  of  Liberty."] 

15.  Lordsday.     Mr.  West  preached  for  me  all  day  on  Matt,  v,  16. 

16.  In  company  with  Mr.  West. 

17.  Mr.  West  went  away.     Gen.  Assembly  sitting. 

18.  Evening  Meeting  at  Mr.  Pitman's  ;  I  preached  on  Jn"  iii,  17. 

19.  Did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins'   Lecture. 

20.  Visited  by  Mr.  Delisle  and  another  French  Gentleman  of 
Hispanola 

21.  Reading  Kidder's  Demonstration  of  Messiah. 

'  Jonathan  Moore  (Harvard  1761). 

*The  anniversary  of  the  first  popular  uprising  (at  Boston)  against  the  Stamp 
Act,  in  1765. 


AUGUST   8-26,    1773 


409 


22.  Lordsday.     A.M.    and   all   day   I   preached  on  Acts  xvii. 
being  sermons  I  preached  i<S  years  ago. 

23.  Ships  sailed  from  Ireland  for  Philadelphia 

Capt.  Ewing  with    .     .      .     513  Passengers — arrived. 
Capt.  Conyngham    .      .      .     270  D" 

Capt.  Alexander       .      .      .     630 
Capt.  Mitchel      .      .      .      .     580 


1993  (This  day  Ezra  began 

to  learn  French  with  Mr.  Delisle. )  In  another  Print  we  have  an 
Account  of  above  Seventeen  Thousand  Settlers  embarked  for  Amer- 
ica from  Europe  this  year,  chiefly  from  Ireland.  A  grand  Acces- 
sion this  ! 

An  exact  Ace"  has  lately  been  taken  at  New  York  of  the  Num- 
ber of  Inhabitants  in  that  City  and  County  as  follows  viz  : 

Whites     .     3720  Males  under  16  years  of  age.        3779  Females  under  16. 


Blacks 


5083  Males  from  16  to  60. 
280  Males  60  and  upwards. 

9083 

568  Males  under  16. 
890     D"      16  to  60. 
49     D'^     above  60. 

1507 


5864       D''       above  16. 

9643  Total  Females. 
9083    D"     Males. 

18,726  Tot.  Whites. 

558  Females  under  16, 
1085       D°       above  60. 

1643  Females. 
1507  Males. 


Whites  =  21,876,  Total  Inhabitants  in  the  City. 


3150  Total  Blacks    +    18,726 


24 I  find  by  the  Prints  that  Settlements  are  making  on 

the  Mis.sissippi  with  great  Rapidit^^  A  vessel  with  about  four 
hundred  Souls  lately  went  thither.  The  Military  Adventurers 
under  Gen.  layman  have  been  there  and  laid  out  a  number  of 
Townships  at  and  about  the  Nautchez.  It  is  said  that  a  Govern- 
ment is  granted  at  the  Mouth  of  Ohio  River  and  along  the  Missis- 
sippi and  Mr.  of  Philadelphia  appointed  Governor.  The  Wilder- 
ness of  America  is  all  alive  with  the  Travels  of  Settlers. 

25.  Monthly  Chh.  Meeting  at  Sister  Channings.  I  discoursed 
upon  2  Pet.  i,  10,  11. 

26.  Read  Mr.  Trumbulls  Sermon  last  April  before  the  Freemen 
at  New  Haven.  I  attended  Mr.  Hopkins  L,ect.  Mr.  Niles  preached 
on  Isai.  1,  10. 


4IO  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 

28.  Mr.  Kelly  and  liis  Church  met  again  in  their  Repaired  Meet- 
inghouse. 

29.  In  a  Philadelphia  Print  of  Aug.  16  Instant  I  find  "Within 
this  Fortnight  Three  Thonsand  Five  Hundred  Passengers  have 
arrived  in  this  Province  from  Ireland."  Also  Four  hundred  Fam- 
ilies in  six  Weeks  before  12^"  July  last  passed  down  Ohio  to  Missis- 
sippi to  settle  near  the  Xautchez.  About  1752  Mr.  Waldo  obtained 
a  Number  of  Germans  to  settle  on  his  I^ands  at  Broadbay  near  Ken- 
ebec — the}'  were  disappointed  and  displeased  with  their  Reception, 
however  settled  down  tho'  in  Disgust  with  some  Deceptions  they 
met  with.  They  had  100  Acre  Farms  along  a  River — they  built 
and  brought  to  the  Lands,  now  under  good  Improvement.  Some 
of  their  German  Brethren  in  Europe  have  lately  purchased  largely 
in  the  South  West  New  Land  of  Carolina  or  &c  &  have  persuaded 
those  of  Broadbay  to  joj-n  and  remove  thither  and  settle  together. 
Accordingly  these  Kennebec  Germans,  increased  to  300  Families  are 
now  on  the  Remove  and  are  selling  off  their  Estates  here  which  thej' 
set  at  a  low  price  of  ^100  for  a  100  Acre  Farm  with  House,  a  dozen 
head  Cattle.,  15  or  20  sheep,  and  their  Fields  seeded  with  Grain. 
The  Land  good 

31.  Rev.  ICben.  Kneeland'  Chaplain  to  his  Majesty's  sq'*"  Regi- 
ment, has  received  the  honorary  Degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  from 
the  Universit}'  of  Dublin. 

Sept. 

1 .  Whole  Number  of  Negroes  imported  into  Chariest"  S"  Caro- 
lina from  Nov.  i,  1772  to  July  26,  1773 

From  W.  Indies  in    26  Vessels       .     .       700 
N"  Colonies  in  6  D"  .     .         40 

Africa  33  D»  .     .     5731 

6471 

2.  Writing  Letters  to  New  Haven.     Did  not  attend  Mr.  Hop- 
kins Lecture. 

3.  Visited  by  Rev.  Mr.  Edmunds  of  So.  Carolina.     I  preached 
my  Sacramental  Lecture  on  Isai.  liii,  5. 

5.   Lordsday.     A.M.  I  preached  on  Jn°  vi,  58,  and  administered 
the  Lds.   Supper  to  60  Connnunicants.     P.M.    I  preached  at  Mr. 

'  Yale  Coll.  1761.  He  resij^ned  his  chaplaincy  in  176S,  and  became  minister 
of  the  Episcopal  Church  in  Stratford,  Conn.  This  rumor  of  a  degree  seems  to 
have  been  unfounded. 


AUGUST    28-SEPTEMBER    7,    1773  411 

Hopkins  Meeting  on  i  Cor.  ii,  14,  and  the  Rev.  Mr.  Edmonds 
preached  for  me.  Mr.  Edmunds  finished  and  came  into  my  Meet- 
ingh.  while  I  was  breaking  the  Bread  :  so  communicated  with  us. 

6.  Mr.  Edmunds  tells  me  he  was  in  ^-outh  acquainted  with  Dr. 
Watts  and  the  London  Ministers  and  was  educated  among  the  Dis- 
senters with  a  View  to  the  Ministry.  That  he  came  from  London 
to  America  aet.  20,  and  was  uncertain  whether  to  preach.  But  Mr. 
Smith  and  Mr.  Zubl}^  at  S°  Carolina  advised  him  to  preach  ;  and 
accordingl}'  he  finished  his  Theological  Studies  under  Mr.  Zubly, 
and  was  licensed  by  4  Ministers — preached  on  Probation  and  had  a 
Call  to  the  Congregational  Church  in  Charleston  and  was  ordained 
there'  by  Mr.  Smith,  Zubly  and  two  other  Ministers.  He  con- 
tinued in  Ministry  there  15  j-ears,  and  4  or  5  years  ago  he  asked  a 
Dismission,  and  removed  to  a  Congregation  a  Branch  of  Mr. 
Osgoods  Church  in  Georgia  about  30  Miles  from  Savanna.  I  en- 
quired Usages  in  Charleston  Church — he  said — the  Pastor  examined 
persons  for  Admission,  at  the  fryday  preparatory  Lecture  pro- 
pounded, and  next  Lordsday  at  the  Communion  said,  Brethren  this 
person  has  been  offered  and  propounded  and  no  Objection  offered, 
and  then  turning  to  the  person  ' '  you  may  take  your  place  with  us 
at  the  Table  of  the  Lord."  No  Relation  of  Experience,  no  Confes- 
sion of  Faith,  no  Church  Covenant,  no  Charge,  no  Vote  of  the 
Brethren — but  all  is  thus  done  by  the  Minister.  He  said,  it  was  a 
Rule  to  baptize  the  children  of  all  that  were  themselves  baptized, 
but  without  the  Parents  owning  Covenant  or  assenting  to  an}-  Con- 
fession of  faith  or  any  Declaration  or  receiving  any  public  Charge. 
I  askt  the  Course  in  Cases  of  Scandal  and  particularly  Antenuptial 
Fornication  ?  he  said  no  Instance  of  the  latter  happened  during  his 
Ministry  in  his  Church.  Tho'  it  had  in  other  Churches,  when  the 
person  stood  in  the  Alley  and  the  Minister  addressed  to  them  a  few 
Words  of  Confession  to  which  the  person  assented  before  the  Con- 
gregation. The  New  England  Meeting  or  Congregational  Chnrch 
at  Charleston  has  a  Communion  Table  i  yi  or  2  feet  wide  along  the 
broad  Alley  at  which  60  Communicants  sit,  and  the  rest  (Total  150 
Communicants)  draw  near  in  12  nearest  adjo^'ning  Pews,  and  the 
Deacons  carry  the  Elements. 

7.  Yesterday  I  received  a  long  Letter  from  the  celebrated  Mrs. 
Macaulay  the  Historian  dated  in  London  June  ult. 

^  Rev.  James  Edaionds  was  ordained  at  Charleston  in  December,  1754.     He 
died  in  Charleston  in  1794,  aged  71  years. 


.412  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

S.  Wednesday  r'  Inst.  Rev.  Jn"  Walk}'  was  installed  Pastor  of 
Church  in  Bolton  which  had  lately  dismissed  Rev.  Mr.  Goss,  Rev. 
Messrs.  Fish  of  Upton,  Chaplin  of  Sutton  and  Stone  of  Douglass 
performed  the  Solemnity.  A  Minority  of  this  Church  adhered  to 
Mr.  Goss,  and  a  Council  Dr.  Chauncy  Moderator  advised  them  to 
walk  as  a  Pastor  and  Church.  A  warm  Controversy  is  arisen  of 
the  Power  of  a  Church  to  dismiss  its  Pastor  contrary  to  advice  of 
Council — and  also  on  the  Pastors  Negative. 

Convention  Episcopal  Clergy  at  Boston 

9.  Examining  sundry  Texts  in  Lowth  and  W^hitby.  I  preached 
Mr.  Hopk.  Eect. 

11.  Visited  by  Messrs  Maccleuer  and  Frisby.' 

12.  Lordsday.  A.M.  Mr.  Maccleuer  preached  for  me  on  Euke 
18,  II.  P.M.  Mr.  Frisby  preached  2  Cor.  iv,  6.  And  I  baptized 
Stephen  Tripp  Son  of  Rd.  Simpson  ;  and  propounded  Jack  a  Negro 
Servant  of  Mr.  Mason  for  Admission  to  full  Communion  ;  and  noti- 
fied catechi-sing. 

13.  Finished  Marshall's  Travels.  .  .  At  V'  P.M.  I  catechised  40 
children. 

14.  The  25^''  ult.  was  Commencement  at  Dartmouth  College  : 
when  the  Degree  of  Doctor  in  Divinity  was  conferred  upon  the  Rev. 
Dr.  Haven  of  Portsmouth  &  the  Rev.  Stephen  Williams  of  Spring- 
field :  &  the  Doctorate  in  Laws  was  conferred  on  Gov.  Wentworth. 
He  had  formerly  received  that  same  Honor  at  Oxford  ;  as  had  Dr. 
Haven  from  Edinburgh. 

15.  Monthly  Meeting  at  W"  Trebys.     I  preached  on  Rom.  vi,  22. 

16.  Mr.  More  preached  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture. 

iS.  Wednesday  8*''  Inst,  was  the  Public  Commencement  at  Yale 
College,  when  37  graduated  Bachellors  of  Arts,  &  28  Masters  of 
Arts.  Of  these  4  were  honorar^^  At  the  same  Time  the  Degree 
of  Doctor  in  Divinitj'  was  conferred  upon  the  Rev''  Solomon  Williams 
of  Lebanon  and  the  Doctorate  in  Law  was  conferred  upon  Richard 
Jack.son  Esq.  in  London.  These  were  the  first  Doctorates  in 
Divinity  &  Law  ever  conferred  at  Yale  College.  The  Doctorate  in 
Physic  was  conferred  by  this  College  upon  Dr.  Daniel  Turner  of 
London  in  1720. 

19.   Ldsdy.     A.M.   I  preached  on  Gal.   iii,   21.     P.M.   on  Matt. 
21,  37.     No  meeting  at  Mr.  Hopkins's.      Reading  Harwoods  Intro-- 
duction  to  tlie  Study  of  the  N.  T. 

'  See  Diar}^  June  10,  1772. 


SEPTEMBER   8-26,    1773  413- 

22.  Monthly  Meeting  of  the  chh  at  Sister  Tophams.     I  discoursed 
on  Rom.  vi,  22. 

23.  I  preached  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture  Rom.  vi,  22.  Mr.  Hopkins 
returned  this  Evening.  He  tells  me  that  Mr.  Bostwick'  turns  out 
an  Impostor.  He  went  to  New  London  where  was  his  Mothers 
Brother  ;  and  put  himself  off  upon  Mr.  Woodbridge  for  a  Candidate 
for  the  Ministry  under  the  Wing  of  N.  York  Presbytery,  Upon 
which  Mr.  Woodbridge  set  him  to  preaching  on  Lordsday  forenoon 
and  afternoon.  Which  he  did  to  good  Acceptance,  u.sing  it  is  sup- 
posed his  Father's  Notes.  Upon  a  report  that  he  had  been  rebap- 
tized  at  Providence,  he  denied  to  Mr.  Woodbridge  that  he  w'as  a 
Baptist  and  that  he  had  been  baptized  at  Providence.  Mr.  Chapman 
Presb.  Minister  at  Newark  Mountains  in  journe3'ing  came  to  New 
London  while  Mr.  Bostwick  was  there,  and  convicted  him  of  his 
Villain}-  &  Hypocrisy.  Upon  which  he  confessed,  wept,  asked 
pardon,  &  promised  Reformation.  But  proceeding  to  Guilford 
imposed  on  Mr.  Brewer  &  preached  his  sacramental  Lecture.  Then 
he  w-ent  thro'  New  Haven  to  New  Milford,  &  again  also  imposed 
on  Mr.  Taj'lor  and  preached  for  him  all  Lordsday.  And  so  went 
forward.  He  had  told  me  that  he  was  a  Member  and  jun.  Sophister 
in  Jerse}^  College.  But  Dr.  Witherspoon  the  president  being  at 
New^  Haven  at  Commencement  told  Mr.  Hopkins,  that  Mr.  Bostwick 
was  not  a  INIember,  having  never  been  admitted  into  that  College  ; 
but  that  it  being  said  that  he  had  become  religious,  he  was  permitted 
to  live  there  and  had  li\'ed  at  College  about  six  Weeks,  stud}'ing 
under  Instruction  there  with  the  view  of  at  length  sustaining  an 
Examination  for  admission  into  the  Sophomore  Class  :  but  that 
before  his  Examination  came,  he  absconded.  Mr.  Woodbridge  told 
Mr.  Hopkins  that  Bostwick  had  told  him  above  150  Lies. 

24.  Lateh^  a  Revival  of  Religion  at  Stockbridge — about  30  added 
to  Mr.  Wests  Church  in  9  m".  said  to  be  b}-  power  of  New  Divinity. 
Mr.  West  has  excommunicated  the  last  Indian  out  of  his  Church, 
&  turned  over  the  Mission  to  Mr.  Sargeant.  Lately  a  Revival  of 
Religion  at  East  Guilford — between  30  and  40  added  to  Mr.  Todds 
Church  in  about  a  Twelvemonth  ;  this  by  the  power  of  div.  Grace 
accompanying  Mr.  Todd's  good  old  Evangel,  preaching  without  any 
Mixture  of  New  Divinity 

26.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Prov.  iv,  18.  P.M.  Isa.  1,  10. 
After  Sermon  I  baptized  Jack  a  Negro  Servant  of  Mr.  Mason  and 
admitted  him  into  a  state  of  full  Communion. 

'  See  above,,  Avig.  5,  1773. 


414 


DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 


27.  W^ent  to  the  Synogogiie.     Great  Day  of  Atonement. 

28.  Reviewing  the  Library. 

29.  Annual  Meeting  Redwood  Library  Company  when  they  again 
elected  me  Librarian  ;  and  voted  to  get  Mr.  Redwood's  Picture. 
Sept.  8th  Rev**  Nath'  Porter  ordained  in  a  new  Cong.  Chh.  at  New 
Durham  near  Winnepoesaukee  Pond  in  New^  Hampshire.  This  day 
Ke/.ia  act.  13. 

30.  Finished  Transcript  of  Letter  to  the  Rabbi.  No  Lecture  at 
Mr.  Hopkins.  Last  Night  and  to  day  a  good  Rain  blessed  be  God  ! 
We  have  been  in  great  Distress  on  Account  of  the  Drought,  having 
had  no  Supply  of  Rain  since  7"'  Aug.  w^hen  there  fell  near  8  Tenths 
of  an  Inch.  A  shower  on  14  and  23''  of  August  &  4""  Sept.  are  all 
that  we  have  had.    .    .   . 

Oct. 

1.  Rain. 

2.  Rain  Mane. 

3.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Jno.  ix,  41.  P.M.  Jonah  iii, 
9,  and  notified  Catechising  to  morrow^  at  V''  P.M. 

4.  Catechised  17  B.  48  G.  5  Neg.  Tot.  70. 

6.  Five  hundred  people  arrived  at  North  Carolina  from  Ireland, 
the  last  of  August,  settlers  there.  Wednesday  last  being  Sept.  29. 
Mr.  Thomas  Abbot  w^as  ordained  over  the  second  Church  in  Roxbury 
as  Co-pastor  with  Mr.  Walter  :  Mr.  Jackson  of  Brookline  began  the 
Solemnity  with  prayer,  Dr.  Mather  of  Boston  preached  from  i  Cor. 
iii,  7,  Mr.  Robie  of  Lynn  prayed  and  gave  the  Charge,  Mr.  Meriam 
of  Newton  praj^ed  after  the  Charge,  and  Mr.  Adams  of  Roxburj' 

gave  the  Rt.  Hand  of  Fellowship. 1  received  a  Letter  from  Dr. 

Chauncy  in  which  he  asks  an  Account  of  the  two  Negroes  intended 
for  the  African  Mission — he  thinks  a  White  Missionary  ought  to  go 
with  them,  and  should  not  be  educated  by  Mr.  H.  for  he  thinks  the 
Negroes  had  better  continue  in  Paganism  than  adopt  Mr.  H.  scheme 
which  he  judges  far  more  blasphemous.' 

'  In  earlier  leUers  (1769')  to  Dr.  Stiles,  Dr.  Chauncy  had  written  of  Dr. 
IIoj)kins  :  I  think  his  principles  are  more  inconsistent,  and  not  less  absurd, 
than  Sandinian's. — He  is  a  troublesome,  conceited,  &  obstinate  man.  He 
])reached  away  almost  his  whole  congrej^ation  at  Harrington,  and  was  the  occa- 
sion of  setting  up  the  Chh.  of  England  there.  He  will  preach  away  all  his 
congregation  at  New-port,  or  make  y'"  ten  times  worse  y°  they  are  at  present.  .  . 
I  know  of  no  worse  system  of  tho't  in  any  pagan  nation,  in  any  age,  y"  is  pub- 
lickly  professed  by  him. 


SEPTEMBER   27-OCTOBER    14,    1773  415 

This  day  Rev*^  Mr.  Wiswall  of  Falni"  Casco'  visited  me.  He  says 
in  Falm"  are  just  Two  hundred  Dwelhng  houses  and  about  100 
stores  &c. — that  there  are  better  than  three  Families  to  two  Dwell- 
ing houses — Tot.  300  Families.  That  Falmouth  is  in  Lat  43°.  39' 
N.  obs.  by  Holland. 

At  V^  attended  Mr.  Kelh-'s  Lecture,  he  jDreached  on  i  Thess.  v, 
19.  Mr.  Hopkins  delivered  me  the  printed  proposals  for  forming 
an  American  Society  at  N.  York  for  promoting  religious  Knowledge 
among  the  poor  in  the  Colonies." 

7.   Did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture. 

10.  lyordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Mat.  xiii,  47-50,  and  P.M. 
on  Ephes.  iv,  13,  and  baptized  James  Searing  Son  of  Capt.  Benja- 
min Sayer  and  Sarah  his  Wife,  the  Grandfather  Deacon  Sayer 
holding  it  up  in  the  Absence  of  Capt.  Sayer.  The  Child  was 
named  in  Meniorj^  of  the  Rev''  James  Searing  formerly  pastor  of  this 
Church  and  my  immediate  Predecessor,  who  died  Jan^  6,  1755,  set.  50. 

12.  Last  Saturday  Major  Otis  and  Mr.  Antony  returned  from  a 
Journey  of  a  Fortnight  only.  They  travelled  from  hence  to  Hart- 
ford in  Connecticutt — thence  to  Great  Barrington,  Stockbridge  and 
Hosac — thence  across  the  green  Woods  thro'  Claremont  to  Deer- 
field  and  Northfield  and  so  up  Connecticutt  River  to  Dartmouth 
College  in  Hanover.  Expences  Ten  Dollars  apiece.  All  the 
Wilderness  is  alive  with  Families  removing  back  from  the  Sea 
Coast  settlements.  He  tells  me  that  the  Wentworth  or  Hampshire 
Grants  on  W.  Side  of  Connect.  River  are  confirmed  by  the  King  ; 
and  so  also  Col.  Lydius  Patent  is  confirmed  by  the  King.  Dr  Whee- 
lock  sent  me  his  Narrative  printed  this  year  1773  and  also  a  MS 
Conference  with  a  Metaguisawauk  Indian  from  bej-ond  Lake 
Superior. 

In  the  Evening  I  preached  to  the  Negroes  at  Brother  Primus's 
House  on  Rom.  iii,  24-26.  This  Afternoon  Mr.  Murra}-  arrived 
here  from  New  York  by  Water. 

13.  Attended  the  married  monthly  Meeting  at  Mr.  Moss's.  I 
preached  on  Ephesians  ii,  8-10.  Very  full  Meeting.  After  Sermon 
I  gave  them  an  account  of  Mr.  Murrays  Character  as  an  Impostor. 

14.  Mr.  Murray  preached  at  IV''  P.M.  in  the  Courthouse  but  I 
did  not  attend  there,  nor  at  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture. 

'John  Wiswall  (Harvard  1749),  of  New  Casco  in  what  is  now  Portland,  Maine, 
See  Sabine's  Anier.  Loyalists,  ii,  448-49. 

-The  printed  Prospectus  is  preserved  among  Dr.  Stiles's  papers. 


4l6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

15.  Mr.  Murray  preached  at  VP  P.M.  in  Mr.  Kelly's  Meeting- 
house, from  Isai,  xxviii,  16.  the  same  Text  as  last  Night.  Mr. 
Kelly  not  in  the  Pulpit. 

16.  Mr.  Kelly  and  his  people  met  and  resolved  that  Mr.  Murray 
should  not  preach  in  his  Meetinghouse  again.  Col.  Lev*  Hubbard 
came. 

17.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Puke  xiii,  24.  P.M.  Jn"  v, 
24,  and  propounded  Bridget  Wife  of  Geo.  Clark  for  owning  the 
Covenant  ;  and  Sarah  Searing  and  Bathsheba  Searing  Daughters  of 
the  former  Pastor,  and  Abigail  Stevens  for  Admission  into  full 
Communion.  This  Forenoon  Mr.  Murray  went  to  the  Quaker 
Meeting,  and  at  length  the  spirit  moved  him  to  speak — he  rose  and 
spoke  in  the  Congregation — and  after  that  Moll}^  Callender  rose  and 
spoke  a  Severe  Caution  and  Reprehension.  He  went  to  Church 
P.M.   and  at  VI''  he  preached  at  the  Courthouse  on  Jno"  xvi,  7-1 1. 

The  Heads  of  the  Quaker  Meeting  went  to  him  and  told  him  that 
what  he  said  was  true  but  he  had  broke  Orders  of  Friends,  and 
notified  him  not  to  speak  there  any  more.  He  declaimed  at  Quaker 
Meeting  against  all  Forms,  &c. ,  in  Religion — said  all  was  Spiritual  : 
— said  Johns  Baptism  was  abolished,  Christs  Baptism  remained — 
that  Jn"*  was  Water  Bapt. ,  Christs  spiritual,  &c.,  said  he  had  no 
Thought  of  speaking  when  he  came  into  Quaker  Meeting,  but  the 
spirit  constrained  him. 

1 8.  Murray  preached  again  at  VI''  in  Evening  on  same  Text  : 
and  Contribution  40  Dollars  for  him. 

19.  This  Afternoon  Mr.  Murray  went  away  for  Greenwich,  and 
so  on  to  Boston,  soon  to  return. 

20.  Monthly  Chh.  Meetg.  at  Sister  Peckhams.  I  preached  on  i 
Thess.  iii,  12,  13  .   .   Col.  Hubbard  went  away. 

23.  "  By  a  very  accurate  State  of  this  French  Colony  in  Louis- 
iana, which  was  drawn  up  in  1766  b}^  Order  of  Gov.  UUoa  to  be 
sent  to  the  Spanish  Ministry,  it  appears  that  they  had  then  1441 
Families,  consisting  of 

1893  White  Men  fit  to  bear  arms 
1044  Women  marriageable 
1375  Boys 
1244  Girls    * 
and     5940  Slaves 
2907  Horses 
37491   Black  Cattle 
7736  Sheep,  Goats  and  Ilogs. 


OCTOBER    15-31,    1773  417 

But  they  have  been  dail}-  decreasing  since  that  Time.  The  vSpan- 
iards  only  consist  of  inil)lic  OfRcers,  one  Reg'  of  foot,  and  some 
Priests,  which  at  this  day  (1773)  amount  not  in  all  to  500  Souls." 
N.  York  Gazette,  18  Oct.  1773.  Estimate  of  the  Indians  in  these 
parts 

Chauktaus         .  .  .        2000  Gunmen 

Chicasaws  .  .  .          300       D" 

Acansaws  .          .  .         500       D"       removed  to  W.  side 

Mississippi 

2800 

In  August  1773  five  hundred  Settlers  arrived  at  North  Carolina 
from  Ireland.  Sept.  12,  1773.  Brig  Helena  from  Ireland  arrived 
at  Charlestown  S"  Carolina  with  above  120  Settlers. 

24.  lyordsday  A.M.  I  exchanged  with  Mr.  Kelly — he  preached 
for  me  on  Rev.  xii,  i. — and  I  preached  for  him  on  Rom.  xi,  36. 
P.M.  I  preached  in  my  own  Pulpit  on  Heb.  ix,  27,  28. 

25.  This  Afternoon  came  here  Mr.  Vinall  from  Boston.  He  was 
formerly  Pastor  of  the  first  Congregational  Church  in  this  Town. 
An  Ecclesiastical  Council  called  by  Mr.  Hopkins  and  his  Church  is 
to  convene  here  this  week  consisting  of  six  Churches  to  consider 
and  advise  upon  matters  of  Difference  between  Mr.  Vinal  and  the 
Church.'  The  churches  sent  to  are  the  first  Church  in  Roxbury, 
two  Churches  in  Dedham,  Church  in  Norton,  and  third  Church  in 
Bridgwater.     Mr.  Vinall  lodged  with  me. 

26.  The  two  Churches  of  Dedham  viz.  Rev.  Mr.  Balcli  and  Rev*^ 
Mr.  Haven  with  their  Delegates  come.  Mr.  Murray  preached  at 
Providence  at  Mr.  Snow's  Meeting  I^ordsday  &  Monday  Evenings 
upon  the  Corner  Stone. 

27.  Rev.  Mr.  Balch  and  Mr.  Haven  visited  me.  East  Lordsday 
Mr.  Bisset  the  Episcopalian  Minister  here  preached  at  Church  on 
Rev.  ii,  2, — and  thoii  hast  tried  them  luhich  say  they  arc  Apostles,  and 
are  not,  atid  hast  found  them  Liars  : — the  sermon  was  levelled  against 
Mr.  Murray,  and  is  to  be  printed. 

28.  There  not  being  enough  to  form  a  Council  Mr.  Balcli  and  Mr. 
Haven  with  their  Delegates  returned.  Another  Council  to  meet 
here  next  June.     I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins'  Lecture. 

31.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  published  the  Banns  of  Marriage  between 
William  Gibbons  Esq.  of  Savanna  Georgia  and  Valeria  Richardson 

'  See  above,  May  18,  1770, 
27 


4l8  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

of  Newport;  and  preached  on  Rom.  xi,  36.  P.M.  I  preached  on 
Col.  i,  10.  After  Sermon  I  admitted  Sarah  Searing  and  Bathsheba 
Searing  Daughters  of  the  late  Pastor,  and  Abigail  Stevens,  into  full 
Communion  ;  and  at  the  same  Time  Bridget  Clark  owned  the  Cove- 
nant. Then  I  baptized  three  Infants  Nathan  son  of  Elizabeth 
Bcbee,  Wife  of  Nathan,  John  Son  of  Bridget  Clark  Wife  of  George 
and  James  Son  of  James  Godfr}-  and  Anstis  his  Wife.  The  Rev'' 
Mr.  Vinal  attended  all  da}-. 

Nov. 

I.   Reading  Mosheims  History. 

3.  Set  out  with  my  Wife  on  a  Journey  towards  Plymouth.' 

7.   Ldsday.     Preached  at  Dartmouth,   having  exchanged  with 

Mr.    West,    and    at    Mr.   Wests    Desire    baptized   two   Children  of 

Major  Willis.     I  preached  A.M.  on  Ps.  xix,  7.     P.M.   Col.  i,  10. 

Major  Willis  and  his  Wife    are  persons  of   good   Character,   had 

'  The  notes  of  this  Journey  in  Dr.  Stiles's  Itinerar}-  are  as  follows  : — 

Viaticnni 

Mr.  Chesebro'  6  Dollars       .         .        .         .  i.  16.  o 

Mrs.  Car}- 3  Crowns i. 

Dr.  C.  i><  Doll.  9.  o 

£?>■    5-  o 
Returned  with  4%  Doll        .         .         .         .         1.7 

Expences         .         .         .         .         .         i.  iS.  o 

Nov.  3.     Set  out  fr.  Newport.      Dined  at  Turner's.     Ferry  1/6.     Rode  to   Sis- 
sons,  17  miles 

4.  Rode   to   Crandons   at   Acushnet   &   dined    1/6.      mends    Chaise   6'^ 

Lodged  at  Mr.  Wests 

5.  At  Mr.  Wests.     N.  E.  vStorm. 

6.  Mr.  West  went  to  Newport  to  preach  for  me.     Visited  Bedford. 

7.  Ldsdy.     I  preached  for  Mr.  West  at  Dartm"  &  baptized  Sarah,  aet.  15, 

&  Samuel,   set.   12,   Children  of  Major  Eben"^   Willis  &  Eliz"  his 
Wife  .  .  . 

8.  Left  Mr.  Wests— 5/.  dined  at  M''  W Rode  to  Rochester  &  lodged 

with  Rev-i  Mr.  :More 

9.  Rode  12  M.  to  Hammonds 

10.  At  Plymo.   .   .   .     Visited  Rev.  Mr.  Bacon  &  Rev.  Mr.  Robbins.     P.M. 

Rode8>^  miles  thro'  Kingston  to  Plympton  &  put  up  at  Lorings  2/ 

11.  Rode  thro'  Halifax  to  Capt.  Childs  in  Bridgwater  6  or  8  m. 

12.  Set  out  from  Capt,  Childs.  2/.     Dined  at  Taunton  2/8.     Rode  to-day 

22  miles  &  lodged  at  Stranges  at  Assonet. 

13.  At  Stranges  ...  3/.     Oats   at   Fall   River.     Ferry   1/6.      Arrived  at 

Turners  II''.     Dined  there  i/io.     Arrived  home. 


NOVEMBER    I-I3,    1773  419 

owned  the  Cov'^  and  had  their  first  Children  baptized.  At  the  Birth 
of  the  two  last  Children  Difficulties  arising  in  the  Parish  &c.  their 
Baptism  was  neglected.  In  1759  their  former  Minister'  was  dis- 
missed a  little  after  the  Birth  of  one,  and  the  Church  was  destitute 
of  a  Pastor  till  1761  when  Mr.  West  previous  to  Settlement  made 
the  Church  agree  that  Baptism  should  be  administered  to  none  but 
Children  of  Communicants,  under  the  reservation  that  he  would  con- 
tinue to  baptize  the  Children  of  those  who  used  to  have  &c.  Mr. 
West  being  an  intimate  Friend  of  Mr.  Willis,  Mr.  Willis  had  doubts, 
and  so  the  Thing  was  neglected.  The  Daughter  lived  with  her  Uncle 
at  Maiden,'  was  now  on  a  Visit  here,  and  obliged  to  go  to  Bridg- 
water on  Monda}^  to  meet  her  Uncle  who  had  appointed  there  to 
wait  for  her.  It  was  even  too  long  to  have  neglected  it  thus  far. 
Accordingly  Mr.  West  and  Mr.  Willis  agreed  that  I  should  do  it. 
But  Mr.  West  at  parting  only  desired  me  to  notify  his  Sacrament 
and  baptize  two  Children,  without  letting  me  into  the  Circum- 
stances. When  I  came  to  find,  upon  talking  with  Mrs.  West,  that 
the  Children  were  Adults,  and  being  invited  to  dine  at  Mr.  Willis's 
on  Saturda}',  I  took  the  Opportunity  of  discoursing  with  Major 
Willis  and  the  Children,  and  told  them  that  one  was  too  old  to  be 
baptized  solely  on  parental  Account,  that  if  tlie}^  pleased  I  would 
procede  as  I  did  in  my  own  Church  in  similar  Cases,  address  a  short 
Declaration  and  Covenant  to  the  Children  at  the  Time  of  Baptism. 
Mr.  Willis  approved  it.  I  discoursed  the  Children  and  particularly 
the  eldest  on  the  Nature  and  Design  of  the  Ordinance  &c.  &c.  And 
at  the  Time  of  Baptism  in  the  public  Congregation  the  Father  and 
Mother  standing  out  and  presenting  the  Children,  I  addressed  the 
Children  to  this  Effect  "  Tho'  you  have  a  right  to  Baptism  on 
account  of  3'our  Parents  ;  3^et  being  come  to  these  3- ears,  it  is  proper 
that  I  take  j'our  Consent  also.  You  do  then  profess  your  Belief 
that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God  and  Saviour  of  the  World  ;  and 
you  do  covenant  that  by  divine  Grace  you  will  endeavor  to  live  as 
the  Children  of  God,  and  as  Disciples  of  the  blessed  Jesus."  They 
assenting  to  this  I  baptized  them  viz.  Sarah  aet.  14  &  supra  & 
Samuel  aet.  12.     The  next  day  Sarah  set  out  for  Bridgwater. 

We   journied    to  Plymouth,   Kingston,  Halifax,  Bridgwater  and 
returned  via  Taunton  to  Newport  Saturday    Nov.    13,  where  we 

'  Rev.  Israel  Cheever  (Harvard  1749). 

'  Rev.  Eliakim  \Villis  (Harvard  1735)  liad  uo  children,  and  adopted  a  daugh- 
ter of  his  brother  Ebenezer. 


420 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


received  Tidings  of  the  Death  of  our  hon''  Father  Col"  John  Hub- 
bard' of  New  Haven  30"'  Oct"  last  set.  70. 

14.  Lordsday  A  M.  I  preached  on  Jn"  i,  29,  and  administered  the 

'  Dr.  Stiles  gives  the  following  autobiography  in  his  Itinerary  : — 
Father  Hubbard,  viz.  Col.  John  Hubbard  of  N.  Haven.     Ex  ore  ejus. 
170^,.  Nov.  30.  Born  at  Jamaica  on  Nassau  Island.     His  Father  John,  Presb. 

^linister  there,  died  when  son  Jno.  set.  i}4  year.     Removed  to  Boston. 
1710,  aet.  7,   removed  to  Hartford — Mother   marry?  Rev**   Sam'   Woodbridge  ; 

lived  at  Hartfd.  till  set.  14.     Learned  Grammar. 
1717.  Dr.  Cook  (the  Patriot)  sent  for  him  to  Boston  where  he  went  to  Grammar 

School  20  Months  to  Dr.  Williams. 
1719.  Returned  to  Hartfd — &  in  half  year  returned  to  Boston.     Apprenticed 

to  a  Phvsician,   Dr.   Halkerston,  a  Scotsman,  who  had  married  his  Aunt 

JIargaret  who  afterwds.   married  Mr.   Stoddard  :  lived  with  him  about  2 

years.     After  Dr.  Halkerston's  Death,  Removed  about 
1721,  perhaps  1722,  &  went  to  live  with  Dr.  Eliot  at  Killingworth  about  2  years 
1724.  Apprenticeship  ended. 

1724,  Aug.  31,  Married  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Stevens,  3  mo.  before  out  of  his  Time. 
1730  ReC*  hony  Deg.     A.M.  Yal.  Coll. 

1727.  Settled  at  N.  H.  same  Week  as  Rector  W'"*  came  there. 
1726,  Dec,   removed  to  N.  H.   six  Weeks  before  Jn"  born.     Ex  ore  Johannis 

filii. 
The  following  is  the  inscription  placed  on  Col.  Hubbard's  Tombstone  : — 
Col.  John  Hubbard,  Esq\    for  many  years  the  first  in  civil  Authority,  and  in 
the  management  of  the  public  Affairs  in  the  Town  of  New  Haven,  Judge  of  Pro- 
bates for  the  District,  and  an   assistant  Judge  of  the  Court  of  Common  Pleas^ 
departed  this  Life  October  30"'  1773  .^t'  70. 

His  highest  praise  to  heaven  alone, 
A  christian  Heart  was  fully  known, 
Genius  &  Taste,  and  moral  Worth, 
Distinguish'd  him  while  here  on  Earth, 
Superior  Powers  with  manly  Zeal 
Exerted  for  the  public  Weal, 
In  ev'ry  Station  he  sustain'd, 
Honour'd  the  Trust  his  Merits  gain'd. 

Mrs.   Elizabeth  Hubbard  the  faithful  Consort  of  Coll.  John    Hubbard  died 
August  y  25"'^  1744  in  the  42''  year  of  her  age. 
His  children  were  as  follows  : — 

Leverett,  born  July  21,  1725,  graduated  at  Yale  1744  ;  died  Oct.  i,  1794 
John,  b.  Jan.  24,  1726/7,  grad.  Yale  1744;  d.  Nov.  18,  17S6  ; 
Daniel,  b.  Dec.  25,  1729,  grad.  Yale  1748,  d.  Aug.  28,  1765  ; 
Elizabeth,  b.  July  3,  1731,  married  Ezra  Stiles,  Febr.  10,  1757,  d.  May  29,  1775  ; 
William,  b.  March        ,  1732/3,  d.  Nov.         ,  1736; 
William  .Vbdiel,  b.  Dec.  15,  1736 

Nathaniel,  b.  Nov.  i,  1738,  grad.  Yale  1759,  d.  Oct.  i,  1762  ; 
Emilia,  b.  Oct.  21,  1742,  married  Hezekiah  Silliman,  Jan.  i,  1765 


NOVEMBER    14-19,    1773  421 

Lords  Supper  to  near  60   Communicants.     P.M.   2  Tim"  iv,  7,   8, 
and  baptized  two  Children.      Published  two  Couples. 

15.  Find  that  Capt.  Shand  has  brought  me  the  Polh'glott  from 
London.     I  sent  for  a  Syriac  Bible. 

16.  Visited  by  Mr.  Balfour  of  Edinburgh.  He  lived  seven  years 
in  that  University.  [An  Ecclesiastical  Council  at  Dorchester  of  14 
Churches — present  14  Ministers  or  Elders  and  55  Delegates.  Rev. 
Mr.  Bowman  dismissed  from  Church  in  Dorchester.] 

17.  Visited  by  Master  Maxwell  and  had  over  all  the  Story  about 
Mr.  Murrays  denying  Eternal  Punishment  and  offering  to  admin- 
ister the  Lords  Supper  to  the  Company  as  thej^  were  drinking  a 
Glass  of  Wine  after  Dinner  at  Mr.  Varnums  the  deistical  Lawyer. 
The  Conipau}-  present  were  Elder  Gorton  an  illiterate  Baptist  Min- 
ister but  a  sober  pious  good  Man,  Mr.  Natli'  Green  a  Quaker  young 
Gentleman  of  an  amiable  &  excellent  moral  Character,  Master 
Maxwell  a  sensible  upright  Presbj^terian,  and  Mr.  Varnum  who  was 
expelled  Harvard  College,  turned  Baptist  afterwards  &  went  thro' 
Rhode  Isld.  College,  and  a  very  free  Thinker  in  Religion,  highh^ 
pleased  with  Universal  Salvation,  and  of  doubtful  Morals  [Piet}"]  , 
but  a  sensible  &  smart  Man.  Mr.  Maxwell  persists  in  it  that 
Murraj'  offered  it  by  saying,  it  was  immaterial  whether  the  Lords 
Supper  was  administered  at  one  Time  or  another,  in  one  place  or 
another,  in  a  Church  or  private  house,  and  put  these  Words  "  and 
2i'hat  hinders  but  lue  should  have  it  now,  here  is  JVi?ie  (holding  a 
Glass  of  Wine  in  his  hand)  ayid  here  is  Bread.''  Elder  Gorton  &c. 
affect  to  forget  &  not  remember  much  about  it — only  that  ISIr. 
Murra}^  held  some  allegorical  and  spiritual  Conversation  upon  the 
Lords  Supper. 

18.  Rev.  Mr.  Tupper'  get.  60  or  70  was  ordained  Oct.  cir.  14  ult. 
Pastor  of  a  Church  at  Sandwich  made  up  of  English  and  Indians. 
Last  Even^'  I  had  a  religious  monthly  Meet^  at  Mr.  Peckhams. 

19.  Received  a  Letter  from  Pres't  Manning  with  a  Specimen  of 
Dr.  Gill's  Commentarj^  on  the  first  Chapter  of  John  from  Mr.  Keith 
of  London,  as  a  Specimen  of  a  new  intended  Edition  of  the  Drs. 
W^orks,  with  a  Request  of  the  Editor  that  I  would  give  a  recom- 
mendator}^  Letter  to  be  printed  in  this  New  Edition  with  other 
Letters  in  approbation  thereof.  Went  to  the  Synagogue  and  was 
introduced  to  a  new  Rabbi  from  Poland. 

'  Elisha  Tiipper,  whose  father  and  grandfather  had  also  been  missionaries 
among  the  Indians. 


422,  DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 

21.  Lordsday  A  M.  I  discoursed  on  Job  xvii,  9,  and  published 
two  Couples.  P.M.  Gal.  i,  11,  12,  and  notified  public  annual 
Thanksgiving  next  Thursday  &  Contribution  for  the  poor.  In  the 
Evening  I  married  Capt.  Toman  and  Patty  Newton. 

22.  ^'isited  this  Afternoon  l)y  Rabbi  Tobiali  Bar  Jehudah  late 
from  near  Cracow  in  Poland  set.  48.  We  had  much  Con- 
versation on  the  Zohar 

23.  The  Rabbi  visited  me  again  or  came  to  my  house  but  I  w^as 
not  at  home.  In  the  Evening  I  visited  him  at  Mr.  Tauro's — and 
supped  with  them,  the  only  Time  I  e\er  happened  at  Meal  with  a 
Jew.  Just  before  they  sat  down  to  supper,  Water  was  bro't  by  the 
Maid,  in  a  white  earthern  Bottle  which  stood  in  a  Vase  or  Bason  : 
they  two  washed  their  hands,  taking  up  the  bottle  and  pouring  the 
Water  on  the  hand.  I  asked  if  this  was  ^'2'{D  (because  the  Baptists 
say  this  word  denotes  total  not  partial  Immersions)  they  said  yes — 
&  quoted  a  passage  of  the  Talmud  that  none  can  eat  till  they  had 
thus  washed  themselves  in  which  I  recollect  the  word  '^3tD  ^^s 
twice  repeated.  I  did  not  wash,  but  sat  down  &  eat  with  them. 
After  sitting  each  in  a  whispering  voice  said  Grace  for  himself. 
The  Rabbi  said,  that  in  the  da3-s  of  Messiah,  it  would  be  allowed 
to  the  Jews  to  eat  S wines  Flesh — .  I  said  that  Abraham,  Isaac  and 
Jacob  when  they  come  with  Messiah,  would  not  eat  Food  as  for- 
merly ;  he  said  they  would. — I  said  Circumcision  must  cease — he 
said  not — I  added  Childbearing  must  cease  when  the  World  was 
full  as  it  ^vould  be  in  Messiahs  da}-,  and  then  there  would  be  no 

more  to  circumcise  and  so  it  must  cease I  asked  him  the 

Value  of  a  couple  of  Pearls  I  had  &  of  the  dimensions  I  described  ; 

he  said  if  good,   500  Ducats,   which  is  about  /,ioo  sterling 

He  is  a  great  Cabbalist  and  Philosopher  ;  which  two  Branches  of 
knowledge  are  far  more  to  his  Tast  than  the  Talmud.  He  has  a 
son  of  about  13  years  age — when  aet.  12  he  had  read  thro'  the 
Talmud.  This  Rabbi  was  educated  and  spent  26  3-ears  in  Amster- 
dam, whither  he  was  sent  aet.  8.  He  told  me  he  was  of  the  Family 
and  ninth  Descendant  of  R.  Selohwh  Ishaaci  the  celebrated  Com- 
mentator who  died  A.  D.  11 80. 

25.  This  day  public  Thanksgiving  in  ^Massachusetts,  Connecti- 
cut and  I  think  New  Hampshire,  among  the  Congregational 
Churches.  Began  at  XI"  A.M.  on  Ps.  cxxxv,  i,  2,  3,  and  had 
Contribution  for  the  poor  ^140=  1 7 ^<  Dollars.  My  Sermon  too 
long,  being  an  hour  and  twenty  minutes.  Finished  Exercise  at 
I"  35  P.M. 


NOVEMBER    2I-DECEMBER    6,    1 773  423 

26.  Last  Evening  President  Manning  visited  me  and  stayed 
from  a  little  before  Nine  to  within  about  a  quarter  of  Twelve, 
discoursing  on  sundry  Things — he  brought  a  Cop}-  of  a  Diploma, 
which  he  was  sending  to  London  to  be  cut  on  copper  plate.  All 
day  Reading  Cypriani  Opera,  part-'  the  Council  on  Rebaptizing 
Heretics. 

27.  Rev.  Mr.  Upliam  visited  me.  The  Rabbi  preached  to  day  as 
he  did  last  Saturday. 

28.  Ldsda}'.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Isai.  Iv,  6,  7.  P.M.  on  Heb. 
xii,  28.     Examining  Epistle  to  Colossians. 

30.  Writing  Letter  to  London.  Spent  the  Evening  at  Mr. 
Tauro's  in  Company  with  Rabbi  Tobiah  and  Mr.  Levy  a  London 
Jew  Convert  to  Xtianity.  We  discoursed  on  Daniel  Ixx  Weeks  &c. 
His  [the  Rabbi's]  Interpretation  not  satisfactory. 

Dec. 

1 .  Mr.  Hopkins  spent  the  Afternoon  with  me.  Church  Meeting 
at  Sister  Ellerj^s.     I  preached  on  Col.  i,  12-14. 

2.  Mr.  Murray  returned  here  yesterday  from  Piscataqua  Boston 
&c.  Mr.  Levi  the  Xtian  Jew  set.  60  circa  told  me  he  went  to 
School  when  a  B03"  to  Rabbi  Judah  Monis  who  1722  renounced 
Judaism,  because  a  Christian,  &  was  made  Hebrew  Professor  at 
Harvard  College  Cambridge.  Mr.  Levi  says  Mr.  Monis  was  an 
Italian,  he  thinks  a  Venetian  Jew,  was  truly  a  Rabbi  and  a  learned 
]\Ian.     Did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture. 

3.  Finished  a  Hebrew  Letter  of  22  pages  to  R.  Haijm  Isaac 
Karigal.  This  Evening  Mr.  Murray  preached  at  the  Court  House 
on  Ps.  xxiv,  3,  4. 

4.  Wrote  five  Letters  to  London  to  recommend  the  Academj-  at 
New  iVrk  near  New  Castle  on  Delaware,  and  Rev.  Mr.  Ewing  & 
Dr.  Williamson  who  are  gone  to  make  collections  for  it  in  G.  Bri- 
tain.' Went  to  the  Synagogue  and  heard  R.  Tobiah  Bar  Judah 
preach  in  Dutch— his  Sermon  56  minutes. 

5.  Lordsday.     A.M.    I  preached  on  Isai.   Ivi,    i,   2.     P.M.   on 

Psal.   iv,   6 Mr.   Murray  preached  this  Evening  from   2 

Cor.  V,  20. 

6.  Writing  Letters  to  London.  Mr.  Murray  at  V'  P.M.  preached 
again  from  Ps.  i,  i,  2,  3. 

'  These  letters  were  sent  at  the  request  of  the  Rev.   Dr.  Francis  AHsou,  of 
Philadelphia. 


424 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


7.  Extraordinary  Doings  at  Boston  30  ult.  in  rejecting  the  East 
India  Comp-'  Tea.  This  Day  Mr.  March*  paid  21  ys  Dollars  for  the 
Dutch  Polyglott  8  Vol. 

8.  At  III''  P.M.  Mr.  Murray  preached  again. 

9.  Bro't  home  the  Dutch  Polyglott,  or  Montanus's  Biblia  Reg. 
Hisp.  8  \'ol.  Folio  ^4.16.0  sterlg.  and  a  Map  of  New  England. 
More  melancholy  news  about  President  Eocke  of  Harvard  College 
Canib.     I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture. 

10.  This  day  I  am  46  years  old This  day  I  began  to 

read  a  daily  portion  of  the  Targum  of  Onkelos  in  Chaldee 

1 1 .  Writing  a  Letter  to  Dr.  Chauncy  concerning  the  2  Negroes 
proposed  to  be  educated .  for  an  African  Mission.  Great  Commo- 
tions at  Boston  respecting  the  East  India  Comp^  Tea  brought  there. 
Mr.  Murray  preached  last  night  a  Liberty  Sermon. 

12.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  2  Cor.  viii,  9.  P.M.  Prov. 
viii,  34  and  baptized  Hannah  Daughter  of  Eben.  Davenport.  In 
the  Evening  Mr.  Murray  preached  a  Farewel  Sermon  at  the  Court- 
house on  the  Parable  of  X  Virgins  all  of  whom  he  carried  to 
Heaven,  tho'  the  Door  was  shut  !  He  is  going  to  Narragansett  a 
W^'eek  or  fortnight.  It  is  said  that  he  has  wro't  a  Miracle  and 
cast  out  a  Devil  from  M''*  Whightman"  who  has  been  in  a  sort  of 
religious  Dispair  and  glooni)^  Distraction  this  half  year.  Nature  is 
now  taking  another  Turn  with  her  and  she  is  emerging  into  an 
Enjoyment  of  herself  again  for  the  present.  She  and  her  sensible 
Friends  ascribed  this  Effect  to  Mr.  Murrays  Discourse  with  her. 
I  expect  her  Lunacy  will  return  again.  Her  Aunt  was  laboring 
under  this  Cloud  and  Species  of  Distraction  for  about  a  twelve- 
month &  a  5'ear  or  two  ago  emerged  from  it  and  is  now  well  : — 
another  Aunt  was  seized  so  intensel}-  that  it  has  terminated  in  a 
fixt  Distraction.  This  Lady  was  seized  more  slightly,  and  God  be 
thanked,  it  is  said  she  is  recovered  from  it.  God  grant  she  ma}^ 
continue  of  a  sound  Mind. 

13.  Confirmation  of  the  sad  news  from  Cambridge. 

14.  Dec.  2  Inst,  died  at  Boston  the  Rev.  Jn"  Moorhead  set.  70. 
Pastor  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  in  that  Town.  He  was  born  in 
the  North  of  Ireland,   educated   in  the  Universitj-  of  Edinburgh. 

The  Report  of  the  flourishing  State  of  the  Colonies  induced  him 
witli  many  others  to  undertake  a  Voyage,  the  Issue  of  which  prom- 

Probaljly  Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Samuel  Vernon,  and  wife  of  Capt.  Valen- 
tine Whi^^htman. 


DECEMBER    7-18,    1773  425 

iscd  them  Peace  &  vSecurity  :  accordino:ly  he  arrived  in  this  T" 
(Boston)  in  1727  &  soon  after  gathered  the  Congregation  over 
which  he  presided  to  the  day  of  his  Death." 

15.  Extract  of  a   Letter   from   vStrathspey   in   vScotland  Sept.    9, 

1773- 

— I  am  thor'ol}-  convinced  that  the  Emigration  will  soon  be  gen- 
eral in  this  Country.  Two  hundred  and  50  Emigrants  sailed  the 
other  day  from  Fort  George,  and  300  of  the  Macdonalds  of  Glen- 
gary  and  the  neighb~  Districts,  from  F'  William  no  less  than  8  or 
10  Vessels  are  hired  this  Season  to  carry  off  Emigrants."  The 
McDonalds  arrived  Oct.  18  at  N.  York 

16.  East  Even'g  monthly  married  Meet*^'  at  Sqr.  Richardsons, 
when  I  preached  on  Ps.  86,  5 The  Corporation  of  Har- 
vard College  met  last  Week,  &  sent  a  Committee  to  wait  on  Pres- 
ident Eocke,  &  on  return,  voted  his  Answer  not  satisfactory. 
I  attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Eect.     He  preached  Mat.  vii,  12. 

18.   Extract  from  Connecticutt  N.  Haven  print. 

"  Fairfield  Dec.  6.  About  I  o' Clock  this  Morning  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Noah  Hobart  died  after  a  short  Illness,  in  the  68"'  year  of  his  Age, 
greatly  lamented  by  all  but  especially  by  his  Family  and  Flock. 
His  Character  for  Acuteness  of  Genius,  Eearning  and  all  the  Vir- 
tues that  adorn  the  Christian  Eife,  was  not  inferior  to  any  one  of 
his  Order  in  this  Colony."  I  was  intimately  acquainted  with  him. 
He  was  a  Descendant  of  the  Rev''  Peter  Hobart  first  Minister  of 
Hingham.  He  was  educated  at  Harvard  College  1724 — preached 
at  Philadelphia  &  Pensylvania,  &  on  his  Return  to  N.  Engld  he 
preached  at  Fairfield  wdiere  he  was  ordained  Feb.  7,  1732/3.  He 
was  a  Man  of  great  Reading  especiallj-  in  ecclesiastical  History  :  of 
great  Coolness,  Prudence  &  Wisdom  ;  a  good  Writer,  but  poor 
Speaker  and  made  a  very  indifferent  Figure  in  the  pulpit  as  a 
preacher  ;  an  orthodox  and  sound  Divine,  tho'  not  so  eminent  for 
speculative  or  doctrinal  as  polemical  Divinity  ;  thor'oly  read  in  the 
Episcopal  Controversy  &  in  1748  &  1750  printed  upon  it  in  a  mas- 
terly Manner.  In  1752  he  was  elected  a  Fellow  of  Yale  College. 
He  was  much  of  the  Gentleman  &  universally  addressed  b}-  all  the 
Eiterati  travelling  thro'  Fairfield.     His  character  truly  excellent  ! 

East  Thursday  the  Body  of  the  People  at  Boston  and  the  adja- 
cent Towns  rose  &  assembled  at  Town  Meeting  in  Boston,  with  the 
Fury  of  exhausted  Patience — about  the  East  India  Company's  Tea 
bro't  there,  but  not  unladed.     After  the  Governor's  Denial  of  their 


426  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Request,  bro't  to  the  meeting  about  sunset,  a  number  blew  the 
Whistle  &  sallied  forth  in  open  \"iew,  &  adown  the  Long  Wharfe, 
and  entered  the  3  Ships,  &  unladed  from  thence  all  the  s*^  Tea  342 
Chests  and  cast  it  overboard  into  the  Sea.  In  one  hour  &  half  all 
the  Tea  was  destroyed. 

19.  Ldsdy.     A.M.  I  preached  on  Heb.  xii,  14.     P.M.  Eph.  i,  13. 

20.  Mr.  Ellery  left  Cambridge  last  Friday  :  he  tells  me  that  the 
^\'eek  before,  President  Locke  resigned  the  Presidency  of  Har\\ 
College,  alledging  two  Reasons,  i.  Ill  state  of  Health.  2.  That 
his  Usefulness  was  ruined  b>-  the  e\'il  Report  raised  &  spread  abroad 
about  him.  This  was  that  his  Maid  was  with  Child  by  him.  He 
sent  in  this  Resign-'  from  Sherburn,  whereto  he  is  removed.  A 
most  melancholly  Event,  &  humbling  Providence  ! 

21.  Reading  Congreg'^  Accounts  from  the  Unitas  Fratrum. 

22.  In  the  Eveng.  Chh.  Monthly  Meetg  at  Sister  Carrs.  I 
preached  on  i  Pet.  ii,  5. 

23.  Did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture. 

24.  Finished  ^losheims  Hist.  v.  i. 

2^.  Did  not  go  to  Church  nor  Moravians.  Received  a  Letter 
from  R.  Haijm  Isaac  Carigal  dated  at  Surinam  Sept.  19.  He  was 
49  da^'s  in  his  passage. 

26.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  2  Tim"  ii,  11,  12,  and  P.M. 
on  Jude  21 

28.  Violent  Snow  Storm. 

29.  Snow  above  a  foot  deep  on  Level 

30.  Visited  by   Rev.   M"" '  a   Lutheran  German  Minister. 

He  came  over  from  Europe  about  25  or  30  3"ears  ago  and  settled 
among  the  Germans  in  Livingstons  Manor  on  Hudsons  River.  He 
was  educated  at  the  University  of  Jena,  and  studied  in  tiiree  Uni- 
versities. He  tells  me  the  Lutherans  receive  all  to  the  Lords  Table 
at  tet.  13  or  14,  when  the}'  are  led  publickly  in  the  Congregation 
to  repeat  the  Creed  &  answer  a  few  Questions  in  the  Catechism, 
and  then  the  Minister  lays  his  hand  on  them  as  they  are  kneeling 
before  him  &  coiifinns  them  &  declares  them  admitted  to  the  Lords 
Su])per.  This  confirinatioii  not  limited  to  Superintending  Bishops 
but  a  part  of  the  Office  of  every  Presbyter.  He  said  he  held  the 
Lords  Supper  about  four  Times  a  year — previous  to  which  he 
ordered  all  the  Connnunicants  to  come  to  him,  when  he  discoursed 
with  them,  exhorting  to  repentance  &c.  and  if  any  were  scandalous 

'  Hart  wick  or  Hartvvig.     See  Aug.  25,  1774. 


DECEMBER    16-31,    1773  427 

or  guilty  of  heinous  Crimes  he  charged  them  not  to  come  unless 
they  heartily  repented — otherwise  the}'  eat  at  their  peril — but  he 
did  not  repel  any — &  few  absented  ; — that  on  the  Saturday  before 
the  Sacrament  the}'  all  assembled,  when  after  Sermon  they  kneeled 
and  while  the  whole  Church  was  kneeling  the  Minister  kneeling 
also  read  a  general  Confession  of  Sins  for  them  all,  to  which  they 
all  answer  Amen  ;  then  the  Minister  rising  pronounces  an  Absolu- 
tion, after  which  the  Congregation  rise.  On  Lordsday  A  M.  after 
the  usual  Service,  the  Ordinance  is  administered  ;  after  reading  the 
Words  of  Institution,  the  Minister  prays,  and  then  sets  them  to 
singing  Hymns  while  he  breaks  the  Bread  &  delivers  both  Bread  & 
Cup  to  the  Communicants  who  come  one  by  one  &  and  receive  it 
at  his  hands. — He  also  told  me  that  he  heard  Rev.  Dr.  Peters  the 
Episc"  Clergyman  preach  in  the  Lutheran  Church  at  Philadelphia — 
that  the  Lutheran  Minister  there  was  deceived  and  bo't  by  the 
Church  of  England — that  2  or  3  of  his  Sons  had  been  taken  into 
the  Societys  Service  with  Salarys  to  convert  &  make  the  German 
Lutherans  believe  there  was  no  Difference  between  them  &  the 
Church  of  England.— That  the  Att "  Gen.  at  N.  York  shewed  him 
a  printed  Act  prepared  to  be  passed  by  the  Parliament  of  G.  Britain 
regulating  the  Eccl.  Estab.  in  Canada — that  the  Successor  to  Bishop 
Briand  should  be  an  English  Protestant  Bi.shop — that  the  present 
romish  Clergy  were  to  die  out — that  when  any  parish  became 
one  Quarter  of  them  protestants  the  Minister  should  be  of  the 
Church  of  England  &  then  the  Inhabitants  should  pay  but  one 
Thirtieth  of  their  Produce  to  him  instead  of  one  twelfth  which  they 
now  paid  to  the  romish  Clergy — that  the  Churchmen  at  N.  York 
&c,  did  not  doubt  but  that  this  would  be  such  an  Easment  to  them 
as  to  Eccl.  Taxes  that  the  Romish  Laity  would  be  pleased  with  it 
&  turn  to  the  Church  of  England.  This  matter  is  all  secret  as  yet 
and  is  only  circulating  among  the  Episcopalians  &  so  preparing  to 
be  passsd  into  an  Act  of  Parliament.  Did  not  attend. Mr.  Hop- 
kins Lect.  Finished  another  Copy  of  my  Lett,  in  Heb.  to  R. 
Carigal  in  29  pages. 

31.  We  have  News  from  the  Westward  that  Gov.  Tryon  has 
given  up  his  scheme  for  landing  the  Tea — that  the  Tea  ship  is  off 
N.  York  but  would  not  be  suffered  to  Land — that  another  was  at 
anchor  at  the  Capes  of  Delaware,  but  not  suiTered  to  land  her  Tea — 
that  another  was  arrived  at  Chariest",  So.  Carolina  &  not  suffered 
to  land  the  Tea.     Amazing  is  the  spread  of  the  spirit  of  Liberty 


.428  DIARY   OF   EZRA   STILES 

thro'  the  Continent.  At  Chariest"  So.  Carolina  they  could  not  have 
heard  of  the  Drowning  the  Tea  at  Boston  16"'  Inst.  At  III  P.M. 
I  preached  my  Sacramental  Lecture  on  Jn"  vii,  37.  Thus  closeth 
this  year. 

On  the  23''  Inst,  died  in  the  Almshouse  at  Salem  in  Massachu- 
setts Mr.  Joshua  Witherell  Grandson  of  the  Rev.  William  Witherell 
one  of  the  first  Ministers  of  Plymouth  Colony.  He  was  Minister 
in  the  Church  of  Scituate. 

About  the  middle  of  this  M"  arrived  at  N.  York  a  Brig  with 
about  200  Passengers,  having  lost  about  100  on  the  passage.  The}' 
embarked  Sept.  17  at  Dornock  in  Sutherland  in  Scotland  about 
300  Men,  \\'omen  and  Children  reckoned  at  188  Passengers. 
The}-  agreed  for  their  Passages  @  ^3,  6,  o  sterlg.  apiece  except  35 
to  be  disposed  of  as  Servants  for  3  years.  Children  under  10  set. 
two  reckoned  for  one.  The  Capt.  Geo.  Smith  shortened  their  Allow^ 
of  Provisions,  &  so  abused  them,  that  about  100  died  on  the 
passage.  "  Their  miserable  State  at  their  Arrival  at  N.  York 
excited  the  Public  Charit}-.  Immediateh'  ^80.  was  collected  at 
the  Presbj'terian  Church  at  N.  York  and  they  were  relieved. 

[The  following  is  Dr.  Stiles' s  Visiting  Catalogue  of  his  Congrega- 
tion for  1773,  about  170  places,  with  the  number  of  visits  appended 
to  each  name. 

Tim"  Allen,  2  \V°  Brenton,  4 

Philip  Ackland,  2  Mr.  Chesebro',  21 

Joseph  Belcher,  22  Mr.  Coit,  i 

Job  Bissel,  4  Capt.  Chh.,  2 

Jo.seph  Belcher,  jun.  4  Peleg  Cary,  &c.,  10 
Dr.  Bartlett,  7                                                       .    Jno.  Cary,  3 

Wm.  Bently,  i  ]Mrs.  Channing,  39 

Nathan  Beebe,  4  James  Clark,  3 

W»  Bebee,  &c.  died  of  sm.  pox  W  Carr  &  Clark,  18 

Miss  Bissels,  2  W  Chambers,  4 

:Mrs.  Bennet,  5  Madam  Coggeshal,  3 

Miss  Bebees,  3  W°  Carter,  3 

Wife  Tho.  Browu,  5  Rob'   Do.,  3 

Widow  Brown,  3  James  Carter,  i 

James  Brown,  3  JMiss  Coles,  &c.,  4 

K.xper.  Brown  Sam'l.  Crandal 

IMrs.  Bowers,  5  Lemuel   Do. 

Mrs.  Baker,  i  Mr.  Channing,  10 

Joseph  Brown,  i  Ann  Channing,  5 

Capt.  Briggs,  4  Peace  Clark,  i 

Mrs.  Bowen,  i  Mrs.  Cornell,  3 


DECEMBER   3 1,    1 7 73 


429' 


Mr.  Clian«,  4 
Mr.  Cole,  2 
Abraham  Dennis,  10 
Isaac  Dayton,  22 
Eben"'  Davenport,  sen.,  3 
Do.         Do.  jun.,  4 

Benj"  Doubleday,  4 
Benedict  Dayton,  4 
Hez.  Dayton,  15 
\V°  Davenp'.,    i 
Charles  Davins,  i 
W  Davis,  6 
Mrs.  Downer,  2 
Miss  Suse  Dyre,   10 
Sally  Donaldson,  3 
Mrs.  Ellery,  42 
Benj''.  Ellery,  8 
W"  Ellery,  16 
Christ"  Ellery,  11 
Capt.  English,  5 

Evans 

Mrs.  Fryers,  3 

W"  Finch,  3 

Adam  Ferguson,  2 

Jn°  Ferguson,  6 

Mrs.  Fry,  3 

Caleb  Gardner,  10 

Rob.  Gibbs,  3 

Capt.  Godfry,  4 

Mrs.  Gibbs,  2 

Sally  (xardner,   r 

Capt.  Poll.  Hammond,  6,  Family  6 

Nassau  Hastie,  7  ob.  Feb.  10,  1773,  set.  60 

Capt.  Hyers,  2 

Capt.  Hatch 

W  Hunt 

Eliza  House,  i 

Mr.  Haggar,  2 

Joseph  Hamand,  5 

Job  Howland,  2 

W"  Plowland  (vSayer),  5 

W"  Howard 

W"  Hamilton,  2 

Benj"  Ingraham,  3 

W°  Ingraham,  2 

Ann  Do.,  4 

W°  Jones,  2 

Polly  Jones,  2 


Mr.  James,  4 
Benj"  King,  14 
Sani'l  King,  i 
W"  Kenncott,  4 
J.  B.  King,  I 
Nathan  Luther,  4 
Henry  Marchant,  21 
Mrs.  More,  30 
Philip  Moss,  4 
Capt.  Mowat,  2 
W°  Murphy 
Wm.  Merriss,  4 
Mr.  Millward,  7 
Miss  Mil  ward,  5 
Rob.  Milward,  5 
Capt.  McCorrie 
Capt.  Newton,  8 
Jno.  Newton,  9 
Kendal  Nicols,  12 
Major  Otis,  20 
Sally  Oldham,  2 
Jno.  Pitman,  Esq.,  17 
Benj"  Pitman,  5 
Capt.  Peck,  12 
Philip  Peckham,  4 
W  Peckham,  4 
W"  Pitman,  4 
Sam'  Pitman,  jun.,  2 
Rebecca  Petteface,  5 
Esther  Phillips,  i 
Hannah  Preston,  i 
Peter  Parker,  2 
Eliza  Pratt,  i 
Mrs.  Potter,  3 
Eben''  Richardson,  4 
Eben''  Richardson,  jun. 
Thos.  Richardson,  3 
Jacob  Richardson,  9 
Dan'  Russel,  4 
W°  Rumrill,  3 
Mrs.  Roland,  i 
W  Ryder,  2 
W"  Robinson,  5 
Deacon  Saj^er,  i  o 
Benj"  Sayer,  12 
Joshua  vSayer,  4 
Rob'  Stevens,  42 
\V°'  Stevens,  4 


430 


DIARY   OF   EZRA    STiLEvS 


Mrs.  Searing,  15 
Edw'  Simmonds,  7 
Jno.  Simson,  5 
Jno.  Simpson,  jun.,  I 
Riclr'  vSimpson,  2 
W"  Sylvester,  i 
Jos.  Smith,  4 
Henry  vSherburn,  I 
W"  Sherburn,  i 
W^'  Spinne}-,  2 
Jacob  Stockman,  3 
Jonathan  Stoddard 
W"  vSymmes,  2 
W"  Stelle 
\V^'  Sherman,  3 
Mrs.  Sanford,  &c.  5 
John  Stevens,  5 
Mrs.  Shore,  2 
Mr.  Sowl,  I 
Mrs.  Stanly,   5 
M'  Trevett,  20 
Eleazar  Trevet,  jun.,  3 
W°  Treby,  sen.,  6 
Sam'-  Treb)-,  7 


Wilkins  Treby,  3 
W"  Treby,  jun.,  4 
W"  Topham  (Jno.),  5 
Jno.  Topham,  4 
W"  Topham  (Theo),  5 
W  Townsend,  2 
Elijah  Tomkins 

Tabor 

I\Ir.  Tripp,  i 
Alice  Townsend,  2 
Sam'  Vernon,  11 
W"'  Vernon,  19 
Eben''  Vose,  5 
R-i  Ward 
Jno.  Wood,  5 
Sam'  Weedon,  jun.,  8 
W°  AVillis,  5 
\Ym  Wilson,  I 
W'"  Whitwell,  I 
W"  Wilson,  I 

Mr ,  the  sadler,  i 

B-  Why,  3 
Do.,  I 


958] 


January  1774 

1.  Ill  the  Afternoon  I  went  to  hear  Mr.  Kelh'  preach  a  New 
Years  Sermon,  Pro  v.  vi,  9. 

2.  Lordsday  A.M.  I  preached  on  Gal.  i,  4,  5,  and  administered 
the  Sacrament  of  the  Lords  Supper  to  47  Communicants.  P.M. 
Ps.  xxxiv,  7,  8,  and  notified  Young  Men's  Meeting  Tuesday  Even- 
ing.    This  day  died  Kendal  Nichols. 

4.  This  Even^  held  a  religious  Meet-  of  the  3-oung  Men  of  my 
Congregation  at  my  house,  when  I  di.scoursed  to  them  on  Ps.  cxix, 
9.  10. 

5.  Paid  for  the  Pollyglott  8  vol.  Fol.  \'iolent  Snow  Storm, 
Hail,  Rain. 

6.  Mr.  Marcy  here. 

7.  Finished  reading  Historical  Essay  on  the  English  Co7istiiution. 
Also  finished  reading  Dr.  Gale's  MSS.  of  no  Pages  quarto  on  the 
Prophecies  &  Millenium.^ 

'  By  Dr.  Benjamin  Gale   (Yale  1733),  of  Killingworth,  Conn.     Many  of  his 
letters  are  among  Dr.  Stiles's  papers. 


JANUARY    I-lS,    1774  431 

9.  Lordsday  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ephes.  v,  8,  and  P.M.  Gal. 
vi,  16,  and  baptized  two  Children  of  Jn"  Topham  being  Twins.  At 
III  o'clock  this  Morning  we  were  waked  with  the  Cry  of  Fire, 
which  destroyed  a  Hatter  and  Shoemakers  Shops,  Loss  6  or  700 
Dollars — but  was  providentially  prevented  spreading  anj^  farther. 

10.  The  Tea  Ship  got  within  four  miles  of  the  Citj'  of  Philadel- 
phia on  24"'  Dec. — There  assembled  on  a  Square  in  the  City  8000 
People,  had  the  Capt.  of  the  Ship  Capt.  Aj-res  before  them,  ordered 
him  immediately  to  depart  having  first  resolved  the  Tea  should 
not  land.  He  sailed  for  London  with  the  Tea  in  48  Hours.  At 
Chariest"  S°  Car"  the  Customhouse  seized  the  Tea  there. 

12.  Read^  Reviews.  Even^',  married  Meeting  at  Capt.  Vose's.  I 
preached  Ps.  ix,  10. 

13.  Did  not  attend  Mr.  H.  Lecture. 

14.  Twelve  hours  in  mj-  Study  thi"s  day. 

15.  I  have  been  very  sick  all  daj-. 

16.  Lordsday.  So  ill  as  to  be  confined  ;  unable  to  attend  the 
Labors  of  the  Sanctuary  this  day.  Besides  this  I  do  not  remember 
that  I  have  been  detained  from  public  Worship  but  one  Ldsday 
(about  10  or  12  3^ears  ago)  since  my  settlement  in  the  Ministry  in 

1755 

18.   Examining  the  S3''riac  Translation  of  the  New  Testament.   .   . 

Tho'  of  a  volatile  make,  yet  I  am  perhaps  least  subject  to  Dreams 
of  any  Man  in  Life.  I  seldom  dream  at  all,  and  very  rarel}"  recol- 
lect a  Dream.  Yet  last  night  I  had  one  a  little  singular.  It  was 
very  abrupt  &  full  of  unfinished  Incidents.  The  Scene  began  at 
Northaven  the  place  of  my  Nativit}^ — was  thence  transferred  to  the 
Town  of  New  Haven  at  the  Water  Side  &  ended  at  Yale  College. 
The  persons  were  a  mixture  of  Newport  &  New  Haven  people. 

Squire  P and  I  were  abroad  in  the  Night  near  some  Oak  Trees 

about  50  Rods  from  my  father's  house  in  the  road  from  Northaven 
Meetinghouse  to  the  Bridge  over  East  River — we  were  doing  some- 
thing with  a  Light  which  he  held  while  I  was  making  a  Drawing 
of  something  I  dont  recollect  what,  when  in  a  Tumult  near  us  in 
the  Road  a  person  was  hurt.  We  then  went  into  a  house  on  the 
S°  side  of  the  Rode  belonging  to  Capt.  N but  which  was  imag- 
inary as  there  was  none  there.  It  seemed  to  be  the  Tumult  of  a 
Tavern.  The  Dream  broke  here  unfinished.  Without  an}-  con- 
nexion, we  found  ourselves  8  m.  off  at  Town  in  a  seemingh'  different 
House,   which  however  seemed  to  be  also  Capt.   N near  the 


432 


DIARY    OF    EZRA   STILES 


beginning  of  the  Long  Wharf  &  on  the  East  Side  of  the  Way. 
Here  also  seemed  to  be  a  Tumult  of  a  Tavern.  In  one  of  the  Rooms 
was  a  brother  of  Capt.  N.  laboring  of  a  Dropsy  or  some  chronical 
Disorder,  with  whom  I  discoursed  in  a  pious  manner.  It  was  late 
at  Xight  &  far  after  Midnight.  Here  I  was  surprized  at  hearing 
the  College  Bell  for  morning  pra^-ers,  which  it  w^as  observed  and  I 
well  knew  President  Clap  used  to  have  at  or  before  Day  Light  in 
\\'inter.  He  seemed  to  be  still  living  tho'  he  died  1767.  Upon 
this  I  hastened  away  for  prayers  at  College,  seemingly  as  I  was 
used  to  when  Tutor  there  under  Mr.  Clap.  At  leaving  the  house 
Capt.  N.  called  his  Family  together  for  prayer.  Going  out,  perceiv- 
ing a  Whip  in  my  Hand  I  seemed  reminded  of  mj^  horse,  and  look- 
ing for  him  I  espied  m>-  son  Ezra,  and  to  have  obstructions  &  Delays 
&  was  anxious  least  I  should  be  too  late.  I  found  I  had  missed  my 
Jacket,  but  ni}-  son  officioush-  'sought  and  found  it.  I  was  carried 
forward  but  the  Horse  dropt  out  of  mind — my  son  running  before 
till  I  was  near  Mr.  Atwaters  over  against  Mr.  Whittelseys.  For 
what  reason  I   forget  but  I  wanted  to  recall  my  son  who  was  at  a 

Distance  before  me.      I  called  him  but  tho'  he  heard  he  kept  on 

then  on  repeated  calling  he  stood  and  spake  with  petulancy  & 
indecency — at  length  he  came  &  at  meeting  I  rebuked  him  not  with 
my  wonted  Asperity  but  with  Expressions  so  tender  as  instantly 
wro't  upon  him  so  that  he  flew  into  my  Arms,  when  I  received  him 
with  the  highest  sensations  of  Love  I  ever  felt  towards  him,  &  he 
seemed  to  me  most  loveh"  &  charming.  I  beheld  him  with  an 
unutterable  Love  &  Complacency  I  had  never  before  felt,  because  I 
saw  him  dissolved  in  Love  &  Affection  to  me.  I  was  then  proceed- 
ing and  on  foot,  but  there  seemed  to  be  difficulty  in  the  rode.  At 
a  few  steps  dist''  stood  some  of  my  old  New  Haven  Friends  particu- 
larly Mr.  Whiting,  who  spoke  &  welcomed  me — I  crossed  over  to 
his  Door  &  shook  hands,  as  passing  in  haste  and  going  to  the  old 
place  College  to  prayers,  the  bell  still  ringing,  Passing  a  few  rods 
farther  against  where  Deacon  Lyman  used  to  live  when  I  resided  at 
College,  I  seemed  to  be  overbourn  with  the  Burden  &  weight  upon 
me — besides  Books  or  something  in  my  Arms  I  seemed  to  have  two 
large  open  Folio  Volumes  on  my  head,  one  of  which  then  drop't.  I 
was  perplext  cS:  delayed,  &  one  &  another  stopt  &  conversed  with 
me  but  upon  what  I  know  not. — Here  there  was  a  Vacuity  in  the 
Dream  as  to  passing  the  rest  of  the  Way.  But  the  next  sensation 
of  the  Dream  was  that  I  was  got  to  my  Apartment  in  College,  but 


JANUARY    l8,    1774  433 

too  late  for  prayers  now  almost  over.  The  Apartment  was  well 
known  to  me,  tho'  not  the  Chamber  in  which  I  used  to  lodge  & 
dwell,  3-et  it  was  the  Room  of  the  public  L/ibrary  adjoyning  & 
wherein  I  used  to  spend  the  most  of  my  studying  hours  formerh- 
for  the  last  5  years  of  ni}'  Tutorship.  This  my  coming  to  the  Col- 
lege seemed  to  be  a  Returning  to  the  Tutorship  after  a  long  Absence, 
and  the  manner  of  it  seemed  as  it  used  to  be  at  the  End  of  Vacations 
when  we  found  our  Rooms  in  Dirt  &  Confusion.  The  Library 
Room  seemed  to  have  been  extended  southward  during  my  Absence  ; 
and  the  old  Library  Room  converted  into  a  sort  of  Tutors  Chamber 
for  hearing  &  teaching  the  Classes  about  the  Fireplace,  with  addi- 
tional late  built  Closets  &  a  Lodging  Room.  The  Books  were 
carried  farther  into  the  extended  part  of  the  Library  rather  to  be 
beyond  the  old  part  now  assigned  to  Tuition  but  not  partitioned 
from  it.  But  at  the  line  of  partition  &  in  the  Middle  stood  an 
Organ  of  a  singular  structure  &  highly  finished,  the  Pipes  all  of 
Silver  &  Gold  polished  &  facing  the  Body  of  the  Books.  It  was 
lofty  &  on  all  sides  exposed  to  view  ;  and  the  Backside  seemed  to 
be  from  top  to  bottom  consisting  of  Folds  of  Bellows  neatly  covered 
with  the  richest  silk.  I  was  taking  a  hasty  Walk  alone  around  the 
whole,  &  viewing  the  Lodging  room  &  Closets  turned  into  the  S" 
part  among  the  Books,  &  returning  from  the  bottom  of  the  Library 
&  coming  thro'  the  East  side  by  the  organ,  I  saw  a  well  dressed 
Gentleman  entering  the  Door  followed  with  Company.  I  made  up 
to  him  to  receive  him  as  coming  to  view  the  Library  &  to  shew  him 
the  Library  with  Politeness.  The  Ladies  soon  seated  with  some 
Gent,  on  the  East  side  near  the  Organ.  I  excused  the  Library  being 
in  deshabille  and  disorder,  from  its  being  just  our  Return  after  the 
Vacancy  &c.  The  first  Gent,  sat  near  the  Fireplace  with  whom, 
after  Civilities  passed  towards  all,  I  entered  into  Convers'^  &c.  The 
Ladies  admir^  the  Library  &  Organ  ;  I  said  I  would  give  them 
some  Account  &c.  that  our  principal  Donor  to  the  Library  was  the 
Bishop  of  Cloyn,  Dr.  Berkely,  whose  Books  stood  in  the  So.  part 
of  the  Library  by  themselves  ;  who  also  gave  the  College  a  Farm 
at  Rh.  Island  &  also  presented  this  Organ.     The  Gent,  said  it  was 

true,  and  that  he  purchased  it  by  the  Bps  Direction I  then 

stept  up  to  it  to  shew  the  Inside,  and  lifting   up  the  Silk  Covering 
&  shoving  upwards  the  Whalebone  Folds  of  the  Bellows,  the  Organ 
began    to   play  spontaneously  such   bold    &    melodious    Notes   as 
instantly  awoke  me. 
28 


434 


DIARY   OF    EZRA    STILES 


19.  The  8'"'  Inst,  died  the  Rev.  Thos.  Balch  Pastor  of  a  Church 
in  Dedham  set.  63,  Min>  38. — Deaths  at  Salem  last  year  208  of 
which  13  Blacks.     Total  of  Baptisms  there  137,  thus  : — 

Number  of  Infants  baptized  in  Salem  in  1773  by 

Rev.  IMess'''  Barnard  &  Dunbar 
Rev.  Mr.  Diman         .... 
Rev.  Mess"  3Icgilchrist  &  Nicols,  Episc 
Rev.  Dr.  Whitaker    .... 
Rev.  Mr.  Barnard,  jun.      . 

137 


Families 

II 

My  Estimate          190 

35 

250 

27 

150 

39 

270 

25 

140 

Remark  i.  The  Births  are  doubtless  equal  to  the  Deaths,  &  so 
at  least  one  quarter  Infants  unbaptized.  .  It  is  worthy  Inquiry-  what 
the  Cause  wh}'  only  three  Quarters  of  the  Children  born  are  bap- 
tized. 2.  Hence  Baptisms  in  X.  England  no  Indication  of  the 
Nativities.  3.  There  is  a  Quaker  meetg.  in  Salem  :  and  perhaps 
some  Baptists.  These  dont  baptize  Infants.  4.  The  Chlimen 
baptize  all  universally.  5.  Mr.  Barnard,  sen.,  his  Congregation 
have  got  into  great  Negligence  as  to  the  Ordinances,  tho'  perhaps 
of  as  exemplar}'  Morals  as  any  Church  in  Town.  The  Congreg^ 
is  large  eno'  for  40  or  50  Nativities  a  3-ear.  There  are  six  Thousd 
Inhab.  in  Salem,  or  above  1000  souls  to  a  Congreg^  at  a  medium. 

21.  There  is  now  one  Minister  at  Susquehanna  Rev.  Jacob  John- 
son,' formerly  a  Congregational  Pastor  at  Groton  in  Connecticutt. 
I  was  this  day  offered  ^100.  L.  M.  for  one  of  ni}'  Susquehanna 
Rights.' 

22.  Fini.shed  reading  Dr.  Lightfoots  Harmony  of  the  N.  Test. 

23.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  Ixii,  5.  P.M.  Rev.  xii,  11. 
An  excessive  cold  season,  much  Snow,  Fahr.  Therm.  2  below 
Cypher  at  Sunrise  in  a  N°  Shade  abroad.  I  was  but  three  Quarters 
of  an  hour  in  Service  in  forenoon  and  same  afternoon. 

26.  M"  Chh.  Meef-'  at  Sister  Channings  when  I  preached  on 
Rev.  xii,  10,  11. 

29.  Finished  read^'  Mr.  Stillmans  2  Sermons  upon  the  Execution 
of  Levi  Ames.  Read^  Dr.  Danas  second  Piece  upon  Mr.  Edwards, 
&c.     Reading  Dionysius  Areopag.     Read^  Dr.    Owen  on    Evang. 

'  Yale  Coll.  1740. 

■  Dr.  Stiles  was  one  of  the  original  proprietors  of  the  lands  in  Pennsylvania, 
known  as  the  Susquehannah  Purchase,  deeded  by  the  Indians  in  1754. 


JANUARY    I9-FEBRUARY    13,    1774  435 

Love.     Also  read  Mr,  Shepard  on  Infant  Baptism.     Mr.    West  of 
Dartmouth  has  just  printed  a  Piece  on  Paedobaptism. 

30.  Ldsday.  A.M.     I  preached  on  Col.  i,  27.     P.M.  Heb.  iii,  14. 

31.  This  day  observed  at  Church  as  the  30^"^  Jany.  for  beheading 
Charles  I.  Only  prayers,  no  Sermon.  An  Evening  Meeting  at  my 
house  of  the  young  Women  of  my  Congregation  ;  I  preached  on 
2  Cor.  viii,  9.  A  very  full  and  serious  Meeting.  Last  week  Gov. 
Hutchinson  opened  the  Assembly  at  Boston  with  a  very  mild 
Speech. 

February. 

2.  Examin-  the  Targum  on  xlv  Psalm.  Read  Oct"  Magazine 
Gent. 

3.  Read  4  Monthly  Reviews  of  1773.  Xo  Lecture  at  Mr.  Hop- 
kins's this  Even^'.     Stormy. 

5.  Read  270  Pages  in  Kings  History  &  Criticisms  upon  the 
Apostles  Creed. 

6.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Prov.  ix,  12.  P.M.  i  Cor.  i, 
9,  and  notified  a  Meet-  of  the  Societ}'  next  Friday  at  the  desire  of 
the  Committee.     Reading  King  on  the  Creed. 

7.  Killington'  Proprietors  Meeting. 

8.  The  last  week  in  Jan}-,  died  the  Rev.  Edward  Barnard  Pastor 
of  the  first  Church  in  Haverhill.  He  was  one  of  the  most  learned 
Pastors  of  N.  England.  At  III''  I  preached  at  the  Alms  house  to  20 
poor  and  perhaps  30  others  on  2  Cor.  viii,  9. 

9.  Monda}^  Jany  31,  the  Corporation  of  Han-ard  College  made 
Choice  of  the  Hon.  John  Winthrop  Esq.  LL.D.  and  F.R.S.  to  be 
President :  but  he  declined  accepting  the  Ofiice. 

The  General  Assembly  of  Connecticutt  at  their  Session  at  Hart- 
ford about  the  middle  of  January  last  erected  a  large  Township  40 
or  50  Miles  square  called  Westmoreland  bounded  East  on  Delaware 
River  extending  West  to  15  Miles  beyond  W^'oming  on  Susque- 
hannah  River  ;  and  extended  Connecticutt  Laws  &  Jurisdiction 
thither,  appointing  two  Justices  of  Peace  (S:c.  and  annexed  it  for 
the  present  to  the  County  of  Litchfield  in  Connecticutt. 

10.  This  da}'  I  &  ni}-  wife  have  been  married  17  years.  Did  not 
attend  Mr.  H's  Lecture. 

13.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Rom.  xiii.  12,  13.  14.  P.M. 
2  Cor.  V,    I,  on  Death  of   Mrs.    Milward  and   Capt.    Tho'   Phipps 

^  See  above,  Jan.  15,  1773. 


436  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 

Barrel.  Capt.  Barrel  died  at  Marblehead  Jany.  30,  set.  35. 
Finished  reading  King  on  the  Creed.     Reading  in  Bion.  Areop*. 

i^.  Even-  Meet"  of  married  people  at  Col.  Baytons.  I  preached 
on  I  Thess.  iii.  12.  13. 

17.  Read?  the  Life  of  Bp.  Lewis  Count  Zinzendorf. 

20.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  all  day  on  2  Cor.  iii,  9,  10.  11.  I  also 
published  three  couples  for  Marriage.  And  notified  a  religious 
Meet^  of  the  Negroes  at  my  house  tomorrow  Evening. 

21.  Negroes  met  at  my  house.  I  preached  on  2  Cor.  \-iii,  9. 
This  Afternoon  a  meeting  of  the  Susquehannah  Proprietors. 

2^.  Braufting  a  Letter  to  the  Meeting  of  Susquehannah  Proprie- 
tors to  be  held  at  Windham  in  Connecticutt  9^*^  March.  Church 
Meeting  at  Sister  Trevetts.     I  discoursed  on  Rev.  xix,  5-9 

25.  Finished  the  Letter  and  this  Evening  it  was  laid  before  the 
Proprietors  in  &  about  Newport  &  approved  &  signed  by  Gov. 
L^-ndon.  It  contained  three  sheets  and  half  in  Writing,  which 
with  the  Maps  &  Calculations  made  six  sheets. 

27.  Ldsday.  I  preached  A.M.  on  Luke  xix.  44.  and  published 
three  Couples.     P.M.  on  i  Pet.  v.  10. 

March. 

2.   I  preached  Mr.  Kellys  Lecture  Ephes.  ii.  8-10. 

4.  Reading  Neumans  Chemistn,'.  Mr.  Hopkins  preached  my 
sacramental  Lecture — He  that  is  not  for  us  is  against  us. 

6.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Heb.  v,  8,  9,  and  administered 
the  Lds.  Supper  to  58  Communicants.  P.M.  Ps.  Ixii,  7,  8.  Read- 
ing Br.  Benson  on  the  Epistles  .  .  .  ;  also  the  Targum  upon 
Canticles. 

8.  Monday-  7th  Febr\-.  last  the  Rev'd  Br.  Samuel  Cooper  of 
Boston  was  unanimously  elected  President  of  Han'ard  College  ;  but 
declined  the  OflSce. 

9.  On  3'  Inst.  March  died  Honorable  Lieut.  Gov.  Oliver'  at 
Boston  set.  68.  This  Evening  I  married  Capt.  Sherman  and  Miss 
Katherine  Rider ;  and  preached  to  a  religious  Meeting  at  Sqr. 
Pitmans 

10.  Read  Mr.  Beans  Centur\-  Sermon — Wrentham. 

11.  This  day  my  Son  Ezra  is  set.  15.  News  of  drowning  30 
Chests  of  Tea  just  arrived  at  Boston.     Also  hear  that  the  Tea  at 

'  Andrew  Oliver,  an  elder  brother  of  the  Hon.  Peter  Oliver. 


I 


FEBRUARY    15-MARCH    27,    1774  437 

Charlestown  S"  Carolina  is  ruined  by  taking  Wet  in  the  Stores.  The 
Sons  of  Liberty  at  Philad""  and  X.  York  have  sent  Mr.  Goddard  to 
sollicit  us  in  X.  England  to  unite  in  opposing  the  parliamentary- 
Post  Ofl&ce  in  America,  and  in  setting  up  Pro\'incial  Post  Riders. 

12.  Particularly  reading  the  Targum  on  Solomon's  Song.  At  the 
Funeral  of  Lt.  Gov.  Oliver  the  Assembly  then  sitting  at  Boston 
adjourned  to  attend  the  Solemnity.  But  those  who  ordered  the 
Procession  putting  the  Xa^-^-  Officers  next  after  the  mourners,  the 
Assembly  was  disgusted,  and  the  Council  and  Representatives 
turned  off  out  of  the  Prcx:ession  and  proceeded  to  the  Townhouse. 
After  this  the  Multitude  followed  without  Order  &  in  promiscuous 
Confusion  to  the  Grave.  Johnny  Malcomb'  follo-^-ing  the  Mourners, 
the  Boys  insulted  him,  &  after  the  Grave  was  covered,  gave  three 
Cheers.  At  the  Grave  a  Gentleman  was  heard  to  speak  aloud 
A\-ithin  hearing  of  Gov.  Hutchinsons  Coach,  that  he  hoped  within 
a  fortnight  they  should  be  called  to  render  the  same  last  Office  to 
the  Governor  himself.  Such  is  the  public  Disgust.  &  such  the 
Tumult  of  the  Times. 

13.  Lordsday  A.M.  I  preached  on  2  Cor.  iv,  16.  17,  and  P.M.  Ps. 
cxix,  176,  and  propounded  Eli  Evans  for  Admission  to  full  Com- 
munion  

17.  I  did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins"  Lecture  which  he  has  again 
resumed. 

iS.  This  day  being  the  Anniversar}-  of  the  Repeal  of  the  Stamp 
Act  was  celebrated  in  Town  by  display  of  Colors  on  Liberty  Tree 
and  Discharge  of  Cannon  in  different  parts  of  the  To\\ti  and  b}' 
Ringing  of  Bells. 

20.  Ldsdy.  A.>L  I  preached  on  Ephes.  ii,  S-io.  P.M.  Prov. 
x\-i,  19.     Snow. 

21.  Writing  Lett,  to  Windham. 

22.  Reading  Father  Paul. 

22^.  Monthly  Chh.  Meet-  at  Br.  Otis's.  I  preached  i  Thess.  v. 
23 Received  a  Packet  from  Mr.  Zubly, 

24.  Didnt  attend  Mr.  H.  Lecture. 

25.  Read^  Dr.  Smiths  Defence  of  Pen.  Proprietaries  against 
Connecticutt  \\'estern  Claim  on  Susquehanna  <S:c.     Passover  Even^. 

27.  Lordsday  A.M.  I  preached  on  Eph.  ii,  S-io.  P.M.  on  Luke 
i^-  36-39,  upon  the  Death  of  that  ver\-  eminent  &  aged  saint  Mrs. 

'  An  officer  of  the  customs,  who  was  tarred  and  feathered  at  Boston  about  six 
•weeks  before. 


43S  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLEvS 

Abigail  Otis  \V"  formerly  of  Barnstable  afterwards  of  Newport  who 
died  at  i^Iansfield  in  Connecticutt.'  I  propounded  Mrs.  Luc}-  Chan- 
ning  for  Owning  the  Covenant. 

30.  Rev.  Thos.  Jones  Pastor  of  second  Church  in  Woburn  died 
13"'  Inst.  £et.  52,  Min.  24.  He  was  seized  in  the  Pulpit  with  a 
paralytic  shock  just  as  he  was  ending  the  first  prayer,  and  expired 
sunset  same  Lordsday. 

31.  I  preached  Mr.  Hopkins  Even^  Lecture,  Col.  i,  10. 

April 

I.  Being  Goodfridaj'  I  attended  the  Moravian  Meeting  A.M.  & 
heard  Mr.  Rusme3-er  preach,  attended  the  Evening  Meeting  at 
Moravians  and  heard  Mr.  Rusmeyer  preach  again. 

3.  Lordsda}^  I  preached  all  day  on  Ephes.  ii,  8,  g,  10.  Admitted 
Eli  Evans  into  full  Communion,  &  baptized  his  Child  Sarah.   .   .   . 

4.  Catechised  12  B.,  26  G.,  6  Neg.     Tot.  44. 

5.  At  in''  P.M.  I  preached  at  the  Almshouse  on  Jer.  xxx,  i,  3. 

6.  I  preached  at  M"  Meeting,  &c. 

10.  Lordsday  A.]\I.  i  Pet.  i,  13.  P.M.  i  Thess.  ii,  11,  12,  and 
published  Jn"  Sam'  Treb}^  and  Polly  Cahoon  :— and  also  admitted 
Lucy  the  Wife  of  W^illiam   Channing  Esq.  to  own  her  Baptismal 

Covenant 'Mr.   Hopkins  is  at   Norwich,   Chelsea.      Rev. 

Mr.  Judson  of  Chelsea  is  in  T"  and  preaches  for  Mr.  Hopkins. 

11.  In  Evening  several  Negro  Communicants  were  at  my  study 
to  hear  me  examine  a  Negro  Woman  who  is  about  offering  herself 
to  the  Communion.  W'e  discoursed  freely  together.  I  praj^ed  with 
them  &  parted. 

14.  A  day  of  public  Fasting  and  Prayer  in  the  Province  of  Massa- 
chusetts ;  as  was  3-esterday  in  Connecticutt.  I  preached  A.M.  on 
Joel  ii,  12-14,  P-M.  Ps.  Ixii,  5-8,  And  baptized  a  Child;  contribu- 
tion for  the  Poor.  Mr.  Judson  preached  Mr.  Hopkin's  Fast,  but 
had  no  Evening  Lecture. 

17.  Lordsday  A.M.  I  preached  on  Micah  vii,  iS,  &  published 
three  Couples.  P.M.  Ps.  cxix,  165.  Extended  the  vSeason  or 
Intermission  to  III2''  P.M.  This  day  my  Daughter  P^lizabeth  is 
cet.  16 

'  Sister  of  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Russell  (Yale  170S),  and  wife  of  Nathaniel  Otis, 
of  Sandwich,  Mass.,  who  died  in  1739.  She  lived  with  her  youngest  son.  Major 
Jonathan  Otis,  in  Newport ;  and  with  her  daughter  Martha,  wife  of  Edmund 
Freeman  (Harvard  1733),  in  Mansfield.    See  also  Stiles' s  Htsi.  of  the  Judges,  97- 


MARCH    30-MAY    4,    1774  439 

19.  Gov.  Tryon  lately  sailed  for  England.  Before  his  Embarka- 
tion he  gave  10,000  Acres  of  new  Wilderness  Lands  to  Kings  Col- 
lege New  York,  &  founded  there  a  Professorship  of  Municipal  Law. 
The  College  conferred  upon  him  the  Degree  of  Doctor  in  Civil  Law. 

20.  M"  Church  Meeting.     I  preached  Heb.  xiii,  20,  21. 

21.  Did  not  attend  Mr.  Hop.  Lect. 

24.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Micah  vii,  18,  &  published  two 
Couples.     P.M.  on  Jno.  iii,  36. 

27.  The  American  Post  Office  produces  ^"3000.  sterlg.  annualh^ 
clear  to  the  Treas'"  or  Exchequer.  This  Afternoon  rode  to  Little 
Compton. 

28.  Kept  Fast  and  preached  all  Day  for  Mr.  Ellis.  A  M.  on  Joel 
ii,  12-14.     P-M.  Ps.  Ixii,  5-8. 

30.  Returned  to  Newport.  Mr.  Hopkins  preached  my  sacramen- 
tal Lecture  yesterday. 

May 

1.  Lordsday  A.M.  at  YUll^  I  married  Mr.  Andrew  Balfour'  of 
Enfield  in  Connecticutt  Merchant,  and  late  of  the  City  and  Univer- 
sity of  Edinburgh,  and  Miss  Elizabeth  Daj'ton  of  Newport,  at  CoP 
Daytons  House.  At  the  usual  Time  of  Divine  Worship  I  preached 
on  Heb.  ii,  17-18,  and  administered  the  Lords  Supper  to  60  Com- 
municants.    P.M.  on  Prov.  viii,  17 

2.  At  V  P.M.  I  catechised  19  Boys  23  Girls  8  Negroes,  Total 
50.  The  Mohegan  or  Mason  Case"  cost  Connecticutt  ^7000,  L.  M. 
or  less  than  one  penny  on  the  pound  in  the  Grand  List.  The  Grand 
List  of  Connect,  returned  Oct"  1773  was  ^1,795,807..  9..  7.  One 
penn}-  on  the  pound  raises  ^7495.  Lat.  of  New  Haven  41°  19.' 
Mr.  Trumbull,  Apr.  16,  1774,  speaking  of  Connecticutt  says  "  It  is 
thought  that  not  less  than  thirty  Thousand  Sou/s  have  emigrated 
from  this  Colony  into  other  parts  in  about  12  or  14  years  past." 

The  Week  before  last  the  Inhabitants  of  New  York  sent  back  the 
East  Ind.  Tea  Ship  just  arrived  there,  and  destroyed  18  Chests  of 
Tea  just  arrived  in  another  Ship  from  London.  This  is  like 
Boston  ! 

Reading  Congreg"'  Accounts  of  the  Unitas  Fratrum. 
4.   General  Election  Rh.  Isld.     Mr.  Wanton  Gov.     Mr.  Sessions 
D.  Gov. 

'  See  above,  Nov.  16,  1773. 
*  ^  See  above,  Oct.  18,  1771. 


440  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

5.  I  draughted  an  Agreement  for  forming  a  religious  Society  of 
the  Congregational  Denomination  at  East  Greenwich — and  also  a 
Deed  of  Feoffment  to  invest  the  Meetinghouse  they  are  now  about 
to  build  with  Land  it  stands  on  in  Nine  Trustees,  of  which  I  am  one. 

6.  Capt.  Shand  arrived  here  from  London,  says  the  House  of 
Commons  passed  the  Bill  proposed  by  Ld.  North  for  humbling  Bos- 
ton, by  &c.  &c. 

7.  Delivered  the  Greenwich  Papers  to  Messrs.  Mumford  and 
Maxwell.  Yesterda}^  I  baptized  Mary  the  Wife  of  Nathaniel  Helme 
on  a  Sick  Bed  &  judged  near  to  death.  And  this  daj^  I  baptized 
John  Son  of  William  Channing  Esq.  &  Lucy  his  Wife,  also  pri- 
vately as  there  is  no  hopes  of  the  Babe's  Life 

8.  Ld.sdy  A.M.  I  preached  on  Jer.  xxxi,  3.  P.M.  on  J  no.  xv, 
24.     Reading  Twisse  Vindicise  Gratise  &c  Dei. 

9.  Mrs.  Helme  and  Mr.  Channings  Babe  died  and  both  buried 
to  day. 

10.  Examining  LXX  Chronology. 

11.  Even'''  Married  Meet^'  at  Sqr.  Richardsons,  when  I  discoursed 
on  Isai.  Ixi,  i. 

14.  This  Day  my  Rev**  &  Honored  Father  Stiles  has  been  dead  14 
years.  May  I  remember  his  holy  Counsels  to  me.  Finished  read- 
ing the  Targum  on  the  last  16  Chapters  of  Isaiah  by  Jon^  Ben 
Uzziel. 

15.  Lordsday  A.M.  I  preached  on  Isai.  Iv,  7.     P.M.  Ps.  xxvi,  3. 

Mr.  Hopkins  is  not  returned  from  Connecticutt,  but 

Mr.  Spring'  a  young  Candidate  is  here  and  preached  for  him. 

16.  M"  Church  Meeting  at  Sister  Carrs.  I  preached  on  Philip, 
i,  27 Killington  Vendue. 

17.  News  that  Gen.  Gage  arrived  at  Boston  last  as  Gov- 
ernor of  Massachusetts  and  the  Lord  Norths  bill  passed.  Five 
Thousand  Troops  to  be  stationed  in  Massachusetts  3000  at  Boston 
1000  at  Salem  where  the  Courts  &  Customhouse  removed  &  1000 
el.sewhere — &  Port  of  Boston  blocked  up.  Gov.  Gage  is  to  land  at 
Boston  to  day  &  his  Commission  to  be  published.  It  is  said  that 
Gov.  Hutchinson  who  is  superseded  is  fled  to  the  Castle. 

18.  This  day  a  Spinning  Match  at  my  House — 68  Wheels — 
delivered  in  to  us  172  fourteen-knotted  skeins  of  Linnen  Yarn. 
Which  with  Provisions  was  a  profit  to  us  of  al)out  ^4  sterlg.,  a 
present. 

'  Samuel  Spring  (Princeton  1771),  afterwards  of  Newburyport,  Mass.' 


MAY    5-JUNE    I,    1774  441 

22.  L,ordsday  I  preached  A.M.  on  i  Cor.  i,  18.  P.M.  Philip,  ii, 
15,  16,  and  notified  my  intended  Journey  &  Absence  2  Sabbath.s  ; 
also  propounded  Jenny  Negro  Servant  of  Jn"'Tophani  for  Admission 
into  full  Connnunion.  In  the  Evening  I  married  John  Gibbs  & 
Eliza.  Gardner  at  her  Fathers  House. 

23.  This  day  I  sat  out  on  a  Journey  into  Connecticutt.'  Cro.ssed 
the  Ferries,  %.     Lodged  at  Gardners  2/9. 

24.  Gated  at  Vaughans  in  N"  K.,  c/  Dined  at  Nicols.  W. 
Greenw.  1/2  %.  Oats  at  Dorrance's,  4/2''.  Arrived  at  Plainfield 
&  put  up  at  Eatons.  60  or  70  fam  at  New  Plainfild.  At  Eaton's, 
II I . 

25.  To  highway,  1/2^.  Dined  at  Windham,  2/6.  (Oats,  &c.  G'^. 
Hartf  ferry,  &c.  4^^  at  VI  P  M. )  Eodged  at  Mr.  Lockwood's, 
And  over. 

26.  Rode  to  Hartford,  lo'^  Found  the  General  Assembly  full  of 
Concern  about  Boston, 

28.  Pd.  Capt.  Bull  6/.  Sundries  6^  At  Cowls,  Farmington. 
Dinner  1/3.     Arrived  at  Harwinton. 

28.  Edsdy.  P.M.  I  preached  at  Harwinton  for  Mr.  Perr}^,  Eph. 
ii,  8-10.  Mr.  Marsh  of  E.  Hartford  preached  in  the  forenoon. 
Mr.  Perry  absent. 

30.  Viewd  my  81  acre  Farm  in  Harwinton.^  Mr.  Catlin  offered 
me  .^103  E.  M.  for  it.  P  M.  viewed  my  19^2  acre  Lot  at  So.  end 
Harwinton.     Mr.  offered  me  ^15  for  it.     pd.  1/6. 

31.  At  Eitchfield  for  wash^  a  shirt  i  ,  besides  1/5,  for  Reckn^'  2/5. 
Oats  4''.     Rode  to  Mr.  Golds  in  Cornwall. 

June. 

I.  Yesterday  .visited  my  Eands  &  found  about  thirtj'  acres  under 
Improv^  Can  cut  6  Eoads  Hay  at  least.  Some  sowed  with  Wheat, 
some  with  Flax  ;  Orchard  65  Apple  Trees  &  above  living,  out  of 
100  set  out  1764  &  1765,  a  fire  having  broke  in  &c.  To  Mr.  Gold 
for  Trouble  &  drawing  Eeases  6/.     Children,  3/9. 

After  Breakfast  set  out  on  Return.  Dined  at  Mr.  Heaton's  in 
Goshen.  Oats  at  Torrington,  4''.  Lodged  at  Cousin  Bissels^  in 
Torringford. 

^  The  entries  for  the  journey  are  taken  from  Dr.  Stiles's  Itinerary. 

'^  This  farm  was  inherited  from  his  grandfather,  John  Stiles,  of  Windsor, 
Conn.,  to  whom  it  was  laid  out  in  1733. 

^  Ruth,  wife  of  Ezekiel  Bissel,  her  mother,  Naomi,  wife  of  the  Rev.  Ebenezer 
Devotion,  of  SufEield,  being  Dr.  Stiles's  mother's  sister. 


442  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

2.  Dined  at  Cousin  Dibbles,'  visited  Cousin  Gaylords"  &c.  in 
Torringford.  Afternoon  rode  to  Harwinton  &  sold  my  8i  Acre 
farm  to  Capt.  Jon^  Catlin  for  ^102.  10.  o  L.  M.  .  ,  This  I  devote 
for  educating  my  son  Ezra  at  Yale  College  .  .  .  Lodged  at  Mr. 
Bartholomews. 

3.  Set  out  for  Windsor.  Oats  at  Case's  at  Symsbur}-  6^^.  Dined 
Symsb-'  i/i.  I  have  13  Doll.  Viat.  in  Bag  &  i  in  purse.  Arrived 
Windsor,  Brother  Ashbel's. 

4.  \'isited  Relations  at  Windsor.  Went  over  to  East  side  Con- 
necticutt  River  &  visited  Uncle  Noah  Stiles.  Found  aged  Mr. 
Jon^  Stiles^  living,  on  West  Side.     Grass  mowed  at  Windsor. 

5.  Ldsday.  At  Windsor  preached  for  Mr.  Hinsdale  A.M.  2 
Cor.  iii,  9-1 1,  P.M.  2  Cor.  viii,  9.     Lodged  at  Uncle  Samuel  Stiles. 

6.  To  ackn"  Deed  2/  to  Bro.  6/  to  Children  3/ — Set  out  &  crossed 
ferr}^  2^.  Dined  at  Wapping  11''  Oats  &c  at  Fellows  g'^.  Lodged 
at  Uncle  Eben'  Stiles  aet.  75,  Coventry. 

7.  Dined  Mr.  Welchs  at  Mansfield.  Oats  &c  at  Ashf"  7^ 
Lodged  at  Mr.  Marcys^  in  Woodstock. 

8.  Rode  to  Uncle  Abel  Stiles' s  in  No.  Woodstock— Visit,     ^t. 

65. 

9.  Visit. 

10.  To  Cousin  Sophia  i  '6.  Oats  &c  at  Killingly  'jj^'^.  Dined 
at  in  Edge  of  Gloucester  1/2.  Oats  Wilmots  sH"^-  Reached 
Provid.  at  VIII  &  put  up  at  Col.  Dexters. 

11.  At  Dexters  2/10.  Barbers  2''.  Dined  Rev.  Mr.  Townsend's. 
.  .  Ferry  3''.  Brist"  Do.  8''.  Oats  3''.  Arrived  at  Newport  about 
sunset,  &  found  my  family  &  Flock  comfortable.     Deo  grates. 

12.  Ld.sdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Mat.  xxiv,  46.  P.M.  Luke 
ix,  62. 

13.  At  V  P.M.  Catechi.se  26  children  &  9  Negroes,  Total  35 — 
rain}'  afternoon. 

14.  The  General  Assemblj^  sitting  here.  Also  an  Ecclesiastical 
Council  began  this  day  to  sit  here  convened  by  the  first  Congrega- 

'  Hannah  Stiles,  an  aunt  of  Dr.  Stiles,  married  Isaac  Haydon,  and  her  daugh- 
ter Anna  was  now  the  wife  of  Daniel  Dibble  of  Torringford. 

'■'  Ruth  Stiles,  aunt  of  Dr.  Stiles,  married  Nathaniel  Taylor,  and  her  daughter 
Margaret  was  the  wife  of  Elijah  Gaylord  of  Torringford. 

*  I'irst  cousin  of  Dr.  Stiles's  grandfather,  and  born  about  1687. 

■•  Alcthca,  the  only  surviving  child  of  Dr.  Stiles's  uncle  Abel  Stiles,  married 
Hadlock  Marcy  (Yale  1761).  The  "  Cousin  Sophia "  mentioned  a  few  lines 
later  was  her  daughter. 


JUNE   2-lS,    1774  443 

tional  Cluii'ch  in  Town,  to  advise  on  the  Controversy  between  said 
Church  and  Rev''  Mr.  Vinal  their  late  pastor.  Convened  4 
Churches,  viz. 

Rev"  Mr.  Shaw  and  Delegates  from  a  Church  of  Bridgwater. 
Rev.  Mr.  Conant  and  D°  Middleboro' 

Rev.  Mr.  Palmer  and  D"  Norton 

Pastor  absent — Delegates  of  Church  Wrenthaili  (Bean). 

This  Afternoon  the  Council  began  publick  Hearing  in  Rev.  Mr. 
Hopkins'  Meetinghouse. 

15.  The  Removal  of  Massachusetts  Assembly  from  Boston  to 
Salem,  the  shutting  up  the  Port  of  Boston,  the  Acts  of  Parlt.  for 
abolishing  Massachusetts  Charter  &c.  spread  an  amazing  Alarm 
thro'  the  Colonies.  Boston  is  in  great  Distress  !  Yesterday  visited 
a  new  Rabbi  come  to  Town.  Rabbi  Bosquila  from  Smyrna  in  the 
Levant  where  he  was  born  and  educated.  He  resided  with  his 
Family  14  years  in  London,  is  now  aet.  61,  for  manj^  3'ears  has  fol- 
lowed Traffic  &  laid  aside  his  rabbinical  Studies.  He  says,  he  has 
not  read  the  Talmud  which  I  was  surprized  at,  as  by  the  Certificate 
under  the  hands  of  a  London  Rabbi  he  appears  to  be  indeed  a 
Rabbi — but  he  has  read  the  Zohar.  The  Bible  and  Zohar  he  is 
versed  in  and  few  other  Books.  He  is  of  contracted  and  limited 
Literature — he  is  among  the  Rabbins,  as  a  Minister  whose  Reading 
has  been  limited  to  the  Bible  and  Willards  [Ridgl3's]  Bod}^  of 
Divinity  among  the  Ministers  of  New^  England. 

16.  On  the  8th  of  Ma}^  last  died  Rev.  Jedidiah  Jewett  of  Rowley 
set.  69,  Min.  45.  He  was  a  prophet  in  his  own  Countr}',  Rowley 
being  the  place  of  his  Nativity 

In  A.  D.  1762  the  Numeration  of  the  Colony  of  Connecticutt 
was  141  Thousand  Souls  ;  now  A.  D.  1774  it  amounts  to  197  Thou- 
sand Souls  ;  there  are  about  6000  Negroes  and  Indians  in  the  Col- 
ony. So  that  the  Colon}^  has  increased  above  50  Thousand  in  12 
years  besides  about  30  Thousand  Emigrants  from  the  Colon}"  in 
that  space.     No  Lecture  to  night. 

17.  Attended  Council. 

18.  At  XI 14  A  M.  the  Council  published  the  Result  in  the 
Meetinghouse,  which  was  in  Disapprobation  of  Mr.  Yinall.  And 
then  the  Council  dissolved.  Wednesday  last  the  General  Assembly 
passed  an  Act  for  incorporating  Mr.  Hopkins  Church.  And 
appointed  a  general   Fast  throughout  the   Colony  on  Account  of 


444  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 

shutlin.^:  up  the  port  of  Boston  the  first  Instant  &  for  the  threaten- 
ing aspect  of  public  Affairs  &  for  supplicating  Heaven  &c. 

19.  Lordsday.  A.  M.  I  preached  on  Jer.  ix,  23,  24.  P.M.  on 
Acts  xxvi,  18.  This  morning  vSister  Hubbard'  of  Meriden  came  in 
by  \\'ater.     Mr.  Vinal  not  at  Meeting. 

20.  In  the  j-ear  1756  the  Census  in  the  Colony  of  Connecticutt 
amounts  to  128,218  Whites  and  3587  Blacks.  In  1762  the  Census 
141,076  Whites  and  4590  Blacks.  In  1774  the  Census  191,392  W. 
and  6464  Blacks.     For  the  sev^eral  Counties  nearly  thus  for  Whites  : 


A  D.  1762 

A  D.  1774 

Hartford  Co. 

.         .         38,348 

50,679 

N.  Haven 

19-423 

25,896 

Fairfield 

21,508 

28,936 

N.  Lond. 

24,301 

31,542 

Windh. 

22,270 

27,494 

Litchfield      . 

15,195 

26,845 

141,045  Souls 

191,392 

Increase,  50  Thousand  in  12  j^ears,  besides  8000  Families  or  32 
Thousand  Souls  emigrated  in  that  space  ;  which  with  their  Increase 
may  make  90  Thousand  natural  Increase  or  141  Thousand  in  12 
years,  amounting  to  221  Thousand.  So  that  could  the  true  Increase 
be  found  it  might  appear  that  128  Thousand  in  1756  became  221 
Thousand  in  1774  or  in  18  5^ears. 

21.  The  House  of  Representatives  of  Massachusetts  consist  of 
about  One  Hundred  and  thirty  Members.  On  friday  last  17"'  Inst. 
they  passed  several  Resolutions  relative  to  the  Times,  present  One 
hundred  &  hventy  nine  Members  &  only  twelve  Dissentients. — Thej^ 
appointed  the  Hon.  James  Bowdoin  Esq.,  Hon.  Thos.  Cushing  Esq. 
Speaker,  Mr.  Samuel  Adams,  John  Adams  Esq.,  Robt.  Treat  Paine 
Esq.  a  Committee  on  the  Part  of  Massachusetts  to  meet  the  Commit- 
tees or  Delegates  from  the  other  Colonies  appointed  by  ' '  their 
respective  Houses  of  Burgesses,  or  Representatives,  or  by  Conven- 
tion, or  by  the  Committees  of  Correspondence  appointed  by  the 
respective  Houses  of  Assembly,  in  the  City  of  Philadelphia  or  any 
other  place  that  shall  be  judged  most  suitable  hy  the  Committee,  on 
the  first  day  of  September  next."  And  resolved  that  there  be  paid 
to  said  Committee  ^500  for  their  Expences — which  resolve  being 
sent  up  was  concurred  by  the  Council,  but  the  Governor  refused  his 

'  Wife  of  the  Rev.  John  Hubbard,  Mrs.  Stiles's  brother. 


JUNE    19-25,    1774  445, 

Consent  ;  ' '  Wherefore  this  House  would  recommend  and  they  do 
accordingly  recommend  to  the  several  Towns  &  Districts  within  this 
Province  that  each  Town  &  District,  raise,  collect  &  pay  to  the  Hon. 
Thomas  Gushing  Esq.  of  Boston  the  sum  of  ^500.  by  the  15"'  of 
Aug.  next,  agreeable  to  a  lyist  herewith  exhibited,  being  each 
Towns  &  Districts  proportion  of  said  Sum  according  to  the  last 
Province  Tax,  to  enable  them  to  discharge  the  important  Trust  to 
which  they  are  appointed  ;  they  upon  their  Return  to  be  account- 
able for  the  same. ' '  I^ist  sent  to  the  select  Men  of  the  Towns.. 
Mr.  Bowdoin  and  Mr.  Jn"  Adams  are  not  Members  of  A.ssembly,. 
the  others  are.  Mr.  Bowdoin  was  of  the  Council  last  year,  &  again 
elected  at  the  last  Election  but  negatived  by  the  Governor.  When 
the  Gov.  perceived  the  Transactions  of  the  House,  he  sent  the 
Secretary  to  acquaint  them  that  the  Gov.  dissolved  them — but  the 
Representatives  Door  was  shut — and  when  they  had  finished  it  was 
opened.  But  the  Dissolution  was  proclaimed  on  the  Stairs  while 
the  Door  was  shut.  The  Spirit  of  Liberty  prevails  surprizingly. 
We  hear  from  Chariest"  So.  Carolina  that  they  also  are  ready  to 
joyn  the  general  Cause. 

22.  M"  Meetg  at  Mr.  Moss's  when  I  preached  on  Rom.  v,  i,  2. 

23.  I  went  over  to  Tiverton  and  in  the  Afternoon  I  preached  a 
Lecture  for  Mr.  Campbell  on  Ephes.  ii,  8,  9,  10,  to  a  full  &  seri- 
ously affected  Assembly,  it  being  a  day  of  remarkable  Outpouring 
of  the  Spirit  of  God  and  of  religious  Awakenings  among  that  peo- 
ple. Fifteen  Additions  to  the  Church  there  in  a  few  Weeks.  At 
the  earnest  Importunity  of  the  people  I  preached  again  at  Mr. 
Campbells  house  in  the  Evening  i  Cor.  i,  9. 

25.  In  Wells'  S"  Carolina  Almanack  for  1774  &  Register  Among 
other  Accounts  of  the  several  Colonies  I  find — speaking  of  North 
Carolina — "  The  Number  of  Taxables  in  the  year  1770  was  upwards 
of  Fifty  Eight  Thousand  ;  they  are  now  supposed  to  amount  to 
about  64,000.  The  number  of  Negroes  &  Mulattoes  is  computed 
at  about  Ten  Thousand."  In  1764  Gov.  Dobbs  found  24,000 
Whites  Taxable  ;  if  now  1774  there  are  54,000  Whites  Taxable, 
this  implies  220  Thousd  Souls  Whites  in  that  Province. 

In  S"  Carolina  A  D  1773  (December)  the  "  Militia  Muster  Rolls 
throughout  the  province  was  about  thirteen  Thousand  and  the 
total  N°  of  White  Inhabitants  is  calculated  to  amount  to  about  sixty 
five  Thousand.  In  1770  the  number  of  Negro  and  other  Slaves- 
exclusive  of  those  at  Chariest"  amounted  to  75,452  ;  Free  negroes. 


446 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


&c.  135  :  Great  numbers  have  been  since  imported  &  the  whole 
N  '  of  Negroes,  Mulattoes  cScc.  now  in  the  Province  is  estimated  to  be 
upwards  of  an  hundred  Thousand." — "  In  1770  the  N"  of  Dwelling- 
houses  in  Charleston  was  1 292 — in  the  same  5'ear  the  Number  of 
\\'hite  Inhabitants  in  Charleston  was  Five  Thousatid  and  Thirty — 
the  Number  of  Negro  and  other  slaves  was  6276,  Free  Negroes 
Mulat.  &c.  24     Total  6300." 

"The  Number  of  Men  in  Charleston  Dec.  1773  on  the  Militia 
Muster  Roll  was  upwards  of  fourteen  hundred — &  the  Number  of 
Inhabitants  is  computed  at  fourteen  Thousand."     Quere. 

Exports  annually  now  near  half  a  Million  sterling.  In  1734 
little  more  than  ^100,000  sterling.  Annual  Expences  of  Govern- 
ment about  ^100,000.  In  A.D.  1768  they  were  ^104,440  Currency, 
exclusive  of  Salaries  for  the  Episc°  Clergy  ^18,000  Currency  P) 
ami.  The  poor  Tax  raised  in  Chariest"  in  1769  was  ^7000,  in  1772 
was  ;!^9000.      Dollars  about  30/. 

Georgia. 
Exports  for  23  3'ears  from  that  Province. 


Vessels 

A.  D. 

cleared. 

sterling. 

Vessels. 

1750- 

8. 

-^2004 

1758. 

21. 

/8613 

1766. 

154 

/8l,228 

I75I. 

II. 

3810 

1759- 

48. 

12,694 

1767. 

154 

67,092 

1752. 

17- 

4841 

1760. 

37- 

20,852 

1768. 

1S6 

92,284 

1753- 

23- 

6403 

1761. 

45- 

15,870 

1769. 

181 

86,480 

1754- 

42. 

9507 

1762. 

57- 

27,021 

1770. 

186 

99,383 

1755- 

52. 

15,744 

1763- 

92. 

47,551 

1771. 

185 

106,387 

1756. 

42. 

16,766 

1764. 

115. 

55,025 

1772. 

217. 

121,677 

1757- 

44- 

15-649 

1765- 

•  148. 

73,426 

Of  the  Exports  1772  about  ^20,000  from  Sunbury  tlie  rest  from 
Savanna.  Negroes  in  the  Province  fourteen  Thousand  :  AMiites 
uncertain. 

In  East  Florida  I  find  the  Hon.  and  Rev'^  John  P'orbes  to  sustain 
these  Ofhces  viz.  he  is  a  Member  of  the  Council — sole  Judge  of 
Admiralty — Deputj'  Chaplain  to  the  Fort — a  Justice  of  the  Peace  — 
Assistant  Justice  of  Common  Pleas.  I  find  also  that  Mr.  Zubly 
and  .some  other  Ministers  are  Justices  of  Peace  in  Georgia,  which  I 
greatly  disapprove. 

In  Bermuda  Total  Whites  seven  thousand,  Blacks  six  Thousand. 
Edward  Stiles  is  of  the  Council,  Copeland  Stiles  one  of  the  House 
of  Representatives  and  Comptroller  of  the  Customs  and  John  Stiles 
Searclier. 


JUNE  26-30,  1774  447 

I  am  told  that  Dr.  Witherspoon  President  of  Jersey  College  last 
\'ear  procured  of  the  Governor  of  N.  York  a  patent  of  a  Township 
on  45"'  Beg.  of  N"  L,at  six  Miles  Square  or  23,000  Acres.  He  sent 
and  procured  Settlers  from  Paisley  in  Scotland  who  arrived  at  N. 
York  this  Spring — he  agreed  with  them  that  they  should  cultivate 
&c.  and  enjoy  8  years  without  Rent  ;  then  he  w^ould  execute  Leases 
to  them  reserving  to  himself  a  Rent  of  6'^  per  acre  Sterlg. 

Allow  2  or  3000  Acres  for  useless  L^nd  and  Highways — raise  6'' 
on  20  Thousand  Acres  gives  a  Rental  of  ^^5000.  ster.  p  annum. 
The  Doctor  seems  to  be  taking  Care  for  this  World  as  well  as  for 
that  which  is  to  come.  Is  he  not  laying  a  foundation  for  the  Ruin 
of  some  of  his  Children  and  Posterity  ! 

26.  Lordsda3^  I  preached  A.M.  on  Mat.  xvi,  24.  And  between 
Meetings  I  married  Isaac  Dayton  jun.  and  Sarah  Irish:  P.M.  I 
preached  on  Eccles.  xii,  13,  and  admitted  Jenny  a  Negro  into  the 
Church  and  baptized  her  and  three  of  her  Children  :  And  read 
publickly  a  proclamation  for  a  Day  of  Fasting  and  Prayer  through 
this  Colony  issued  by  Gov.  Wanton. 

27.  In  1755  the  Numeration  of  the  Colony  of  Rh.  Island  was 
35)939  Whites  and  4697  Blacks.  Now  1774.  the  Numeration 
returned  to  the  Assembly  is 

Families  9439.  Souls  54,435  Whites 
1,482  Indians 
3,761  Negroes 


Total.     59,678 

29.  Last  Kven^  M"  Chh.  Meeting  at  Brother  Carys,  I  preached 
on  Jno.  iii,  16,  17. 

30.  Day  of  Public  Fasting  and  Prayer  through  the  Colony  of 
Rhode  Island  b}'  Order  of  Assembly  on  account  of  the  threatening 
Aspect  of  public  Affairs,  the  Acts  of  Parliament  respecting  America, 
and  particularly  on  account  of  blocking  up  the  Port  of  Boston. 
Rev.  Mr.  Hart  of  Preston  preached  for  me  A.M.  from  Prov.  xxviii, 
13.  I  preached  P.M.  from  Esther  iv,  3,  a  ver}-  crouded  Assembly 
of  all  Denominations.  This  day  w^as  kept  in  Town  very  univer- 
sally, not  above  half  a  dozen  Shops  open  in  all  the  Town.  Mr. 
Hart  preached  P.M.  for  Mr.  Hopkins  from  the  same  Text  as  I  did. 
Mr.  Bisset  the  Church  Clergyman  took  his  Text — fast  not  as  the 
Hypocrites — and    preached    a   high    Tory    Sermon    inveiging    (b}- 


448  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 

Allusions)  against  Boston  &  N.  England  as  a  turbulent  ungov- 
erned  people.  The  other  Congregations  in  Town  were  heart}-  in 
the  Cause  of  Liberty. 

]n\y. 

2.  Conversed  with  3  Boston  Gentlemen  just  come  to  Town. 
B"  in  Distress  but  think  not  of  Submission.  Major  Otis  &c  returned 
from  Otter  Creek. 

3.  Lordsday.  A  ]SI  I  preached  on  i  Cor.  xvi,  22,  and  admin- 
istered the  Communion  to  69  Connnunicants.     P.M.  on  the  same 

Text Reading  Mr.  Whitfields  Life  by  Rev^'  Dr.  Gillies 

of  Glasgow. 

4.  At  V"  P.M.  I  catechised  16  Boys  44  Girls  &  7  Negroes. 
Total  67. 

5.  Rev.  Mr.  Hubbard  of  Meriden  arrived  here.  Mr.  Vinal  went 
away. 

6.  Last  Week  a  Mast  Ship  arrived  at  Piscataqua  bringing  27 
Chests  of  Tea  consigned  by  a  Director  of  the  London  E.  Ind.  Comp^ 
to  Mr.  Parry.  It  was  secretly  landed  (tho'  at  Noon  Daj')  &  stored 
at  the  Custom  house.  The  Town  of  Portsmouth  instantlj^  assem- 
bled that  Afternoon  &  set  a  Guard  of  25  Men  over  the  Tea.  Next 
Da}'  the  Town  Meeting  convened  again  &  ordered  it  to  be  sent  off. 
Accordingly  Mr.  Parry  was  permitted  to  put  it  on  Board  a  Vessel, 
&  the  people  sent  it  out  at  Sea  ten  Miles  off  of  Land,  &  left  it  to 
Mr.  Parry's  Direction,  with  strict  Orders  however  not  to  land  it 
within  the  Province  of  New  Hampshire. 

7.  Last  Evening  one  Mr.  Chapman  preached  a  Lecture  at  Mr. 
Hopkins' .  No  Lecture  there  this  Evening.  Windham  sent  300 
Sheep  to  Boston  for  the  use  of  the  poor  in  that  suffering  City. 

8.  Three  Vessels  arrived  at  Halifax  the  latter  End  of  May  with 
662  Passengers  to  settle  in  that  part. 

9.  The  several  Counties  in  Maryland  spontaneously  convened  & 
elected  Deputies  to  meet  ;  and  they  accordingly  met  at  Annapolis 
22  ult  to  the  Number  of  Ninet}'  three  Deputies  and  elected  Dele- 
gates to  the  grand  Continental  Congress,  and  voted  a  Non- Impor- 
tation from  and  Non-Exportation  to  Gt.  Britain.  The  Indian  Con- 
vulsions on  Ohio  have  occasioned  the  Governor  of  Virginia  to  call 
their  Assembh-,  and  also  the  Governor  of  Pens34vania  to  call  that 
Assembh-.  The  Bill  for  abolishing  the  Charter  of  Massachusetts 
has  passed  both  Houses  of  Parliament.     A  cruel  Disfranchisment  1 


JULY  2-17,  1774  449 

10.  Lordsday.  The  Rev.  John  Hubbard  of  Meriden  my  Wife's 
Brother  preached  all  daj'  for  me.  A.M.  from  i  Cor.  xiii,  13.  P.M. 
Titus  ii,  13,  two  excellent  Sermons.  Reading  Dr.  Jno.  Edwards 
Sermons. 

14.  This  Day  Mr.  Hubbard  went  away.  This  Day  w^as  a  Day  of 
voluntary^  Fasting  &  prayer  among  the  Churches  in  Boston  & 
probably  most  of  the  Churches  in  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts 
at  the  Motion  of  the  Boston  Ministers.  Also  in  the  Province  of 
New  Hampshire — on  Account  of  the  Siege  at  Boston  where  are 
1200  Troops  encamped  on  the  Common  in  the  Town,  &  a  formid- 
able Navy,  &  to  supplicate  Heaven  for  the  divine  presence  with  the 
Congress  to  meet  at  Philadelphia  on  i^^  September,  &  in  general 
for  the  Removal  of  the  Calamities  &  Councils  which  threaten  the 
Destruction  of  the  Charter  Governments  &  the  total  Eversion  of 
public  American  Liberty.  The  Parliament  has  passed  several 
American  Acts,  one  for  the  Abolition  of  Massachusetts  Charter  & 
appointing  the  Council  by  the  Kings  Mandamus. 

This  day  my  Wife  is  43  years  old  :  she  was  born  July  3,  O.  S. 
1731.  Yesterday  arrived  here  Capt.  Eawton  from  Eeghorn — he 
brings  News  of  the  Destruction  of  part  of  the  Cit}^  of  Naples  by  an 
Earthquake.  He  is  in  good  health  and  has  been  so  thro'  the  w^hole 
Voyage.  About  4  Months  ago  in  his  Voyage  across  the  Atlantic 
from  Virginia  to  the  Mediterranean,  he  one  daj^  rubbing  his  Chin 
with  his  hand  perceived  his  Beard  to  come  off,  he  then  rubbed  his 
Eyebrows  &  all  the  hair  came  off,  &  so  his  Head,  and  in  24  hours 
all  the  Hair  of  his  Head  and  whole  Body  came  off,  he  being  in  per- 
fect Health.  This  day  I  saw  &  examined  him  &  found  him 
entirely  bald,  devoid  of  Beard  &  Eyebrows  &  perfectly  smooth,  no 
hairs  on  the  back  of  his  hand — He  said  he  had  none  on  any  part  of 
his  Bod)\  He  suffered  no  ill  Consequence  except  by  the  Eoss  of 
his  Eyebrow's  or  Eashes,  his  Eyes  being  something  sore.  The 
Voyage  before  this  he  had  a  fit  of  Sickness,  but  this  Vo\'age  has 
been  perfectlj^  w^ell. 

17.  Eordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Rev.  xix,  13.  P.M.  Rom. 
xiv,  19.  Read  Dr.  Mathers  Sermon  on  the  Death  of  Mr.  Ezekiel 
Cheever.'  He  had  been  the  most  eminent  Grammar  School  Master 
for  above  70  years.  He  was  born  in  England  in  London  Jany  25, 
1 6 14.  Came  to  Boston  N.  England  June  1637  &  staid  there  a  part 
of  a  year,  &  removed  with  the  first  Settlers  to  N.  Haven  where  he 

'  See  also  this  Diary,  April  25,  1772. 
29 


450 


DIARY   OF   EZRA   STILES 


taught  School  for  twelve  j-ears.  From  New  Haven  he  removed  to 
Ipswitch  in  Dec.  1650  and  taught  there  eleven  j^ears.  Thence  to 
Chariest"  in  Nov.  1661  where  he  taught  nine  3'ears.  From 
Chariest"  he  came  over  the  ferry  to  Boston  Jany.  6,  1670  where  he 
taught  for  Eight  &  Thirty  years  and  died  there  Aug  21,  1708,  in 
the  Ninety  fourth  year  of  his  Age.  He  was  a  pious  &  learned 
Di\-ine  as  well  as  Prseceptor.  He  wore  his  Beard  to  the  day  of  his 
Death.  He  very  much  formed  &  established  the  New  England 
Pronunciation  of  Latin  &  Greek.  He  printed  an  English  Accidence 
still  in  use.  The  Hair  of  his  Head  &  Beard  were  white  as  Snow. 
"  He  died  leaning  like  old  Jacob  upon  a  Staff  ;  the  Sacrifice  &  the 
Righteousness  of  a  glorious  Christ,  he  let  us  know  was  the  golden 
Staff  which  he  leaned  upon." — I  have  seen  those  who  knew  the 
venerable  old  Saint  ;  and  particularly  Rev.  John  Barnard  of  Marble 
head  who  was  fitted  for  College  by  Mr.  Cheever  &  entered  1696. 
It  is  said  that  if  he  stroked  his  Beard,  upon  his  Boys  doing  ill,  it 
was  a  certain  Sign  of  Severity 

18.  Yesterday  arrived  here  a  Ship  from  London  in  9  W.  The)- 
are  anxious  in  England  to  know  the  Reception  of  the  Boston  Port 
Bill  &  the  present  sanguinary  Measures  of  the  Ministry  and  Parlia- 
ment. Received  a  Letter  from  the  Society  for  Promoting  Xtian 
Knowledge  in  Edinburgh  to  Mr.  Hopkins  &  me  informing  that  the 
Society  gave  ^30.  sterlg.  towards  the  education  of  the  2  Negroes 
here  for  the  African  Mission. 

20.  M°  Meet^'  married  people  at  Mr.  Davenports  I  discoursed  on 
I  Tinio.  i,  15. 

24.  Ldsday.  I  preached  .  .  Examining  sundry  Passages  in  the 
Psalms  with  the  Targum. 

25.  Read^'  Mr.  Jones  (a  Baptist  Min'r)  his  Journal  of  a  visit  to 
the  Shawanee  Indians  at  Sciota   River,    Lat.    38°    22'  N°,  on  the 

Ohio.' Went  over  to  Narragansett  and  lodged  at  Rev. 

Mr.  Fayrweathers." 

26.  Rode  to  E.  Greenwich  &  at  VI''  P.M.  I  preached  in  the 
Courtliouse  there,  lijihes.  ii,  8.     Viewed  the  Found^  of  the  Presby. 

'  This  Journal,  b}-  the  Rev.  David  Jones,  was  republished  b\-  vSabin  at  New- 
York  in  1S65. 

'Samuel  Fayerweather  (Harvard  1743),  Minister  of  the  Episcopal  Church  in 
Narragansett.  He  was  originally  a  Congregationalist,  and  had  been  eniploj'ed 
to  supply  the  pulpit  of  the  church  of  which  Dr.  Stiles  was  now  pastor  in  1753- 
54,  during  the  last  days  of  Mr.  Searing,  Dr.  Stiles's  predecessor. 


JULY    18-27,    1774  451 

Meetinghouse    there   which    is   now  framing.       Lodged    at   Judge 
Greenes. 

27.  At  IX"  this  morning  I  preached  again  in  the  Courthouse 
from  Mat.  xi,  28,  29,  30,  and  at  the  same  Time  led  Mrs.  Catharine 
Greene'  (Wife  of  the  Judge)  to  make  a  pnblic  Profession  of  the 
Faith  and  enter  solemnly  into  Covenant  with  God  ;  and  I  then 
baptized  her  in  the  Congregation  by  Washing  her  Face  with  Water 
in  the  Name  of  the  Trinity.  She  is  a  very  amiable  and  pious  Lady 
descended  Mr.  Ray  her  Grandfather  a  very  religious  Psedobaptist 
at  Block  Island  ;  Her  Father  professed  to  be  a  Presbyterian,  but 
was  peculiar  as  to  the  Mode  of  Baptism,  &  was  baptized  at  adult 
years  by  Immersion.  Mrs.  Greens  Sister  married  Gov.  Ward  & 
became  a  Baptist,  another  sister  indeed  married  Mr.  Hubbart  at 
Boston  and  w^as  baptized  by  Affusion.  Mrs.  Green  settling  &  her 
Connexions  falling  among  Baptists  (tho'  Judge  Green  her  Consort 
is  a  Quaker)  she  heard  much  against  Sprinkling  &  of  the  Nullity  of 
Psedobaptism.  She  was  a  great  Encourager  of  the  Congregational 
Ministers  who  have  now  for  four  years  visited  &  preached  at  Green- 
wich. I  had  heretofore  repeatedly  recommended  to  her  a  public 
Profession  of  Religion  as  she  is  a  very  serious  &  pious  person. 
She  held  Baptism  by  Immersion,  &  as  I  supposed  her  to  deny 
Psedobaptism — I  had  advised  her  to  apply  to  some  Baptist  Elder. 
But  I  was  mistaken — she  all  the  while  believed  that  Children  or 
Infants  had  a  Cov't.  Right  to  Baptism.  Now  In  Conversation  she 
expressed  this,  which  was  new  to  me.  Upon  which  I  saw  the  only 
Difficulty  was  as  to  the  Mode  (excepting  that  she  doubted  her 
Qualifications)  and  told  her  that  the  Congreg*  pastors  had  always 
declared  they  stood  ready  to  perform  Baptisms  by  immersion  to  such 
as  conscientiously  desired  it — that  Rev.  Mr.  Ellis  of  Stonington,  & 
Rev.  Mr.  West  of  Dartm°  &  Rev.  Mr.  Smith  of  Dighton  had  lately 
so  performed  it — &  that  altho'  I  had  never  so  done  it,  yet  I  see  not 
but  that  I  could  if  she  desired  it.  She  desired  to  hear  what  I  had 
to  say  on  the  Nature  &  Mode  of  that  Ordinance,  as  she  seemed  to  not 
doubt  but  that  Christ  was  so  baptized.  I  told  her,  notwithstand- 
ing what  Learned  Baptists  had  said  the  Word  baptize  in  the  Original 
did  not  precisely  &  exclusively  denote  Immersion  or  total  Immer- 
sion ;  for  that  it  was  certainly  in   their  own   Confession  used  for 

'  Daughter  of  Captain  vSimon  Ray,  of  New  Shoreham,  R.  I.,  and  wife  of  Judge 
William  Greene,  afterwards  Governor.  She  died  in  January,  1795.  A  son,  Ray 
Greene,  was  graduated  at  Yale  in  1784. 


452  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

partial  Immersion,  &  application  of  Water,  as  dipping  the  finger  on 
a  part  of  the  Body — that  as  to  the  Fact  I  could  never  see  it  proved 
that  there  ever  was  a  single  Instance  of  Scripture  Baptism  by  Im- 
mersion— that  John  was  in  the  Ministry  but  a  little  more  than  half 
a  vear  before  his  Imprisonment  &  yet  it  is  said  he  baptized  all 
Jerusalem  and  Judea  &c.  i.  e  vast  Multitudes  in  Jordan  ;  now  if  he 
baptized  by  onh-  pouring  Water  on  the  Heads  of  persons  standing 
in  the  River  he  might  baptize  thousands  otherwise  not — that  there 
is  no  Running  Water  near  Jerusalem  except  Kedron  which  is  dry 
the  summer  Months  as  R.  Carigal  told  me,  and  when  running 
inadequate  to  the  Immersion  of  Multitudes ;  &  yet  3000  were 
baptized  in  one  day  in  Jerusalem  at  Pentecost.  This  could  be  easil}^ 
done  by  Affusion  not  by  Immersion  ; — but  suppose  we  should  still 
be  inclined  to  believe  the  general  Mode  was  Immersion,  yet  that 
Christ  had  sufficienth'  determined  that  in  a  religious  Application  of 
\\\iter  the  Quantity  was  immaterial,  b}'  expressly  declaring  that  if 
Peters  Feet  were  washed  he  was  clean  every  whit  as  if  his  whole 
Bod}'  &c  : — that  with  me  the  main  thing  was  true  Faith,  &  a 
Washing  with  Water  in  the  Name  of  the  Trinity  as  a  Sign  of  our 
Entrance  into  the  visible  Church  of  Christ.  This  and  much  more 
on  the  subject  passed  between  us  over  night.  In  the  Morning  she 
told  me  she  had  tho't  much,  saw  things  in  a  different  Light,  and 
was  at  length  satisfied  in  Sprinkling  or  Washing  of  a  part  of  the 
Body  only — and  desired  me  to  perform  the  Ordinance  upon,  which 
I  did.  This  is  the  first  Baptism  ever  performed  by  a  Congregational 
Minister  in  East  Greenwich,  and  as  far  as  I  can  learn  the  first  ever 
performed  there,  not  by  Plunging.  After  Meeting  two  Men  came  to 
me  desiring  me  to  come  up  again,  &  baptize  their  Children.  It  gave 
great  satisfaction  and  I  hope  may  have  a  bles.sed  Influence  on  other.s. 

I  returned  to  Newport  and  in  the  Evening  attended  my  Church 
Meeting  at  Sister  Peckhams  and  preached  on  i  Cor.  i,  30. 

28.  On  20"^  Inst,  the  academical  Degrees  were  conferred  at  Cam- 
bridge b)'  a  General  Diploma,  it  having  been  agreed  to  omit  the 
public  Commencement  on  Ace"  of  the  Calamities  of  the  Times.  At 
the  same  time  the  Corporation  elected  the  Rev.  Samuel  Langdon, 
D.D.  of  Portsmouth  President  of  Harvard  College. 

31.  Eordsday  A.M.  I  preached  Jer.  xxxvi,  3.  P.M.  Jn"  xiv, 
21,   and  propounded  Abigail   the   Wife  of  Sam'   Weedon  jun  and 

Esther  W.  of  J.  B.  King  for  Baptism  of  them  and  theirs 

Reading  Dr.  Prestons  Sermons  in  Charles  first  his  Reign. 


JULY    28-AUGUST   9,    1774  453 

Aug. 

1 .  This  Afternoon  I  administered  Baptism  to  Abigail  the  Wife 
of  Sam'  Weedon  jun  at  her  own  House  she  laboring  under  Sick- 
ness— and  at  the  same  Time  I  baptized  her  four  children.  At  V' 
P  M.  catechised  23  Boys  37  Girls  and  5  Neg. — Total  65. 

2.  This  forenoon  I  baptized  Edward  Thurston  Son  of  William 
Wilson  &  his  Wife  privately.  In  the  Afternoon  I  was  visited  by  Mr. 
Acosta  a  Jew  Huzzan  of  the  Synagogue  in  Chariest"  So.  Carolina. 
He  is  aet.  52.  born  in  Ivondon  &  educated  under  Hocheni  Rabbi 
Nieto  there  till  aet.  22.  Then  he  came  to  America  &  in  1754 
instituted  a  Synagogue  at  Charlestown. 

3.  Busied  in  draughting  a  Charter  for  the  Congregational  Society 
lately  formed  at  East  Greenwich.  In  Aft.  visited  by  Rev.  Mr. 
Gordon  of  Roxbury  :  with  whom  had  much  Conversation  upon  the 
present  political  State  of  public  Affairs. 

4.  Attended  Mr.  H.  I^ect.  &  heard  Mr.  Gordon  preach  from 
Heb.  vi,  20. 

5.  News  by  the  Western  Post  that  the  King  has  given  his 
Assent  to  the  accursed  two  Acts  for  Abolishing  the  Massachu- 
setts Charter  &c.  Thus  all  species  of  American  Liberty  is  now 
struck  at.  We  now  take  our  Leave  of — &  turned  our  Eyes  Hopes 
and  Expectations  to  the  supreme  King  of  the  Universe.  This 
Afternoon  I  set  out  for  Attleborough  to  preach  for  Rev.  Mr.  Abijah 
Weld  who  supplies  Mr.  Gordons  Pulpit  next  Lords  Day,  as  Mr. 
Gordon  is  to  supply  mine.     Rode  to  Bristol. 

7.  I  preached  at  Attleborough  from  Gal.  iii,  21,  22.  P.M.  Jno. 
xiv,  21. 

8.  Returned  to  Newport.  I  find  Rev.  Mr.  Rowland  is  deter- 
mined to  resign  his  pastoral  Charge  and  to  remove  from  Providence. 

9.  Rev.  Mr.  Burt  in  town.  Read  the  History  of  Massaniello 
the  Fisherman  of  Naples.  Last  month  arrived  at  New  Castle  the 
Snow  Charlotte  Capt.  Gaffney  from  Waterford  with  100  Passengers, 
and  the  ship  Hope  Capt.  McClenechan  from  Newry  with  220. 
Arrivals  of  settlers  from  Europe  are  so  frequent  that  I  don't  collect 
perhaps  more  than  half  of  them.  Gen.  Leigh^  passed  thro'  this 
Town  to  Boston  last  Week — he  is  an  European  but  talks  high  for 
American  Liberty,  and  seems  to  endeavor  to  enspirit  the  People  to 
take  Arms.  He  says  the  King  is  a  fool  &  his  Ministers  Rogues  & 
Villains.     He  is  a  half  pay  Colonel   in  the  Eng.   Service — and  a 

'  Gen.  Charles  Lee.     See  also  below,  Aug.  29,  1774. 


454 


DIARY   OF   EZRA   STILES 


General  in  the  Polish  Service — Gen.  Gage  was  advanced  over  his 
Head — he  is  chagrined  &  disappointed — he  published  a  bold  sensi- 
ble well  written  Address  to  the  Citizens  of  New  York.  Whether 
he  is  a  Pimp  of  the  Ministr>-  or  a  sincere  Friend  to  public  lyiberty, 
is  to  me  uncertain. 

This  Afternoon  at  III''  I  preached  at  the  Almshouse  from  lyam. 
iii,  24,  25. 

10.  Draughted  the  Allotments  of  the  Township  of  Danvis  in 
Lydius"  Patent 

11.  Attended  Mr.  Hopkins  L,ecture.  He  preached  from  Mat. 
xvi,  24. 

12.  Received  a  Letter  from  Mrs.  Sheaf  of  Piscataqua.  This 
Day  heard  that  Ten  of  the  new  Councellors  of  Massachusetts  made 
by  ro_\-al  Mandamus  were  sworn  in.  Others  considering  of  the 
Matter.  Thomas  Oliver  Esq.  is  Lieut.  Gov.  of  Massachusetts. 
The  Flame  of  Liberty  glows  in  So.  Carolina,  Virginia,  and  Jersey 
and  the  4  N  Engld.  Colonies.  Pensylvania  and  N.  York  tho' 
they  have  also  appointed  Delegates  to  the  Congress  j^et  are  waver- 
ing &  want  Firmness.  Supplies  of  provisions  sent  from  all  the 
Colonies  are  pouring  into  Boston  for  the  support  of  the  suffering 
poor  there.  All  the  Colonies  make  the  Boston  Sufferings  a  com- 
mon Cause,  and  intend  to  stand  bj'  one  another. 

13.  Reading  the  Danish  Missionaries  Acco'  of  planting  the 
Gospel  at  Tranquebar  in  E.  Indies. 

14.  Lordsday  AMI  preached  on  Heb.  ix,  14.  P  M  on  i  Jn"  ii,  17. 
admitted  Esther  the  Wife  of  Jos.  Burges  King  to  own  her  baptismal 
Covenant,  and  baptized  her  Child  Susanna  ;  and  also  published  the 
Banns  of  Marriage  between  Edward  Gorton  late  of  Bristol  in  Eng- 
land and  Rhoda  Davenport  of  Newport. 

17 Rev.  Mr.  Hide'  of  Rehoboth  visited  me.     M" 

Church  Meeting  at  Sister  Stevens,  I  preached  on  Eph.  ii,  19-22. 
.  .  .  .  This  Evening  a  fine  Rain,  It  is  a  terrible  Drought  for  about 
30  Miles  round  us.  Last  Wednesday  four  of  the  Massachusetts 
Delegates  to  the  Congress  set  out  in  a  grand  Manner  from  Boston 
in  a  new  Coach  and  six,  viz.  Messrs.  Cushing,  Sam  Adams,  Jn" 
Adams,  &  Pain — Mr.  Bowdoins  Wife  sick  or  disordered,  and  he 
declined.  The  two  Hampshire  Delegates  were  in  Newport  last  Week 
in  their  Way  to  Philadelphia.  Two  of  the  So.  Carolina  Delegates 
set  out  also  for  Philadelphia.     All  is  in  motion. 

'  Ephraim  Hyde  (Yale  1759). 


AUGUST  10-31,  1774  455 

ig.  This  Afternoon  I  visited  Mr.  D'Acosta.  He  shewed  me  the 
Works  of*Maimonides  in  4  Vol.  fol. 

21.  lydsday  AM.  I  preached  on  Eph.  iv,  24  &  published  a  Couple. 
P.M.  Rom.  viii,  32. 

22.  In  Company  with  Gov.  Hopkins  one  of  the  Commissioners 
to  the  Congress. 

23.  The  King  has  signed  the  Quebec  Act,  extend'^  that  Province 
to  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  and  comprehending  nearly  Two  Thirds 
of  the  Territory  of  English  America,  and  established  the  Romish 
Church  &  IDOLATRY  over  all  that  Space  ;  in  this  Act  all  the 
Bishops  concurred.  Astonishing  that  King,  Eds  &  Commons,  a 
whole  protestant  Parliament  should  expressly  establish  Popery  over 
three  Quarters  of  their  Empire. 

24.  Married  Meeting  at  Mr.  Stoddards.    I  preached  on  Rom.  viii,  i . 

25.  Did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Eecture.  Rev.  Mr.  Hartwig'  a 
Lutheran  Minister  visited  me. 

26.  They  hunt  the  new^  Councillors  in  Mass. 

28.  Eordsday  A  M.  I  preached  on  Isai.  xii,  i,  2,  and  published 
a  couple.  P  M.  I  Thess.  v,  23,  and  notified  the  Sacrament  next 
Eordsday  &  Sacramental  Eecture  next  frida}'  III''  P.M.  Mr.  Hart- 
wig  sat  with  me  in  the  Pulpit  ;  I  asked  him  to  preach,  but  he 
declined  it.  His  English  is  of  German  Sound,  &  not  perfectly 
free,  tlio'  he  preached  to  the  Germans  in  Boston  both  in  German  & 
English. 

29.  Mr.  Hartwick  tells  me  that  he  was  Chaplain  in  the  English 
American  Army  in  1760  &  lived  with  Capt.  Charles  Eeigh,  now 
General  Eeigh  : — that  Gen.  Eeigh  tho'  of  Gt.  Britain  or  Ireland 
was  educated  in  the  Popish  University  of  Rheims  in  France  in  one 
of  the  free  Colleges  for  English.  After  the  War  he  went  &  became 
Colonel  in  the  auxiliar}^  Troops  sent  to  Portugal.  Afterwards  he 
w^ent  &  became  a  General  in  the  Service  of  the  King  of  Poland. 
He  is  now  gone  to  the  Congress,  talks  writes  &  prints  for  American 
Liberty.  His  having  had  a  Popish  Education  is  a  disagreeable  Cir- 
cumstance especially  as  the  Parliament  have  now  established  Idol- 
atr}-  &  Popery  over  two  Thirds  of  Eng.  America. 

30.  They  begin  to  have  Town  Meetings  again  in  Massachusetts 
notwithstanding  the  prohibition  of  the  Act  of  Parliament. 

31.  Mr.  Hartwick  sailed  for  N.  York. 

'  John  Christopher  Hartwick  or  Hartwig,  from  whom  Hartwick,  Otsego 
County,  N.  Y.,  being  part  of  his  estate,  is  named.     See  above,  Dec.  30,  1773. 


456  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Sept. 

1.  Mr.  Pelatiah  Webster'  of  Philadelphia  visited  me. 

2.  My  Lecture.     I  preached  on  Jno.  x,  37,  38. 

4.  Lordsday  A.M.  I  preached  Jn"  i,  29,  and  administered  the 
Lords  vSupper  to  63  Communicants  of  which  3  were  occasional,  viz. 
one  from  Plymouth,  one  from  New  Haven,  &  one  from  Medway  in 
Georgia.     P.M.  Ps.  cvii,  43 

5.  Catechised  7  B.  16  G.  4  Neg.  Total  27,  being  very  rainy — 
distributed  Prizes  viz.  Watts'  div.  Songs  for  Children.  [This  day 
sailed  the  Scarboro'  from  Boston  with  Dispatches  for  England  ;  & 
arrived  at  Spithead  Sept  3otli.] 

7.  This  Afternoon  I  sat  out  on  a  Journey  to  Connecticutt  to 
enter  my  son  Ivzra  into  Yale  College.  I  kept  Sabbath  at  Meriden 
&  preached  all  day  for  Brother  Hubbard.  Monday  following  I 
visited  my  Mother  and  Friends  at  North  Haven.  On  Tuesday 
13"'  Instant  I  went  to  New  Haven  where  I  met  my  son  Ezra,  who 
arrived  there  the  da)-  before,  having  sailed  from  Newport  on  Satur- 
day 10"'  Instant.  I  immediately  took  him  to  College,  when  he  was 
examined  by  the  Tutors'  and  admitted  Freshman  get.  15  j4.  The 
next  da}-  being 

14"'  was  the  public  Commencement,  when  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Lord 
of  Norwich  had  conferred  upon  him  the  Degree  of  a  Doctorate  in 
Divinity.' 

18.  Lordsday  I  preached  at  New  Haven  for  Mr.  Whittelse}". 
Congregation  about  400  persons. 

19.  I  took  leave  of  my  son,^  &  sat  out  on  my  Return. 
24.   I  arrived  at  Newport. 

'  A  College  classmate  of  Dr.  Stiles. 

*  Dr.  Stiles's  Itinerary  states  that  Ezra  was  examined  by  Tutors  Dwight, 
Davenport  and  Lewis  in  Virgil,  ^neid  iv,  174,  ten  lines  ;  Tully,  Begin.  Liga- 
rius;  Graec.  Test.  Mat.  xiii,  i. 

^  The  Itinerary  adds  :  Great  Tumults  about  Liberty.  A  Liberty  Mast  erected 
this  Dav  here. 


9-  1774 


■•  From  Dr.  Stiles's  Itinerary  : 

,eft  with 

Sent  to  Ezra,  Dec. 

The  Steward,  Mr.  Fitch       6. 

8. 

0 

2  Towels 

I-vzra,  5  Doll.  &  a  Guinea     3 

— 

I  Comb 

Mr.  Tutor  Lewis,  yi  Joe      2. 

S. 

0 

Worsted  Gloves 

To  pr.  Tongs  &  Shovels      0. 

5- 

6 

Knit  Breeches 

To  Candlestick                       0. 

0. 

9 

I. 

6 

0. 

10 

I. 

2 

12. 

0 

/o.   15.     6 


L.  M.  /■12.     2. 


SEPTEMBER    1-26,    1774 


457 


25.  Lordsday.  A  M  I  preached  on  2  Tliess.  ii,  16,  17.  P  M. 
on  Philip,  i,  21. 

There  has  been  such  a  scene  of  remarkable  Occurrences  in  New 
England  and  thro'  America  for  the  last  three  Weeks  past,  that  I 
have  not  had  time  to  enter  them. 

On  Thursday  i^'  Inst.  Sep.  Gen.  Gage  seized  the  powder  in  the 
Arsenal  at  Charlestown.  This,  with  a  false  Report  that  six  Men 
were  Killed  in  the  seizure  was  spread  that  afternoon — and  on  friday 
morning  2"^  Sept.  the  Body  of  the  people  in  the  Towns  for  30  Miles 
round  Boston  instantly  took  Arms  and  crouded  into  Cambridge 
where  above  four  Thousand  were  actually  assembled  and  finding 
the  Report  as  to  6  Men  killed  groundless,  the  Bo.  Committee  &c 
instantly  set  the  people  assembled  on  the  project  of  doing  something 
now  they  were  gathered  together  ;  they  accordingly  deforced  the 
Resignation  of  several  new  Councellors,  &  among  the  rest  lyieut. 
Gov.  Thos.  Oliver  as  Councellor,  and  then  dispersed.  But  the 
Report  diffused  &  propagated  far  &  wide  and  produced  an  exten- 
sive Insurrection  thro'  the  Province  of  the  Massachusetts  and  Con- 
necticutt,  even  to  the  Western  parts  of  New  England  and  the  Edge 
of  N.  York.  From  the  best  Accounts  I  judge  30,000,  or  near 
perhaps  more  than  one  Third  of  the  efTective  Men  in  all  New  Eng- 
land took  Arms  &  were  on  actuall  March  for  Boston.  But  Posts 
were  dispatched  every  Way  and  stopt  them.  This  however  shews 
that  New  England  are  ready  to  fight  for  their  Liberties. 

26.  The  Members  of  the  Congress  now  sitting  at  Philadelphia, 
from 


New  Hampshire 
2 

Massachusetts 
4 


Rhode  Island. 

2 
Connecticutt 

3 


New  York 
6 


Major  Jn"  Sullivan  of 

Col°  Nathaniel  Folsom 
Hon.  Thomas  Gushing  Esq. 
Mr.  Samuel  Adams 
John  Adams  Esq. 
Robert  Treat  Paine  Esq. 
Hon.  Stephen  Hopkins 
Hon.  Samuel  Ward  Esq. 
Hon.  Eliphalet  Dyar  Esq. 
Silas  Deane  Esq. 
Hon.  Roger  Sherman  Esq. 
[Simon  Boerum — Brookland 
James  Duane 
John  Jay 
Philip  Livingston 
Isaac  Low 


Durham 
Exeter 
Boston 
D" 

Brantree 
Taunton 
Providence 
Westerly 
Windham 
Weathersfield 
N.  Haven 
Kings  Co.  L.  Isld.] 

I  Esquires  City 
r     N.  York 


458 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


New  Jersey 

5 
Elizabethtown 


Pens3'lvania 

7 
City  Philadelphia 

Chester  Co. 


[John  Alsop] 
Col.  W"  Floyd 
Henry  Wisner 
[John  Herring 
James  Kensey 
r  William  Livingston 
j  John  D'Hart 
V  Stephen  Crane 
Richard  Smith 


of  Suffolk  Co.   [ 

Orange  Co.    [ 

D»  ]  J 


Esquires"'City 
_  N.^York 

Burlington 

Esquires 


Burlington 


Hon.  Joseph  Galloway  "]  Bucks  Co. 


Berks  Co. 

Lancaster 
[Fair  Hill  3  m.  fr. 

Philad'^ 
New  Castle  Kent 
&  Sussex  Govt : 


f 

J  Samuel  Rhoads 

i  Thomas  Mifflin 

j  Charles  Humphreys 

(  John  Morton 

Edward  Biddle 

George  Ross 
f 


^Esquires 


J 


s  John  Dickinson] 

Caesar  Rodney  T"  Dover  Co.  Kent  So'm.  fr.  P. 
Thomas  M'^Kean 

Gregory  Read     Esquires  Newcastle 
Matthew  Tilghman  Talbot  Co. 
Thos.  Johnston  jun.  Annapolis 
Robert  Goldsborough  Dorchester  Co. 
William  Paca  Annapolis 
Samuel  Chase  Esquires  Annapolis 
Hon.  Peyton  Randolph 

Richard  Henry  Lee — Chantilly  in  Westmoreland. 
George  Washington  Mt.  Vernon  in  Fairfax 
Patric  Henry  Hanover 
Richard  Bland — Jordans  in  Pr.  George 
Benjamin  Harrison 
Edmund  Pendleton  Esquires 
William  Hooper  Cape  fear  N.  Car. 
Joseph  Hewes  Esqrs.  Edentown 
[Richard  Caswell  .   .   .  Dobbs  County] 
Hon  Henr}^  Middleton 
John  Rutledge 
Thomas  Lynch 
Christopher  Gadsden 
Edward  Rutledge  Esquire 
Total  51  Delegates  [56  corrected  from'Gov.' Ward's  List.] 


Letters  of  Concurrence  from  Georgia  and  Nova  Scotia,  but  no 
Delegates  from  them,  nor  from  the  militarj'  Provinces  of  Quebec 
and  the  two  Floridas  nor  from  Newfoinidland  nor  from  the  West 
Indies.     However  the  English  in  Canada  have  sent  supplies  to  Bos- 


Maryland 
5 


Virginia — Williamsburgh 


Berkely  Charles  City 

Caroline 
North  Carolina 

2 

South  Carolina 
5 

Chariest* 


SEPTEMBER   26,    1774  459 

ton — Antigua  &  Barbadoes  are  in  opposition  to  the  new  Acts  of 
Parliament  &  Jamaica  is  coming  over.  Nova  Scotia,  Georgia  & 
the  Floridas  may  contain  25  or  30  Thousand  Souls,  certainly  not 
40  Thousand,  Whites  English  ;  while  the  New  England  and  West- 
ern Colonies  to  Pennsylvania  inclusive  comprehend  one  Million  &  a 
quarter  souls  Whites  at  least,  &  the  Southern  Provinces  Marj'land, 
Virginia,  and  the  2  Carolinas  above  half  a  Million  Souls  Whites  ; 
so  the  Continental  Provinces  actually  represented  in  Congress  are 
one  Million  and  tliree  Otiarters  Souls  Whites,  wdiile  the  unrepre- 
sented Provinces  are  30  Thousand,  &  even  inclusive  of  Canada  not 
exceeding  140  or  150  Thousand.  We  judge  them  all  firm  in. the 
cause  of  lylBERTY  except  the  N.  York  and  Pennsylvania  Dele- 
gates. The  Congress  resolved  to  vote  by  Number  of  Colonies,  not 
by  Majority  of  Delegates.  The  Cardinals  of  this  Bod}-  or  the  men 
of  greatest  Abilities  and  Influence,  are 

+*  Mr.  Samuel  Adams  Hen.  Middleton 

John  Adams  Esq.  Jn"  Rutledge 

■H*  Samuel  Ward  Tho.   Lynch 

Silas  Deane  +»  Christopher  Gadsden 

Matthew  Tilghman  Edwd.  Rutledge 

-H.  Peyton  Randolph  President  Stephen  Hopkins 

Rd.  Hen.  Lee  +^  Col.  Bland 

The  Congress  opened  at  Philadelphia  Sept.  5,  Instant  at  Carpen- 
ters Hall,  and  chose  the  Hon.  Pej'ton  Randolph  Esq.  President,  Mr. 
Charles  Thomson  vSecretar}-. 

They  keep  all  their  Transactions  secret.  But  upon  hearing  of 
the  Rising  of  the  People  in  New^  England  the  2"'*  Inst.  &  the 
Resolves  of  the  Committees  of  the  Towns  in  Suffolk  County  in 
Massach.  convened  at  Dedham  &  by  adjourn'  at  Milton  Tuesday 
6*''  Sep.  Inst,  they /z^/V/^/^iffl!' the  two  following  Resolutions. 

"  In  Congress  Saturday  Sep.  17,  1774.  A  Letter  from  Dr. 
Joseph  Warren  &  sundr}-  Resolutions  entered  into  b}-  the  C"  of  Suf- 
folk on  Tuesday  the  6*''  Inst,  and  an  Address  from  the  Delegates  of 
s"^  County  to  his  Excellency  Gov.  Gage  dated  the  9'"  Instant  were 
read.  Whereupon 

Resolved  unanimously,  That  this  Assembly  deeply  feels  the  Suf- 
ferings of  their  Countrymen  in  the  Massachusetts  Ba^-,  under  the 
Operation  of  the  late  unjust,  cruel  &  oppressive  Acts  of  the  British 
Pari'. — That  they  most  thoroughly  appfvve  the  Wisdom  &  Fortitude 


460  DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 

with  which  Opposition  to  these  wicked  ^Ministerial  Measures  has 
hitherto  been  conducted,  and  the}'  earnestly  recommend  to  their 
Brethren  a  Perseverance  in  the  same  firm  and  temperate  Conduct  as 
expressed  in  the  Resolutions  determined  upon  at  a  Meeting  of  the 
Delegates  for  the  C"  of  Suffolk  on  Tuesday  the  6"'  Inst.:  trusting 
that  the  Effect  of  the  united  Efforts  af  No.  America  in  their  Behalf 
will  carry  such  Conviction  to  the  British  Nation  of  the  unwise, 
unjust  &  ruinous  Polic}-  of  the  Administration,  as  quickly  to  intro- 
duce better  men  &  wiser  Measures. 

Resolved  unanimously.  That  Contributions  from  all  the  Colonies 
for  supplying  the  Necessities  and  alleviating  the  Distresses  of  our 
Brethren  at  Boston  ought  to  be  continued  in  such  manner  &  so  long 
as  their  occasions  may  require. 

A  true  extract  from  the  -Minutes 

Charles  Thompson  Sec^." 

This  with  the  Suffolk  Resolves  which  the  Congress  have  adopted, 
give  some  Idea  of  the  Complexion  of  the  Congress. 

27.  Visiting. 

28.  There  have  been  two  more  Trials  whether  the  people  of  the 
neighboring  Towns  about  Boston  will  take  arms.  On  Lordsda}' 
before  last,  a  Body  of  the  Troops  were  in  Motion  equipt  on  the 
Common  for  embark''  on  several  Boats  to  go  up  to  Watertown  to 
retake  some  Brass  &  Iron  Canon  which  the  People  had  removed 
thither  from  Boston — l^ut  Dispatches  were  sent  out  &  the  Alarm 
convened  a  Body  at  \\^atertown — the  Governor  desisted  &  the 
Troops  did  not  march — &  the  Tories  say  the}^  had  no  such  Inten- 
tion. The  General  is  afraid  that  we  shall  come  down  to  Dorches- 
ter neck  &  thence  bombard  the  Fort  or  Castle  on  Castle  Isld.  half  a 
mile  off  shore — he  sent  a  body  of  Troops  to  seize  &  fortify  the  neck 
— Major  Robin.son  of  Dorchester  &  a  convened  body  desired  them 
to  desist  on  the  peril  of  a  Conflict  &  public  Alarm — the  Capt.  of  the 
party  of  Regulars  asked  Leave  or  Time  to  send  into  Boston  & 
inform  the  Governor,  which  he  did  and  the  Troops  were  remanded 
into  Boston. 

Tliis  is  not  flying  Report  only  ;  it  is  Truth. 

29.  Yesterday  being  anniversary  for  Election  of  Officers  of  the 
Redwood  Liljrary  Company  I  was  again  elected  Librarian.  In  the 
Evening  held  a  Church  Meeting  at  Sister  Peckhams  and  preached 
on  Mat.  V,  8. 


SEPTEMBER    27-OCTOBER    7,    1774  461 

October. 

1.  By  a  Philadelphia  Print  of  29'''  ult.  bj'  a  quick  Passage,  we 
learn  that  the  Congress  have  adopted  a  Non-Import*  &c.  They 
have  advertised  all  the  Merchants  not  to  send,  &  if  they  have,  to 
recall  their  Orders  for  Goods  &c.   .   .    . 

2.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  Ixxix,  9.  P.M.  on  Ps. 
xxvii,  13,  14.     Reading  Calvins  Commentary  upon  Daniel. 

3.  Conversing  with  Dr.  Young'  on  philosophy.  Dined  at  Mr. 
Channings  with  a  Number  of  Gentlemen,  Sons  of  Liberty  from 
Boston  and  N.  York.  Mr.  Quincy  last  week  sailed  from  B"  for 
London  ;  he  was  one  of  those  who  were  markt  out  for  Destruction 
by  the  Ministry.     But  he  voluntarily  &  boldly  repaired  to  London. 

4.  Went  to  Rehoboth  to  attend  our  Association  of  Congrega- 
tional Pastors. 

5.  I  preached  the  Assoc.  Lecture  2  Tim"  iii,  17.  After  Lecture 
went  with  Br.  Ellis  and  Br.  Rowland  over  to  Providence.  Mr. 
Rowland  resigned  his  pastoral  Charge  at  Providence  29"'  Aug.  past 
— &  now  took  his  Leave  of  the  Association,  which  gave  him  a 
Letter  Testimonial  &  recommendator}-  to  the  Churches. 

6.  At  Providence  examining  the  original  most  antient  Records 
of  that  Town.  Viewed  the  Frame  of  a  large  Baptist  Meetinghouse 
in  Providence^  80  feet  square  raised  last  Month  ;  this  to  be  the 
Baptist  CathedraLfor  America. 

7.  Returned  to  Newport.  It  was  a  Question  in  Conversation 
whether  private  Communions  [Sacrament  of  the  Lords  Supper] 
were  scriptural  ?  and  whether  there  had  been  any  Instances  thereof 
in  any  of  the  Congregational  Churches  in  New  England  ?  Mr.  Ellis 
did  not  doubt  its  expedienc}' — and  said  he  knew  of  two  Instances 
indeed — one  just  before  he  went  to  College  he  saw  administered  at 
Sandwich  by  Rev.  Mr.  Fessenden'  the  Pastor  of  the  Congregational 
Church  there  ;  Mr.  Ellis  went  to  College  1734 — the  other  was 
administered  to  a  sick  person  in  Little  Compton,  ju.st  before  Mr. 
Ellis's  Settlement  there,  bj'  Rev*^  Othniel  Campbell  Pastor  of  the 
Congregational  Church  at  Tiverton — Mr.  Ellis  thinks  that  Rev^ 
Mr.  Leonard*  of  Plymouth  also  administered  it  in  a  third  Instance, 
&  thinks  he  has  heard  of  sundry  others. 

'See  below,  Oct.  10,  1774. 

*  The  stately  house  of  the  First  Baptist  Church,  still  standing. 

^Benjamin  Fessenden  (Harvard  1718),  minister  of  Sandwich  from  1722  to  1746. 

■* Nathaniel  Leonard  (Harvard  1719),  minister  of  Plymouth  from  1724  to  1755. 


462  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

8.  Reading  Rev*^  Isaac  Chauncys  Essay  on  Daniel's  prophetic 
numbers 

g.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  2  Thess.  iii,  5.  P.M.  Ps. 
xxvii,  4.  and  baptized  a  child  .  .  Reading  an  Exposition  on  Zech- 
ar>-  by  \V'°  Pemble  printed  1629,  a  very  learned  &  truly  puritan 
performance. 

10.  At  IV  P.M.  I  catechised  the  Children  of  the  Congregation 
26  Boys,  46  Girls,  7  Negroes.  Tot.  79.  A  Ship  Capt.  Rogers 
arrived  here  from  London  to  da\-,  in  her  came  Samuel  Dyre'  of 
Boston  a  Sailor — whose  story  is  this — that  on  10^''  July  last  he  was 
seized  by  a  party  of  Soldiers  in  Boston  &  carried  into  the  Camp  & 
kept  under  Guard  a  day  or  two  &  then  carried  on  board  Adm. 
Montagues  Ship  bound  for  London  &  put  in  Irons  to  be  carried 
home  for  a  Traitor.  He  was  supposed  to  be  concerned  in  destroy- 
ing the  Tea  or  could  accuse  the  principals.  The  Admiral  sailed  & 
in  a  short  passage  of  onh-  3  Weeks  arrived  at  Portsmouth.  Dur- 
ing the  Passage  he  often  threatened  Dyre  &  endeavoured  to  make 
him  confess  guilty  and  offered  him  Rewards  at  Times  to  accuse  Mr. 
Hankock  and  other  eminent  Patriots,  otheru'ise  he  should  be  hanged 
for  a  Rebel.  Dyre  said  he  knew  nothing  of  the  matter — neither 
would  he  be  intimidated  by  the  Admiral  as  he  knew  he  should  not 
try  him.  At  sea  they  took  off  his  Irons  but  put  them  on  again  as 
they  drew  near  Land — the}-  were  70'^  weight.  Arriving  at  Ports- 
mouth he  was  sent  speedil}'  under  a  strong  Guard  to  London,  & 
carried  before  Lord  North  &  examined,  who  said  he  was  a  Rebel  & 
should  be  hanged — also  before  the  Earl  of  Dartmouth  who  said  he 
should  be  dismissed.  Accordingly  he  was  sent  back  to  Portsmouth 
immediately  &  there  he  was  discharged  as  if  he  had  been  only  one 
of  the  people  who  were  all  discharged  the  ship  being  paid  off  & 
laid  up.  Upon  this  Dyre  went  to  London  &  told  his  Story  &  made 
Affidavit  of  it  before  the  Ld.  Mayor — and  found  friends  as  Sheriffs 
Lee  and  Sajre  ;  Dr.  Lee  wrote  Letters  by  him  to  Mr.  Hancock  and 
Mr.  Adams  &c.  Boston,  inclosing  a  Copy  of  the  AflSdavit,  adding 
that  they  had  entered  the  name  of  the  Capt.  that  seized  him  into 
the  Crown  Office  &  in  Case  proper  Evidence  could  be  procured  of 
his  Seizure  in  B '  in  the  rapacious  manner  &c  Money  eno'  should  be 
furnished  &  Friends  to  pursue  a  prosecution  of  the  Villians. — It 
.seems  that  it  is  intended  to  make  the  affair  only  pressing  on  board 

'  For  a  later  account  of  his  story,   see  Proceedings   of  the  Mass.   Historical 
Society,  \nii,  377-78. 


OCTOBER   8-13,    1774  463 

the  Man  'o  War  as  a  hand  &c.  And  Dyre  says  they  tried  to  per- 
suade him  to  sign  as  a  hand  but  he  did  not.  If  it  should  appear  to 
be  a  real  Seizure  of  an  American  &  carr\-ing  him  home  in  Irons  for 
a  Trial,  it  will  rouse  the  Continent — if  he  was  in  fact  carried  to 
London  in  Irons  and  examined  by  any  of  th^  Ministr\-  as  he  says, 
then  it  is  of  the  most  alarming  Nature.  Dr.  Young'  one  of  the 
Committee  at  B  being  here,  ventured  to  open  Mr.  Adams  Letter 
and  copied  the  Affidavit  and  sent  it  to  Mr.  Adams  at  the  Congress 
Philad\ 

1 1 .  This  daj-  Dyre  was  examined  by  the  Committee  of  Corre- 
spondence of  Xewport  &  10  or  12  Doll,  were  given  him  to  bear  his 
Expences — &  this  Aft.  he  sat  out  for  Boston,  but  first  directh*  to 
the  Provincial  Congress  at  Concord,  to  communicate  the  Thing  to 
them  take  Evidences  &  return  to  London,  where  he  intends  to  eat 
his  Xmas  Dinner.  About  the  time  he  was  taken  there  was  an 
Account  in  the  Boston  prints  of  a  Man  of  his  Name  missing  & 
supposed  to  have  been  drowned.  Also  about  the  same  time  an 
Officer  of  the  Troops  came  from  Boston  to  Xewport  for  X.  York, 
while  here  he  seemingly  accidentally  mixt  in  with  some  of  the 
Mechanics  &  robust  Tradesmen  warm  for  Libert}-.  &  said  in  their 
Hearing  that  one  of  the  Rebels  was  lateh-  taken  at  Boston  &  sent 
home  in  Irons — but  they  did  not  believe  him.  tho'  now  they  recol- 
lect and  well  remember  it.  These  Circumstances  confirm  D^-res 
Account. 

12.  Copying  Gov.  Coddington's  MS.  Letters  of  1640.^ 

13.  At  YII*'  21'  this  Evening  We  felt  a  Shock  of  an  Earthquake. 
The  sound  like  the  Discharge  of  a  Canon  at  first  but  more  contin- 
uous and  the  tremulous  motion  different  &  longer.  I  was  in  m}* 
Study  writing  a  Letter  to  Dr.  Flagg  of  Esequibo,  and  the  Duration 
was  while  I  was  writing  about  one  Line.  I  immediateh^  looked  on 
my  Clock,  which  I  had  compared  with  the  Merid.  the  noon  of  this 
da^-,  &  found  it  not  22'  after  YII^.     I  find  I  write  a  Line  in  about 

^Thomas  Young,  a  native  of  New  Windsor,  X.  Y.,  and  in  earl}-  life  a  resi- 
dent of  Amenia.  He  was  afterwards  of  Boston,  and  connected  with  the  patri- 
ots who  organized  the  Revolution.  He  took  refuge  in  Newport  after  the  battle 
of  Lexington.  He  and  Dr.  Stiles  were  interested  about  1764  in  Colonel 
Lydius's  land  schemes,  and  Dr.  Young  was  the  author  of  an  anonymous 
pamphlet  "  Some  Reflections  on  the  Disputes  between  New- York,  New-Hamp- 
shire, and  Colonel  Lydius,"  printed  at  New  Haven  in  1764. 

-  These  copies,  taken  from  the  imperfect  originals  in  the  Newport  Town 
Records,  are  preserved  among  Dr.  Stiles's  papers. 


464  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

20  seconds.  Perhaps  the  Duration  of  the  Earthquake  was  half  a 
minute.  It  was  calm  still  serene,  Moon  on  the  Meridian  at  ten 
minutes  after  the  Earthquake  as  I  observed  it  carefully.  Wonder- 
ful the  Displays  of  the  divine  Omnipotence  ! 

14.  Gov.  Gage  had  called  an  Assembly  &  before  the  day  of  ses- 
sion at  Salem  he  discharged  them.  They  met  however  at  Time 
and  place,  about  Ninety  Members,  publi-shed  a  Declar-\  resolved 
themselves  into  a  Provincial  Congress,  &  adjourned  to  Concord. 
The  Towns  had  generally  chosen  their  Deputies  for  2  purposes, 
expecting  their  Dissolution  as  an  Assembly,  they  ordered  them  to 
meet  at  Concord  as  a  Congress,  and  added  some  Congress  Delegates 
to  the  Assembly  Delegates — tho'  the  Congress  mainly  consists  of 
the  Assembly. 

15.  Went  to  Synagogue. 

16.  Eordsda3'  A  M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  xxvi,  4-6  P.M.  on  Mat. 
xiii,  23.  Reading  Chauncy's  2300  Even'  Moni'.  Am  not  satisfied 
with  his  Exposition. 

18.  Visited  by  Dr.  Whitteridge.'  Reading  Halleri  primae  Einese 
Physiologiaj. 

19.  In  the  Boston  prints  of  17^''  Inst,  it  is  said — "East  Week 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Eangdon  of  Portsmouth  was  installed  President  of 
Harvard  College  in  Cambridge."  The  Massachusetts  Provincial 
Congress  sat  last  week  at  Concord,  Hon.  Col.  Hancock  President, 
Benj '  Lincoln  Esq.  Secretar}^ :  a  very  spirited  Address  with  cer- 
tain Resolves  were  presented  by  their  Committee  to  the  Gov.  on 
14  Inst.  There  were  above  260  Members  present  when  the  Address 
and  Resolu'"*  were  voted  and  no  Dissentient.  The  Congress 
adjourned  to  Cambridge  where  they  were  to  meet  Monday  17"' 
Instant.  This  Evening  M"  Church  Meeting  at  Sister  Carrs — I 
preached  on  2  Cor.  iv,  16,  17,  18. 

20.  The  Continental  Congress  at  Philadelphia  have  written  to 
the  Committee  of  Correspondence  at  Boston  and  sent  them  sundry 
Resolves — that  they  approve  the  Measures  taken  in  Massachusetts — 
advise  them  10  persevere  in  the  same  Eine  of  Conduct  &  assure 
that  they  shall  be  supported  b}^  the  whole  Continent — that  they 
carefully  avoid  Insult  towards  Gov.  Gage  or  the  Troops  &  stand  only 
on  tlie  defensive  with  patience  till  the  result  of  a  Petition  or  Appli- 

'  In  Dr.  Stilcs's  Itinerary,  17S8,  is  the  following  notice  : — 
Dr.   W"   Whittredge,   b.   Rochester,   Mass.,    1748,   Feb.    13 — Studied  Physic 
with  Dr.  Sani'l.  Perry.  Dartmouth,  settled  in  Tiverton,  1770. 


OCTOBER    14-24,    1774  465 

cation  home  in  their  favor  be  known — that  Boston  sustain  with 
Firmness  &  persevering  patience  ;  but  advise  \i\e  Inhabitants  not 
to  move  out  of  Town,  if  possible  to  endure  the  siege  ;  but  however 
if  the  provincial  Congress  should  judge  such  Removal  expedient, 
then  to  have  made  an  Appraisal  of  all  their  property  in  Town,  & 
so  remove,  »&  that  whatever  Damage  shall  arise,  ought  to  be  & 
undoubtedly  will  be  paid  b}-  the  whole  Continent,  &  that  this 
should  be  recommended  to  all  the  provinces — that  they  had  written 
to  Gen.  Gage,  &c.  &c.  It  is  said  the  Letter  from  the  Congress  to 
Gage  remonstrated  against  his  erecting  fortifications  on  Boston 
Neck  &c.,  requesting  him  to  desist  &  dismantle,  or  that  he  must 
be  accountable  for  the  Consequences.  Six  Regiments  more  are 
ordered  from  home  for  Boston. 

21.  At  the  Commencement  in  Nassau  Hall  Sep.  28.  the  Degree 
of  Doctor  in  Divinity  was  conferred  upon  Rev.  President  Dagget  of 
Yale  College,  A^oa/i  Wells  of  Stanford  in  Connecticutt,  Jn°  Joachhn 
Zubly  of  Savanna  in  Georgia,  [and  Rev''  Samuel  Wilton  of  Tooting 
in  Engld.] 

22.  This  Daj'  I  have  been  ordained  Pastor  of  the  second  Congre- 
gational Church  in  Newport  Nineteen  j-ears — how  unprofitable  a 
I^aborer  in  the  Vinj^ard.  I  have  been  a  preacher  of  the  Gospel 
25  3^ears  having  preached  mj'  first  Sermon  in  the  Rev''  Mr.  Bird- 
seys'  pulpit  at  West  Haven  the  memorable  excessive  hot  Lordsday 
June  1749.  Afterwards  I  studied  the  L,aw  three  years,  yet  preached 
all  the  while  as  I  did  before.  I  had  declined  three  calls  to  settle  in 
the  Ministry  partly  on  account  of  infirm  Health.  At  length  I 
accepted  an  unanimous  Call  of  my  Church  &  Congregation  and 
Oct"  22,  1755,  was  solemnly  ordained  to  the  pastoral  Ofiice  over 
them  by  praj^er  &  the  Daying  on  of  the  Hands  of  my  Father  Rev. 
Isaac  Stiles,  Rev.  Joseph  Torrey  of  S"  Kingstown  &  Rev''  John 
Burt  of  Bristol — the  Ordin^  Council  consisting  of  four  Churches. 
Mr.  Burt  gave  me  the  Charge — weighty  and  awful — may  I  often 
recollect  the  Vows  of  God  ! 

23.  lyordsday  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  Iviii,  11.     P.M.  Isai.  Iv,  r. 

24.  Six  Tories  attacked  D''  Nathaniel  Freeman"  of  Sandwich  & 
threatened  his  Life  lately,   but  was   rescued.     And    immediately 

'Nathan  Birdseye  (Yale  1736),  pastor  in  West  Haven,  Conn.,  from  1742  to 
175S.  He  died  in  iSiS,  in  his  104th  year,  having  reached  a  greater  age  than 
any  other  Yale  graduate. 

-Born  1741,  died  1827.     See  Freeman's  Hist,  of  Cape  Cod,  i,  454-65. 
30 


466  DIARY    OF   EZRA   STILES 

there  assembled  a  great  Body  of  People  at  Sandwich  &  convented 
the  said  six  Tories  before  them — fined  them  ^102.  L,.  M.  Damages 
&  caused  it  with  Costs  about  ^20.  more  to  be  paid — the  ^102.  to 
Dr.  Freeman  for  the  Abuse  received. 

25.  This  day  the  Kings  Surveyors  began  to  take  the  plan  of  the 
Town  of  Newport.  A  Ship  arrived  here  3-esterday  from  L,ondou  — 
we  learn  that  the  Lord  Mayor  &  the  Merchants  have  begun  a  Sub- 
scription for  the  People  suffering  in  Boston — that  no  more  Troops 
are  embarked,  &  that  'tis  probable  the  six  Regiments  will  not 
come.  American  News  has  been  shut  out  of  the  English  Prints 
for  2  5'ears,  and  nothing  but  Invective  &  Abuse  against  the  Colonies 
been  allowed  ;  but  now  the}'  abound  with  American  Resolves  &c. — 
a  spirit  of  Liberty  is  catching  back  from  America  to  the  Mother 
Country — they  are  entering  into  Covenants  with  &  prescribing 
Conditions  to  Parliamt.  Men,  &  the  Candidates  publicly  stipu- 
late the  Conditions  — all  which  run  high  for  Liberty,  triennial  and 
even  annual  Elections  of  Members.  Tho'  there  is  always  much  of 
this  Spirit  going  in  the  Nation — yet  is  evidently  rekindling  with 
new  Ardor — Liberty  in  England  has  been  in  a  State  of  Dispair  for 
ID  5'ears  past,  now  it  resumes  Hope  &  Courage.  Lord  INIansfield 
is  gone  to  Paris — the  Ministry  are  shocked  &  astonied,  but  reso- 
lutely determined  to  push  their  measures  &  glut  themselves  with 
the  Blood  of  New  England. 

26.  On  19"'  Inst,  Rev''  Daniel  Grosvenor'  was  ordained  Pastor 
of  the  Church  of  Grafton. 

Rev.  Mr.  Putnam  ....  made  first  prayer 
Rev.  Mr.  Grosvenor  of  Scituate  preached  Gen.  45,  24 
Rev.  Mr,  Fish      .          .  .         prayed  before  the  Charge 

Rev.  Mr.  Hall      .          .          .          .  .       gave  the  Charge 

Rev.  Mr.  Whitney        .          .  prayed  after  the  Charge 

Rev.  Mr.  Frost     ....  gave  the  Rt.  Hand. 

M"  Meeting  Mr.  Topham's.     Text  Mat.  xi,  28. 

27.  The  Rev''  Mr.  Petens'  of  Hebron  in  Connecticutt  an  Episc" 
high  Church  Tory,  for  abusing  the  Sons  of  Liberty  &  the  public 
grand  Cause  of  Liberty  by  calling  it  Rebellion  &c.  &c.  was  con- 
vented  at  Liberty  pole  in  Hebron  beginning  Sept.  last,  &  obliged 
to  make  a  humble  Confession — a  violent  Affraj-  happened  at   his 

'  Yale  Coll.  1769. 

'  Samuel  Peters  (Yale  1757),  in  later  }'ears  noted  for  his  untruthful  History 
of  Conntdicut ;  the  letter  which  follows  cannot  be  strictly  true. 


OCTOBER    25-28,    1774  467 

House  at  his  being  took.  The  infamous  Paricide  (for  he  was  born 
ill  Hebron)  fled  to  Boston,  to  embark  for  England  &  tell  the  King 
his  Story,  get  a  Pension  and  perhaps  a  Bishoprick  for  his  suffering 
in  the  Cause  of  Government  as  it  is  called.  He  is  full  of  Malice  & 
Venom  against  his  Countr}^  &  especially  the  Presbyterians.  He 
speaks  the  Hearts  of  Nine  Tenths  of  the  Episcopalians  throughout 
the  Territory  North  of  Maryland  to  Nova  Scotia,  who  are  Enemies 
to  Iviberty  while  the  Presbyterians  to  the  North  and  the  Episco- 
palians to  the  Southward  are  cordially  united  in  the  glorious 
Cause. 

Copy  of  a  Letter  from  the  Rev.  Samuel  Peters  to  the  Rev''  Dr. 
Auchmuty  of  New  York. 

Boston  Oct«  i,  1774. 
Rev'i  Sir 

The  Riots  and  Mobs  that  have  attended  me  &  m}^  house  set  on  by  the  Gover- 
nor of  Connecticutt  have  compeUed  me  to  take  np  my  Abode  here  ;  and  the 
Clergy  of  Connecticutt,  must  fall  a  sacrifice  with  the  several  Churches,  very 
soon,  to  the  rage  of  the  puritan  Mobility,  if  the  old  Serpent  that  dragon,  is  not 
bound. — Yesterday  I  waited  on  his  Excellency  the  Admiral  &c..  Dr.  Caner, 
Mr.  Trothbeck,  Dr.  Boyles  &c.  I  am  soon  to  sail  for  England.  I  shall  stand 
in  need  of  your  Letters,  and  the  Letters  of  the  Clergy  of  New  York.  Direct  to 
Mr.  Rice  Williams,  Woolen  Draper,  in  London,  where  I  shall  put  up  at ;  Judge 
Auchmuty,  will  do  all  that  is  reasonable  for  their  neighbouring  Charter,  neces- 
sity calls  for  such  Friendship,  as  the  Head  is  sick  and  heart  faint,  and  spiritual 
Iniquity  rides  in  high  places,  halberts,  pistols  and  swords,  see  the  proclamation 
sent  you  by  my  Nephew ;  on  their  pious  Sabbath  day,  the  4"'  of  last  monlh, 
when  the  preachers  &  Magistrates  left  the  pulpits  &c.  for  the  gun  and  drum, 
and  set  off  for  Boston,  cursing  the  King  and  Lord  North,  General  Gage,  the 
bishops  and  their  cursed  curates,  and  the  church  of  England  ;  and  for  mj^  tell- 
ing the  Church  people  not  to  take  up  arms,  &c.,  it  being  high  treason,  &c. 
the  Sons  of  liberty  have  almost  killed  one  of  my  church,  tarred  and  feathered 
two,  abused  others,  and  on  the  6"^  day  destroyed  my  Windows,  and  rent  my 
cloaths,  even  my  Gown,  &c.  crying  out  down  with  the  Church,  the  rag  of 
Popery,  &c.  Their  rebellion  is  obvious,  and  treason  is  common,  and  robberj^ 
is  their  daily  devotion.  The  Bounds  of  New  York  may  directly  extend  to 
Connecticutt  river,  Boston  meet  them,  and  New  Hampshire  take  the  Province 
of  Main,  Rhode  Island  be  swallowed  up  as  Dathan.  Pray  loose  no  time,  nor 
fear  worse  times  than  attend.  Rev.  Sir, 

Your  very  humble  Servant 

To  Dr.  Auchmuty,  New  York.  SamuEI.  PETERS. 

N.  B.  I  wrote  the  Clerg}'  of  Connecticutt,  the  letters  may  be  intercepted, 
pray  aquaint  Mr.  Dibble  &c. 

28.   Mr.  James  Winthrop'  Librarian  at  Harvard  College  &  son  of 

'  For  a  sketch  of  his  life,  see  Collections  of  the  Mass.  Historical  Society,  2d 
Series,  x,  77-80. 


468  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Professor  Wintlirop  visited  me.  Upon  Election  of  Dr.  I^angdon, 
the  Overseers  adjourned  &  at  a  adjourned  Meeting  voted  to  leave 
the  Instalment  to  the  Fellows,  who  installed  Dr.  Langdon  without 
the  presence  of  Gov.  Lt.  Gov.  and  Council — and  thus  avoided 
determining  the  Question  whether  the  new  Councellors  were  Over- 
seers. The  College  Funds — Fifteen  Tlwiisand  pounds  L.  M.  on 
Bonds  at  Intei'est  which  is  i^goo.  per  ann. — this  is  inclusive  of 
Hollisian  Funds  which  are  so  depreciated  as  not  to  be  ^500.  L-  M. — 
Chariest"  Ferrj'  ^100  per  ann. — Annual  Grant  of  Assembly  ^450. 
L.  M. — Lands  in  many  Townships  but  of  little  Revenue,  perhaps 
all  other  Revenues  ^100  per  ann.  from  abroad — Tuition  money 
40 'L.  M.  per  scholar  to  the  Professors,  besides  &c. 

lut.  Fimds        ....  /900 

Grant          ....  450 

Ferr}'           .         .         .         .  100 

Other  &c 100 

^1550  Lawful  Money  or  ^1200  sterlg.  nearly. 

Presidents  Salary  Out  of  Grant  ^200  L.  M.  ;^I50  ster.  )  ,^^  ^^^^ 
Fr.  College  &  Perquisites  ;^i8o  ster.  J 

Three  Professors  perhaps  about  ^150  each  ;  one  /^200 

4  Tutors  ^"ico  L.  M.  each    Librarian  ^50 

May  be  saved  for  Increase  of  Funds  ^500  per  annum. 
President — about    ........       ^440 

3  Professors   do 500 

Librarian .         .         .  50 

^990 

29.  Reading  Butlers  Analogy. 

30.  Lordsday.  A  AI.  I  preached  on  Ps.  xc,  12.  P.  M.  Ps.  78,  57, 
published  two  Couples,  and  baptized  a  Child  of  Mr.  Bebee.  He  is 
one  of  my  Congregation  but  disbelieves  Psedobaptism — His  Wife 
is  a  Communicant  in  my  Church,  &  he  consented  that  she  might 
have  it  baptized — the  Nurse  bro't  it  out  and  Brother  Dennis  held 
it  up  for  Baptism.  This  is  the  second  Child  of  ]\Ir.  Bebees  which 
I  have  baptized  in  the  same  manner. 

November. 

1.  Crossed  the  ferries  &  Rode  to  Dr.  Torreys  and  lodged. 

2.  Rode  to  East  Greenwich,  where  I  preached  an  Evening  Lec- 
ture in  the  Courthouse  on  Rom.  v,  2  ;  after  Sermon  I  addressed  a 
Profession  of  the  Faith  and  Covenant  to  Mr.  Ichabod  Smith  to 
which  he  publickly  assented,  and  then  I  prayed  and  baptized  four 


OCTOBER    29-NOVEMBER    2,    1774  469 

of  his  Children  piiblickly  ;  and  after  dismissing  the  Congregation 
(which  might  be  150  persons  or  more)  I  notified  them  that  I  should 
repair  to  Mr.  Smiths  House  and  there  baptize  his  other  two  Chil- 
dren which  could  not  be  bro't  out.  Thereupon  as  many  as  could 
enter  the  House  went,  and  I  there  prayed  &  baptized  the  two 
3^oungest,  after  which  I  prayed  again,  gave  Counsel  to  the  Chil- 
dren which  were  bro't  and  set  before  me,  then  sang  78'"  Psalm  part 
Dr.  Watts' s  Version  &  dismissed  with  a  Blessing.  The  whole  Pvxer- 
cise  continued  from  VI''  to  VIII >^''  or  nearly  three  Hours  and  dur- 
ing the  whole  greatest  apparent  Decency,  Seriousness  &  Solemnity 
— for  they  had  never  seen  an  Household  baptized  in  East  Green- 
wich before.  The  Names  of  the  Children  of  Ichabod  and  Hannah 
Smith  which  I  baptized  were 

Benedict  Smith 

Hannah  Smith 

Samuel  Smith 

John  Smith 

Mary  Smith    |  publickly  but 

Sarah  Smith  J  at  the  House. 

All  may  be  considered  as  baptized  publickly,  tho'  the  two  last 
were  baptized  at  their  fathers  House.  Mr.  Smith  was  born  at 
Boston,  &  baptized  at  Stoughton  by  Mr.  Dunbar.'  May  this 
Family  be  blessed  in  him  in  whom  all  the  Families  of  the  Earth 
are  blessed.  A  man  born  17 14,  now  aet.  60,  tells  me  he  remembers 
when  there  were  but  two  houses  in  the  compact  part  of  East  Green- 
wich, and  that  he  lately  counted  67  Dwelling  houses  in  the  same 
Limits  and  that  he  had  last  year  counted  one  hundred  and  ninet}^ 
odd  Children  under  aet.  16,  in  those  Limits,  &  he  judged  there 
were  near  120  families  in  the  sixty  seven  Dwellinghouses  ;  &  that 
there  are  but  two  or  three  houses  in  the  Warwick  part  or  continua- 
tion of  the  compact  of  E.  Greenwich.  So  that  this  Collection  of 
Buildings  now  consists  of  about  seventy  Dwellinghouses  &  I  judge 
less  than  100  families,  because  they  would  be  400  or  500  souls — 
now  the  Children  are  one  half,  the  Adults  another — and  as  Mr. 
Pierce  told  me  the  Children  of  both  sexes  aet.  16  &  under  were  195 
or  under  200,  so  the  Total  of  Souls  must  be  about  400  or  say  500 
equal  to  100  Families.     Of  which  there  are  about  a  dozen  or  more 

^  Rev.  Samuel  Dunbar,  pastor  in  what  is  now  Canton,  Mass.,  from  1727  to 
1783. 


470 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


whole  Families  Presb.  or  Congregatiouals  &  six  or  eight  half 
Families.  In  a  Petition  for  preaching  to  our  Association  1772 
there  were  25  Names  but  they  were  not  all  Presbyterians.  I  should 
estimate  this  part  of  E.  Greenwich  nearly  thus 

Baptists 40  Families 

Quakers 35 

Congregationals 15 

Nothings         .         •         .         .         .         .  10  or  20 

100  or  no 

Of  the  67  houses  I  judge  twenty  of  them  have  been  built  within 
these  two  years.     I  lodged   at  Judge  Greenes. 

3-4.  I  visited  aged  Mr.  Cone  and  his  Wife  both  bedrid  in  the 
same  bed  set.  70  and  supra — he  was  a  speaker  at  the  Head  of 
Friends  Meeting  in  E,  Greenwich,  and  at  the  Desire  of  himself  & 
Wife  I  prayed  with  them.  I  myself  proposed  it  first,  but  they 
acquiesced  ;  &  upon  my  saying  if  it  was  disagreeable  I  would  omit 
it,  they  both  expressed  their  Freedom  &  Desire  for  it  and  thanked 
me — &  he  said  maj^  there  be  Peace  on  Earth  &  good  Will  &c.  We 
rode  to  N"  Kingston,  &  at  i>^'^  P.M.  found  Elder  Pendleton  hold- 
ing a  Meeting  at  a  private  house,  about  20  Horses  round,  and  per- 
haps 50  People  in  the  house.  We  stopt  &  heard  him  an  hour,  & 
.  after  prayer — proceeded  to  the  ferry  &  dined  at  IV'  then  crossed 
the  Ferry  &  lodge  upon  Conanicott  at  Mr.  Nicolls. 

4.  Arrived  at  home.  Preached  my  sacramental  I^ecture  at  IV* 
P.M. 

5 This  afternoon  three  popes  &c.  paraded  thro'  the 

streets,  &  in  the  Evening  they  were  consumed  in  a  Bonfire  as  usual 
— among  other  were  Ed.  North,  Gov.  Hutchinson  &  Gen.  Gage. 

6.  Lordsday  A  M.  I  preached  on  i  Pet.  xi,  24,  25,  and  adminis- 
tered the  Lords  Supper  to  61  Communicants — and  published  two 
Couples.  P.AL  I  preached  on  Gal.  ii,  20.  Mr.  Peter  Read,  a  com- 
municant in  Rev.  Jn''  Trotters  Dissenting  Church  in  London, 
Swallow  street,  Mr.  Hubbart  of  Dr.  Coopers  Church  in  Boston  & 
Mr.  Parks  of  the  Church  in  Chariest"  communicated  with  us. 
Read  Mr.  Scougals  Sermon  before  the  Synod  of  Aberdeen.  [Mr. 
Read  sailed  for  London  June  12  1775.     A  pious  man.] 

7.  La.st  livening  visited  me  Robert  Treat  Pain  Esq.  one  of  the 
Massachusetts  Delegates  to  the  Continental  Congress,  who  on  Sat- 
urday Evening  arrived  here  by  Water  from  Philad'  &  was  at  Meet- 


NOVEMBER   3-7,    1774  471 

ing  with  us  3'esterday  all  day.  And  this  day  arrived  in  Newport 
Gov.  Ward  from  the  Congress  ;  he  spent  the  Evening  at  Hon.  Ab"" 
Redwood's.  Mr.  Pain  presented  me  with  the  printed  Transactions 
of  the  Congress — viz,  a  Bill  of  Rights — Grievances — Association 
for  a  commercial  War — Address  to  our  Brethren  in  England — 
address  to  the  English  Colonies — and  Address  to  Canada  ;  the 
Petition  to  the  King  is  not  printed.  The  latter  part  of  the  Time 
perhaps  rather  the  beginning  of  Oct"  one  of  the  Delegates  was 
elected  Mayor  of  the  City  of  Philadelphia  which  called  him  off,  & 
the  assembly  then  sitting  put  in  Dr.  Dickinson  into  the  Congress. 
President  Randolph  an  excellent  &  firm  Patriot,  was  taken  with 
the  Gout  and  returned,  the  Session  of  Mrgiuia  Assembly  also  call- 
ing him.  In  his  absence  the  Congress  elected  Mr.  Middleton  of 
S°  Carol,  as  President.  Hence  in  some  of  the  Proceedings  the  one 
&  in  somfe  the  other  appears  and  signs  as  President. — The  Address 
to  England  is  masterly.  The  Congress  broke  up  Oct  27  ;  but 
recommended  that  another  Congress  should  be  held  at  Phil  ad'  10"' 
May  next  to  be  chosen  anew  by  the  Colonies.  They  have  justified 
the  Opposition  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  denied  totally  the  Jurisdiction 
of  Parliam^  as  to  Taxation  of  America  &c.  &c,  strongly  remon- 
strated against  the  Establishment  of  the  romish  Religion  &c  &c  &c. 
The  Address  to  the  people  of  England  draughted  by  three  men, 
W"  Eivingston  Esq.  Mr.  Jay  &c,  chiefly  by  the  first.  One  soul 
animated  the  Congress — almost  universal  Unanimit}-.  The  last  of 
their  Transactions  bears  date  26  Oct.  and  they  broke  up  Thursday 
Oct.  27,  1774.  There  were  about  52  Members.  It  first  sat  5^*^ 
Sept.  but  without  a  Chaplain.  On  Sep.  7,  they  called  in  Rev*^  Mr. 
Duchee  Episc"  Clergyman,  to  officiate. — He  read  the  Prayers  of  the 
Da}^  &  closed  with  an  Extemporary  prayer  : — but  thej-  had  no 
praj^ers  afterward.  It  was  remarkable  that  on  that  7"'  day  of  Sep. 
they  first  met  after  they  received  the  News  of  the  Taking  Arms  in 
N.  England,  &  the  whole  City  of  Philadelphia  was  thrown  into 
great  Distress  Consternation  &  Anxiety — and  that  the  Service  of 
the  Eiturgy  for  the  day  as  read  by  Mr.  Duchee  happened  to  be  the 
thirt)^  fifth  Psalm  most  expressive  of  our  Calamities  &  Destresses 
as  conceived  at  Philad-^  &  at  that  Time  just  45  Members  present. 

The  Congress  recommend  to  prepare  for  the  most  unhappy 
Consequences — but  do  not  believe  that  Gt.  Britain  can  stand  a 
commercial  War  ;  the  total  of  whose  exterior  Trade  to  all  the 
World  besides  dont  exceed  Tivo  Millions  sterlg.  whereas  to  English 


472 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILES 


America  oiih-  it  amounts  anutially  to  much  above  Three  Millions 
sterlg. 

This  day  I  was  visited  by  a  German  Baron,  a  Lutheran  Minis- 
ter, the  Rev''  Charles  de  WarnsdorfF  Baron  of  Warnsdorff,  born 
not  far  from  Budissen  or  Dresden  in  Saxon}-.  He  was  educated  at 
Halle  University  wdiich  he  left  1739,  &  was  ordained  by  the  Con- 
sistorium.  The  last  War  he  came  to  America  &  was  Chaplain  to 
a  German  Regiment  here  1 75S.  Afterwards  he  spent  his  Time  in 
ministering  to  3  or  4  dispersed  Congregations  of  Settlers  (Germans) 
in  the  Wilderness  about  Pittsburg,  till  now  driven  off  b}^  Indians, 
he  travels  asking  the  Liberality  &  Munificence  of  the  public.  He 
brings  good  Credentials,  &  particularly  from  the  Episcopal  Clerg^^ 
in  Virginia  &c.  A  Man  of  indifferent  Talents.  He  thinks  there 
are  above  an  hundred  German  Lutheran  Congregations  in  English 
America — there  is  he  says  one  Lutheran  Ccetus  about  Philad''  of  a 
dozen  or  more  ]\Iini.sters — they  ordain  Ministers  in  this  Ccetus, 
without  going  over  to  Europe.  The  Episcopalians  take  pains  to 
flatter  the  Lutherans  to  a  Junction  with  them  in  forming  an 
Increase  of  their  Interest. 

Mr.  Pain  told  me  that  Mr.  Manning  Pres't  of  Prov.  College, 
Elder  Backus  of  Middleboro'  &c  &c  Baptists,  asked  a  Conference 
at  Philad''  with  the  Mass^  Delegates  of  the  Congress.  At  the 
Instance  of  Gov.  Ward  (a  Baptist)  and  some  others  Messrs.  Gush- 
ing, Adams  &  Pain  gratified  them  &  met  at  the  Congress  Hall' — 
supposing  it  would  be  only  spending  an  Evening  with  2  or  3  Bap- 
tist Gentlemen  conversing  &c.  But  upon  coming  to  the  Hall  they 
w^ere  surprized  to  find  a  Collection  of  Baptists  and  Quakers  about 
fourty  persons,  and  soon  found  they  were  to  be  catechised  &  ques- 
tioned on  the  IMassachusetts  persecution  of  the  Baptists.  Mr. 
Manning  opened  the  Affair  b}^  narrating  the  Ashfield  Affair,"  the 

'  Cf.  John  Adams's  account  of  this  interview  in  his  Life  and  JVorks,  ii, 
398-400. 

''  Dr.  Stiles's  account  of  the  Ashfield  case,  as  given  in  a  letter  of  Nov.  20, 
1772,  to  Dr.  Philip  Furueaux,  a  draught  of  which  remains  among  his  papers, 
is  as  follows  : 

There  is  another  Instance  of  comphiint  at  Ashfield,  a  parish  in  Deerfield 
near  Connecticut  River  .  .  .  It  is  a  usage  that  the  Proprietors,  not  the  Settlers, 
have  the  conduct  of  bringing  forward  the  first  settlements,  till  the  end  of  set- 
tlement is  answered,  &  then  the  conduct  of  pi;blic  affairs  rests  in  the  Inhab- 
itants. Building  Meetinghouses,  settling  Ministers,  clearing  highways,  build- 
ing mills  &c.  are  of  such  cunnnon  concern  &  so  immediately  give  a  conunon 


NOVEMBER    7,    1774  473 

Rigor  of  the  Laws,  and  the  Attempts  for  Redress  in  vain — &  it 
plainly  appeared  they  meant  to  apply  to  the  Congress  for  Redress. 
Mr.  Pemberton  the  Quaker  bellowed  loud  on  N.  England  persecu- 
tion and  Hanging  the  Quakers  &c.     The  Boston  Gentlemen   were 

value  to  new  Lands,  that  the  Proprietors  usually  as  such  tax  the  Lands  in  com- 
mon for  these  uses.  Every  one  has  so  great  an  Interest  in  these  things  that  it 
is  an  universal  Usage  established  by  Law.  The  original  Proprietors  of  Ash- 
field  were  generally  if  not  universally  Congregationalists,  &  as  such  were 
bringing  forward  settlement  in  the  usual  way  &  with  the  usual  Taxes  to  this 
end,  perhaps  each  owning  3  or  400  acres  apiece.  A  number  of  Baptist  families 
undertaking  a  settlement  so  near  together  as  to  have  a  Minister  of  their  own 
persuasion,  applied  to  the  original  Proprietors  &  bo't  some  50,  some  perhaps 
100,  acres  each  &  settled  under  them,  &  built  there  a  Meetinghouse.  The 
Congregationalists  at  the  same  time  going  forward  in  the  common  wav  pro- 
ceeded to  building  a  Meetinghouse,  &  for  this  end  laid  a  tax  on  the  Lands  in 
general.  The  Baptists  being  a  considerable  number,  ^^erliaps  20  out  of  70  or 
So  families,  refused  to  pay.  The  Tax  was  levied  and  their  Lands  sold.  Had 
they  exempted  the  Baptists,  the  legality  of  the  rest  of  the  Taxes  had  been  dis- 
putable. The  Tax  was  not  large,  &  the  building  of  a  Presb)-terian  Meeting 
would  add  to  the  baptists  Lands  tenfold  the  value  of  the  baptist  Taxes.  And 
besides  this  was  but  a  temporary  Thing.  For  in  future  the  building  of  Meet- 
inghouses &  ministerial  Taxes  was  by  law  to  rest  on  the  Congregational  Inhab- 
itants only.  And  tho'  the  Legislature  &  public  with  us  have  since  been  dis- 
posed to  render  the  Law  more  favorable  if  possible,  yet  in  the  given  case  they 
have  not  been  able  to  devise  a  more  equitable  &  prudent  Law.  Many  Chhmen., 
Baptists  &  Quakers  in  similar  cases  have  freely  paid  this  kind  of  primary 
Taxes,  not  from  a  regard  to  the  Presb.  Interest,  but  solely  with  a  view  of  aug- 
ments the  Value  of  their  Lands  &  raising  Landed  Estates.  The  manner  of  the 
Officers'  conduct  at  the  sale  of  the  baptist  Lands,  or  perhaps  rather  the  buyers' 
Conduct,  was  I  believe  insulting,  unchristian  &  justly  offensive — &  as  such 
with  abhorrence  &  detestation  disapproved  by  Congregationalists  in  general 
who  have  had  proper  Information  of  the  matter.  At  least  such  Insult  as  the 
Baptists  alledge  &  assert,  if  real,  every  one  condemns.  But  this  is  not  to  be 
charged  to  the  Law  or  to  an  intolerant  spirit  in  general.  It  may  be  said  such 
Laws  are  not  in  some  of  the  other  Provinces  ;  it  is  granted.  But  there  is  a 
great  difference  between  New  Englanders  &  the  rest  of  the  Colonists.  While 
the  one  have  little  regard  to  religion  in  their  settlements,  the  other  cannot  be 
persuaded  or  induced  to  remove  to  new  settlements  without  they  have  a  sure 
prospect  of  the  Gospel  Ministry.  And  it  is  a  known  fact  in  N.  Engl'd.  that 
this  Motive  carried  into  effectual  Execution  gives  such  value  to  Lands  as  to 
induce  multitudes  to  be  concerned  with  them  in  any  expences  to  this  end, 
whether  called  ecclesiastical  or  civil  taxes.  Under  this  actual  profit,  it  is 
ungenerous  to  complain  of  oppression  from  a  Law  which  all  the  Wisdom  and 
Self  Interests  of  the  Baptists  themselves  could  not  mend,  or  alter,  without 
undermining  the  source  of  their  own  profit.  For  it  is  to  be  remarked  after  all, 
that  not  one  Baptist  in  Ashfield  can  be  obliged  to  pay  a  future  Tax  to  a  future 
Meetshouse,  or  to  the  support  of  a  Presb.  Minister. 


474  DIARY    OF   EZRA   STILES 

not  disposed  to  irritate,  &  submitted  to  explain  the  Reasons  of  the 
Mass.  Laws — &  shewed  two  things,  i.  That  in  the  old  Towns 
Baptists  were  in  their  own  Confession  excused  for  all  Rates  minis- 
terial upon  a  Certificate  of  their  being  in  Judgt.  of  that  Denomina- 
tion. 2.  In  the  few  new  Towns  (as  Ashfield)  the  Law  had  respect 
only  to  forwarding  the  settlement  of  the  Town  in  which  all  Bap- 
tists as  well  as  others  were  equally  &  really  profited,  &  afterwards 
all  Baptists  were  freed  upon  the  general  Law  of  Toleration  :  and 
that  when  the  matter  was  last  year  debated,  the  Assembly  were 
unanimously  disposed  to  give  the  Baptists  all  the  friendly  help  pos- 
sible without  dissolving  their  own  Congregational  Establishment — 
&  could  find  no  other  method,  but  that  which  was  by  Law  estab- 
lished, that  every  Baptist  whether  baptized  or  not  upon  producing 
a  Certificate  from  an  Elder  or  two  or  3  Brethren  that  they  verily 
believed  he  was  in  Judgment  a 'Baptist  should  be  freed  from  all 
Taxes  for  the  Congregational  Ministry  &  Meetinghouses.  The 
Baptists  had  only  this  Objection  viz.  that  in  Case  of  legal  Trial 
the)'  must  give  four  pence  to  the  Town  Clerk  for  a  copy  of  this 
Certificate  after  it  was  recorded — and  this  4**  was  Persecution — tho' 
probably  not  one  Instance  of  it  in  half  a  Century.  The  very 
Quakers  &  some  of  the  Baptists  however  seemed  to  give  up  this, 
&  say  such  a  Trifle  was  not  Persecution.  But  they  dwelt  on  the 
Ashfield  and  new  Towns  Affair — &  the  Gentlemen  desired  them  to 
shew  how  the  matter  could  be  remedied  &c — They  broke  up. 
Next  day  the  Baptists  sent  in  a  Writing  that  they  were  not  satis- 
fied, but  must  seek  further. 

When  the  Fast  was  held  in  this  Colony,  Mr.  Rowland  asked  Mr. 
Manning  about  it — Mr.  Manning  shewed  some  Indifference  «& 
said  he  did  not  hiow  zuhy  zae  should  fast  Jor  Boston.  I  have  per- 
ceived a  Coolness  in  others.  In  truth  the  Baptists  intend  to  avail 
themselves  of  this  opportunity  to  complain  to  England  of  Persecu- 
tion— because  they  hate  Congregationalists  who  they  know  are  hated 
by  the  King  Ministry  &  Parliament.  They  will  leave  the  general 
Defence  of  American  Libert}'  to  the  Congregationalists  to  the  North- 
ward and  Episcopalians  to  the  Southward  ; — &  make  Merit  them- 
selves with  the  Ministr}^,  who  are  glad  to  play  them  off  against  us, 
&  for  this  End  promise  them  Relief.  Their  Partiality  &  Malice 
are  great.  Both  manifested  in  advancing  these  Matters  to  the 
Congress  (or  so  that  it  may  be  popularly  represented  so)  at  this  criti- 
cal Time  ;  and  this  against  Massachusetts  only,  without  complain- 


NOVEMBER    8,    1774  475 

ing  against  Virginia,  Maryland  &c  where  they  the  Baptists  not 
only  pay  ministerial  Taxes  for  Building  Churches  but  are  impris- 
oned for  preaching  in  unlicensed  Houses.  That  is  they  forbear  to 
complain  where  they  suffer  real  Persecution,  &  complain  where 
they  suffer  so  trifling  a  share  of  anything  that  looks  like  it  that 
it  is  a  shame  for  fellow  Protestants  to  &c.  However  we  shall  not 
forget  this  Work  of  our  Brother  Ksau. 

8.  This  forenoon  Gov.  Ward  just  returned  from  the  Congress 
visited  me,  &  gave  me  also  a  large  and  full  account  of  the  Trans- 
actions of  the  Congress.  He  shewed  me  the  lyCtter  to  the  King, 
which  is  not  to  be  published  till  presented  to  his  Majesty.  He 
shewed  me  also  a  Plan  for  an  American  Council  of  State  bro't  into 

the  Congress  by  Mr.  Galloway which  however  was  almost 

universally  rejected.  Mr.  Ward  told  me  that  the  plan  was  doubt- 
less conceived  at  home  in  England,  as  he  was  shewn  a  Letter  from 
home  purporting  the  same  or  a  similar  plan  for  settling  all  Dis- 
putes &  establishing  a  polity  for  America. 

Mr.  Randolph  the  president  was  taken  with  the  Gout,  &  besides 
being  Speaker  was  called  home  to  attend  the  Assembly  at  Vir- 
ginia, at  the  latter  part  of  the  Session  of  the  Congress.  But  he 
left  a  power  of  Attorney  irapowering  Col.  Washington  to  sign  in 
his  Name.  In  his  Absence  it  became  necessary  to  chuse  Mr. 
Middleton  President,  who  signing  first  to  the  Petition  to  the  King, 
the  propriety  of  Col.  Washington's  signing  Mr.  Randolph's  name 
second  was  doubted,  as  in  several  Instruments  he  had  signed  as 
president — &  so  it  was  omitted.  One  or  two  of  the  York  Delegates 
also  went  home,  tho'  none  was  refused,  except  one  who  came  with- 
out Certificates,  which  he  went  home  &  got  &  then  returned  &  sat. 
And  yet  the  N.  York  Delegates  were  not  properly  appointed. 

The  general  Plan  respecting  the  suspension  of  Commerce  adopted 
by  the  Congress,  is  to  import  nothing  from  Great  Britain  &  Ireland 
after  the  first  of  Dec.  next — but  to  export  thither  &  to  all  Coun- 
tries till  10"'  of  Sept.  1775 — &c.  &c.  Some  of  the  Western 
Delegates  were  for  allowing  Parliament  the  general  Regulation  of 
Trade — but  all  agreed  not  to  submit  to  Parly.  Taxation  at  all,  and 
to  no  Acts  of  Pari*  except  those  adopted  by  &  made  Acts  of  the 

Assemblies.     In  general  there  was  great  Unanimity 

Major  General  Lyman  died  at  Mississippi  lately.  He  was  born 
at  Durham  in  Connecticutt.  When  a  man  grown  set  out  for 
Learning,    &   in    1734  lived    at    my    Fathers  to   fit   for    College. 


.476  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

He  was  educated  in  Yale  College  where  he  graduated  1738,  was 
elected  Tutor  &  resigned  his  Tutorship  1742  the  year  I  entered  it. 
He  settled  at  Suffield  &  pursued  the  Law  [&  became  one  of  the 
Council  in  Connecticutt]  till  1755  when  he  went  into  the  Army. 
Was  a  provincial  Major  General  thro'  the  War  ;  was  at  the  Taking 
of  Havanna.  Soon  after  the  Peace  he  went  home  [1764]  to  Lon- 
don to  get  a  new  Colony  on  Ohio — there  he  danced  Attendance  to 
the  Ministrj^  about  nine  j^ears — returned  disappointed  &  in  debt — 
this  3'ear  went  to  settle  a  small  grant  of  Lauds  he  had  on  Missis- 
sippi, where  he  has  finished  a  Life — in  the  middle  of  it  honor- 
able— but  for  the  last  ten  years  very  inglorious. 

9.   Further  Discourse  with  Gov.  Ward  on  the  Congress. 

10.  There  is  something  ver}'  wonderful  in  the  Humiliation  to 
which  the  Russians  have  bro't  the  Turkish  Empire.  Who  would 
have  tho't  7  years  ago,  of  that  northern  Power's  adventuring  to 
send  a  Russian  Fleet  from  the  Baltic  round  into  the  Mediterranean 
as  high  as  the  Dardanelles,  and  to  meditate  an  Attack  on  Constan- 
tinople b}'  sea  and  Land 

1 1 .  We  have  news  that  the  Canadians  refuse  to  take  up  arms 
against  the  English  Colonies. 

12.  Mr.  Vinal  is  come  to  Town  again. 

13.  Lordsday  A  M.  I  preached  on  i  Pet.  i,  13,  and  published  the 
Banns  for  three  Couple.  P.M.  Zech.  iii,  7.  Spent  the  wdiole  of 
last  Evening  in  reading  that  lofty  and  soaring  Eagle  Dionj^sius 
Areopagita,  his  de  divinis  Nominibus.     Sublime  and  excellent ! 

14 This  Evening  Rev.  Mr.  Rowland  came  here  with 

his  Family  having  sailed  from  Providence  yesterday  Morning, 
when  he  took  his  Farewell  after  having  been  in  the  Ministry  there 
about  Eleven  years.     He  is  removing  his  Family  to  E.  Hartford. 

16.  Reading  all  day — Mathers  Mystery  of  Israels  Salvation.  .  .  , 
Justini  Hist.  &c.  Read  thro'  the  prophecy  of  Zechariah  &  com- 
pared it  with  the  Targum.  This  day  Mr.  Rowland  sailed  with  his 
Family.  In  the  Evening  the  Chh.  Monthl)^  Meeting,  I  preached 
on  Cant.  ii.  3. 

17.  Did  not  attend  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture.  Saw  the  new  Military 
comp-'  exercising  &c. 

The  Rising  of  the  People  from  the  2'"'  to  the  S'''  or  9"'  of  Sept. 
last  was  so  important  that  I  have  intended  to  collect  and  write  an 
Account  of  it  ;  but  incessant  Avocations  allow  me  only  to  notice 
some  principal  Things.     I  have  diligently  attended  to  the  whole, 


NOVEMBER    9-17,    1774  477" 

digested  the  contradictory  accounts,  &  verified  all  by  conversation 
with  Jtye  Witnesses. 

On  Thursday  Morning-  at  IVJ-''  the  first  day  of  Sept.  last  a  party 
of  the  Kings  Tories,  by  Order  of  Gen.  Gage  passed  silently  by 
Water  in  13  Boats  around  by  Mystic  River  to  Quarry  Hill  at  the 
upper  end  of  Charlestown,  where  there  was  a  public  Arsenal  at  the 
N.  W.  Corner  of  Charlestown  &  nearly  in  the  Concurrence  of  sev- 
eral Towns  Corners  as  Cambridge,  Medford  &c :  this  Arsenal 
stands  about  a  Mile  from  the  Water.  Hither  the  vSoldiery  arrived 
early,  between  one  o'clock  and  Day,  and  waited  for  Break  of  day 
as  it  was  dangerous  to  enter  a  powder  House  with  a  Lanthern. 
Sheriff  Phipps  delivered  them  the  Province  Powder  &  Mr.  Mason 
the  Canon,  Mr.  Phipps  having  received  the  Keys  of  Gen.  Brattle 
the  Evening  preceding  : — it  is  said  some  other  Powder  of  Towns 
and  private  persons  was  also  taken.  The  Party  received  the  2 
Guns  &  250  Barrels  of  Powder  on  board  their  Boats,  being  the 
whole  stock  of  Powder  there,  &  departed  early  between  Break  o' 
day  and  Sunrise.  This  was  on  thursday  Morning.  The  Thing 
was  done  most  secretly,  the  Soldiers  were  opposed  by  none,  because 
nobody  knew  it  till  they  were  gone  off.  Whether  at  going  off  they 
were  perceived,  or  by  inquiry  afterwards,  it  became  however  that 
day  known  both  at  Cambridge  &  at  Boston  that  Gen.  Gage  had' 
seized  &  carried  off  the  Powder  from  the  Arsenal.  This  was  very 
alarming  as  a  few  days  before  Medfield  and  it  was  .said  some- 
other  Towns  upon  ordering  their  Town  stock  of  Powder  to  be 
examined  in  their  respective  Town  Powderhouses,  had  found  their 
Town  stock  of  Powder  taken  away  by  the  Governors  Order — 
which  indicated,  as  all  judged,  an  Intention  to  disarm  the  people. 

The  same  day,  viz.  Thursday  afternoon,  a  Report  began  to  be 
spread  in  the  neighboring  Towns,  that  the  Gov.  had  .sent  a  party 
of  Soldiers  to  Cambridge,  who  had  seized  &  carried  off  the  Pow- 
der ;  that  the  people  opposed  them,  a  Skirmish  ensued,  &  that 
the  Soldiery  had  fired  upon  them  &  killed  six  Men.  Who  origi- 
nated this  false  Story  is  a  secret ;  but  this  much  is  certain  that  it 
had  propagated  itself  above  fourty  Miles  to  as  far  as  Shrewsbury  by 
Midnight  on  thursday  night  as  I  was  informed  by  Mr.  McNeil  of 
Litchfield  who  came  from  Springfield  &  lodged  at  Shrewsbury  that 
night.  This  Story  passed  with  some  mutilations,  but  under  all 
carrying  an  account  that  in  Taking  the  Powder  the  Soldiery  fired, 
upon  the  people  &  killed  six  of  them. 


478  DIARY    OF    EZRA   vSTILES 

The  Spirit  of  obliging  Councillors  to  resign  had  gone  forth — 
sundry  had  resigned — &  it  was  strongl}^  meditated  by  the  people 
in  the  Towns  adjacent  to  Cambridge  to  try  the  same  Deforcement 
upon  the  Lt.  Gov.  &  other  Councillors  at  Cambridge.    .    .    . 

"  On  fryda}'  INIorning  some  Thousands  of  them  had  advanced  to 
Cambridge,  armed  only  with  sticks."    .   .   . 

On  perceiving  the  concourse  the  Committee  of  Cambridge  sent 
express  to  Chariest",  who  communicated  the  Intelligence  to  Boston, 
and  their  respective  Committees  proceeded  to  Cambridge  without 
Delay.  When  the  first  of  the  Boston  Committee  came  up,  they 
found  some  thousds  of  people  assembled  before  the  Courthouse, 
and  Judge  Danforth  stand^  on  the  steps  "declaring  his  Resigna- 
tion as  a  new  Councillor.  Judge  L,ee  was  also  on  the  steps  & 
declared  his  Resign^  also  as  a  new  Councillor.  Col.  Phipps  also 
resigned  as  Sheriff. 

"About  Eight  o'clock  his  Honor  the  Lieut.  Gov.  Oliver  set  oflf 
from  Cambridge  for  Boston,  and  informed  Governor  Gage  of  the 
true  State  of  matters  .  .  On  Mr.  Olivers  Return,  he  .  .  assured 
them  that  in  Case  the  mind  of  the  whole  Province,  collected  in 
Congress  or  otherwise,  appeared  for  his  resignation,  he  would  by 
no  means  act  in  opposition  to  it.  This  seemed  satisfactory  to  the 
Committee,  when  Commissioner  Hallowell  came  thro'  the  Town 
on  his  way  to  Boston.  The  sight  of  that  obnoxious  person  so 
inflamed  the  people,  that  in  a  few  minutes  above  one  hundred  & 
sixty  Horsemen  were  drawn  up  &  proceeded  in  pursuit  of  him  in 
full  Gallop.  Capt.  Gardner  of  Cambridge  .  .  delivered  his  mind  very 
fuU)^  in  dissuasion  of  the  pursuit,  «&  was  seconded  by  Mr.  Davins 
of  Chariest"  &  Dr.  Young  of  Boston  .  .  :  and  in  a  little  time  the 
Gentlemen  di.smounted  their  horses  &  returned  to  the  body.  But 
Mr.  Hallowell  did  not  intirely  escape,  as  one  Gentleman  of  a  small 
stature  pushed  on  .  .  into  Roxbury  &  stopt  him  in  his  Chaise. 
Mr.  Hallowell  snapd  his  pistol  at  him,  "but  could  not  disengage 
himself,  till  he  quitted  the  Chaise,  «&  mounted  his  Servants  Horse, 
on  which  he  drove  into  Boston  with  all  the  speed  he  could  make, 
till  the  horse  failing  within  the  Gate,  he  ran  on  foot  to  the  Camp, 
thro  which  he  spread  Consternation,  telling  them  he  was  p2irsued  by 
some  tho7i^\  which  would  soon  be  in  Tozvn  &  destroy  all  the  friends 
of  Goif  before  them.  A  Gentleman  in  Boston  observ^'  the  Motion  in 
the  Camp,  &  conclude'  they  were  on  the  point  of  march^'  to  Cam- 
bridge from  both  Ends  of  the  Town  the  Alarm  was  communicated 


NOVEMBER    17,    1774  479 

to  Dr.  Roberts,  then  at  Chariest"  ferry,  who  having  a  fleet  horse, 
brd  t  the  news  in  a  few  viinntes  to  the  Committee  then  at  Dinjier :  the 
Intelligence  was  instantly  diffused,  and  the  people,  whose  arms 
were  nearest,  sent  persons  to  bring  them,  while  horsemen  were 
dispatched  both  ways  to  gain  more  certain  Advice  of  the  true  State 
of  the  Soldiery.  .  .  The  Dispatch  soon  return^  &  assuring  the 
body  that  the  soldiers  still  remained,  and  were  likely  to  remain,  in 
their  Camp,  they  resumed  their  Business  with  Spirit " 

This  is  the  account  of  the  Transaction  as  it  was  at  Boston  & 
Cambridge.  The  Report  that  went  thro'  the  Country  was  differ- 
ent. Col.  Putnam  in  a  publication  Oct.  3,  ascribes  the  Alarm  to 
Mr.  Hallo  wells  Affair  which  he  judged  first  occasioned  it — but  he 
is  mistaken — for  it  was  propagated  50  Miles  or  more  with  Effect 
before  this  Affair  happened.  The  Week  following  I  rode  a  Journey 
into  Connecticutt,  and  on  the  8*^''  Sep.  rode  from  L,ittlerest  to  Nor- 
wich in  Company  with  Mr.  McNeil  of  Litchfield  who  gave  me 
very  particular  &  extensive  Information  of  what  he  was  an  Eye 
Witness.  He  had  a  singular  Opportunity. — He  was  at  Springfield 
on  30*''  Aug^  when  he  saw  three  thousand  people  assembled  about 
the  Courthouse  and  obliged  the  Judges  &  all  Officers  of  the  Court 
to  promise  not  to  sit  &  renounce  holding  any  Office  under  the  new 
Establishment  &  saw  them  humble  sundry  Tories  there.  The 
next  day  he  sat  out  for  Boston,  from  thence  to  Plymouth  &  I  think 
to  Falmouth  on  the  Cape,  thence  returned  thro'  Newport  in  his 
Way  to  Hartford  &  so  home  to  Eitchfield.  He  has  been  a  Mer- 
chant or  Trader,  is  a  young  Man  aet.  30  or  under,  an  European, 
married  a  rich  Farmers  Daughter  in  Litchfield,  somewhat  observ- 
ant, of  a  still  Turn,  rather  a  son  of  Liberty,  &  yet  has  a  regard  for 
European  Regulations. 

Mr.  McNeil  told  me  he  proceeding  from  Springfield  journeyed 
towards  Boston  and  on  Thursday  the  first  Day  of  Sept.  reached 
Shrewsbury  in  the  Evening  and  lodged  there.  I  asked  him  where 
he  met  the  public  Tumult  ?  he  said  at  Shrewsbury  a  few  miles 
nearer  Boston  than  Worcester.  He  went  to  bed  without  hearing 
any  Thing.  But  about  midnight  or  perhaps  one  o'Clock  he  was  sud- 
denly waked  up,  somebody  violently  rapping  up  the  Landlord, 
telling  the  doleful  Story  that  the  Powder  was  taken,  six  men 
killed,  &  all  the  people  between  there  &  Boston  arming  &  march- 
ing down  to  the  Relief  of  their  Brethren  at  Boston  ;  and  within  a 
qr.  or  half  an  hour  he  judges  fifty    men    were   collected   at   the 


480  DIARY    OF    EZRA   STILES 

Tavern  tho'  now  deep  in  Night,  equipping  themselves  &  sending 
oflf  Posts  every  Way  to  the  neighboring  Towns.  They  called  up 
McNeil  to  tell  the  Story  of  the  Springfield  Aifair  which  was  News 
— he  said  he  had  to  repeat  and  tell  the  story  over  «&  over  again  to 
New  Comers  till  day  :  so  he  had  no  more  Rest  that  night.  The 
Men  set  off  as  fast  as  they  were  equipt.  In  the  Morning,  being 
fryday  Sept.  2,  Mr.  McNeil  rode  forward  &  passed  thro'  the  whole 
at  the  very  Time  of  the  Convulsion.  He  said  he  never  saw  such 
a  Scene  before — all  along  were  armed  Men  rushing  forward  some  on 
foot  some  on  horseback,  at  every  house  Women  &  Children  making 
Cartridges,  running  Bullets,  making  Wallets,  baking  Biscuit,  cry- 
ing &  bemoaning  &  at  the  same  time  animating  their  Husbands  & 
Sons  to  fight  for  their  lyiberties,  tho'  not  knowing  whether  they 
should  ever  see  them  again.  I  asked  whether  the  Men  were  Cow- 
ards or  disheartened  or  appeared  to  want  Courage  ?  No.  Whether 
the  tender  Destresses  of  weeping  Wives  &  Children  softened 
effeminated  &  overcome  the  Men  and  set  them  Weeping  to  ?  No — 
nothing  of  this — but  a  firm  intrepid  Ardor,  hardy  eager  &couragious 
Spirit  of  Hnterprize,  a  Spirit  for  revenging  the  Blood  of  their 
Brethren  &  rescue  our  Liberties,  all  this  &  an  Activitj^  corresponding 
with  such  Emotions  appeared  all  along  the  whole  Tract  of  above 
fourty  Miles  from  Shrewsburj^  to  Boston.  The  Women  kept  on 
making  Cartridges,  &  after  equipping  their  Husbands,  bro't  them 
out  to  the  Soldiers  which  in  Crowds  passed  along  &  gave  them  out 
in  handfuls  to  one  and  another  as  they  were  deficient,  mixing 
Exhortation  &  Tears  &  Prayers  &  spiriting  the  Men  in  such  an 
uneffeminate  Manner  as  even  would  make  Cowards  fight.  He  tho't 
if  anything  the  Women  surpassed  the  Men  for  Eagerness  &  Spirit 
in  the  Defence  of  Libertj'^  by  Arms.  For  they  had  no  Tho'ts  of 
the  Men  returning  but  from  Battle,  for  they  all  believed  the  Action 
commenced  between  the  Kings  Troops  &  the  Provincials.  The 
Women  under  this  Assurance  gave  up  their  Husbands  Sons  &c  to 
Battle  &  bid  them  fight  courageously  &  manfully  &  behave  them- 
selves bravely  for  Liberty — commanding  them  to  behave  like  Men 
&  not  like  Cowards — to  be  of  good  Courage  &  plaj^  the  men  for 
our  people  &  for  the  Cities  of  our  God — &  the  Lord  do  as  seemeth 
him  good.  They  expected  a  bloody  Scene,  but  they  doubted  not 
Success  &  Victory. 

Mr.  McNeil  never  saw  any  Thing  like  it  in  his  Life: — he  said, 
they  .scarcely  left  half  a  dozen   Men   in  a  Town,   unless  old  and 


NOVEMBER    17,    1774  481 

decrepid,  and  in  one  town  the  Landlord  told  liini  that  himself  was 
the  only  Man  left.     Thus  he  rode  through  the  midst  of  the  people 
all  day.     I  was  surprized  they  did  not  find  their  Mistake  sooner. 
He  said  that  all  the  way  those  that  came  forward  to  hasten  them 
kept  up  the  story  of  six  killed — and  it  was  positively  affirmed  to 
him  within  two  Miles  of  Cambridge  by  one  he  met,  that  six  Men 
were  killed — so  that  he  did  not  meet  with  the  contradictory  Report 
till  within  two  miles  of  Cambridge.     Upon  coming  to  Cambridge 
he  made  a  Stop  &  mixt  in  with  the  Multitude,  who  were  formed  & 
standing  before  Lt.  Gov.  Oliver's  Hou.se.     He  judged  those  drawn 
up  regularly  in  Lines  were  about  Two  Thousand  &  not  three — & 
that  the  Bystanders  were  I  think   a  thousand  more — in  general  he 
tho't  them  less  than  had  been  represented.     He  said  there  was  no 
Tumult,  but  an  awful  Stillness,  vSilence  thro'  the  Lines,  and  among 
the  surrounding  Body  of  People.     All  was  negotiated  by  the  Com- 
mittee but  in  the  presence  of  the  Body,  the  Committee  communi- 
cating by  the  Officers  Information  thro'  the  Lines,  so  that  all  knew 
what    was  transacting.     It  was  the  after  part  of  the  Day.     Gov. 
Oliver  had   a  number  of  Gentlemen  with   him  in    his    House  & 
seemed  very  reluctant  at  the  Transaction.     After  some  length  of 
Waiting,  he  endeavored  to  have  the  people  satisfied  with  what  he 
had  said  in  the  Forenoon.     But   a  weighty  Spirit  began  to  shew 
itself  by   some  Gentlemen  &  Officers  nearest,   pressing  thro'  the 
Gate  into  the  Governors  Yard  with  (tho'  not  as  yet  Violence  yet 
with)  Marks  of  Earnestness  &  Importunity  which  the  Gov.  and  his 
Friends  saw  was  at  length  become  irresistable.     Thereupon  the 
Gov.  Oliver  came  forth  abroad  accompanied  with  a  few  Friends, 
and  made  and  signed  his  Submission ;    which   was    immediately 
handed  along  the  Lines  &  read  publickly  at  proper  Distances  till 
the  whole  Bodj^  of  the  people  were  made  to  hear  it.     Upon  which 
Satisfaction  was  diffused  thro'  the  whole  Body,  which  thereupon 
dissolved  ;  the  solemn  Silence  broken  &  succeeded  by  a  chearful 
Murmur  or  general    universal  Voice  of  Joy.     This   was   finished 
about  sun  an  hour  high  or  less.     Mr.  McNeil  went  to  Boston  that 
Evening  &  put  up  with  an  Acquaintance  who  was  a  Baker  to  the 
regular   Troops,   &  heard  their  Talk  everyday.     McNeil   himself 
went  into  the  Camp&  observed  all  Hurry,  Activity,  lively  prepara- 
tion, &  he  said  Anxiety.     He  was  interrogated  in  Camp  concern- 
ing the  Affairs  he  had  seen.     He  saw  the  Guns  all  saddled  &  ready 
to  be  seized  at  a  moment.     The  Baker  told  him  that  the  General 
31 


4S2  DIARY    OK    EZRA    vSTlLES 

had  sent  out  all  day  several  trust}-  Soldiers  in  Sailors  Habits  to 
loiter  on  the  rode  from  Roxburj^'  to  Cambridge  &  return  &  bring 
accounts  unnoticed — that  thej^  were  greatl}^  apprehensive  that  the 
Provincials  would  rush  into  Boston  at  night — and  at  sunset  or  a 
little  after  the  Welch  fusiliers  260  or  300  Men  marched  without 
Music,  slowly,  stilly,  to  set  the  Watch  on  the  Neck  ;  and  then 
returned  into  Camp — that  these  were  the  best  of  the  Troops,  &  the 
only  ones  that  had  seen  service,  &  could  be  depended  on.  The 
Baker  told  him  that  just  before  this,  the  General  held  a  Council  of 
War  &  proposed  to  send  a  Detachment  to  break  up  the  County 
Congress  at  Roxbur^^  ;  and  that  the  service  was  so  disagreeable 
that  several  Officers  declared  they  did  not  think  this  for  his 
Majesty's  Service  &  in  Case  it  was  pressed  they  should  give  up 
their  Commissions  ;  the  Baker  was  confident  the  Troops  did  not 
want  to  fight  us  in  this  Cause.  This  was  servant.  Intelligence,  but 
it  was  genuine.  Gen.  Gage  dare  not  venture  his  Troops,  the  most 
of  which  are  uewh'  raised  &  never  in  Action,  besides  that  210  had 
already  deserted,  &  there  was  reason  to  believe  that  in  a  real 
Action  3  qu''  would  turn  upon  our  side — altho'  a  number  of  Sol- 
diers &  most  of  the  new  Officers  are  highly  incensed  &  full  of 
Wrath  against  us.  Mr.  McNeil  told  me  that  the  most  of  the  peo- 
ple left  their  Arms  at  Watertowu,  only  another  Bod}-  of  250  had 
already  bro't  Arms  into  Town,  &  they  were  stationed  in  a  yard  at 
a  miles  distance  or  here  left  their  Arms  under  Guard.  These  I 
supposed  seized  their  Arms  at  the  Alarm  at  Dinner  Time  ;  but  laid 
them  aside  at  the  Treaty  with  Gov.  Oliver.  McNeil  abused  the 
Lrordsday  and  journied  from  Boston  to  Plymouth  &c.  He  lodged 
in  Newport  7'"  Sep.  and  we  rode  together  next  Day. 

Let  us  follow  the  spreading  of  the  Wave  of  the  Report  which 
began  on  thursday  perhaps  before  Sunset,  probably  by  some  of  the 
people  convened  about  the  Attorney  Generals  house  at  Cambridge. 
It  seems  to  have  gone  off  in  three  grand  Directions  due  West  for 
Springfield,  N.  W.  for  the  parts  that  way,  and  S.  W.  for  Connec- 
ticutt.  For  about  fifty  miles  each  way  round  there  was  an  almost 
universal  Ferment,  Rising,  seizing  Arms  &  actual  March  into  Cam- 
bridge. In  other  parts,  wherever  they  took  arms,  the  proportion 
was  from  one  third  to  two  thirds  of  the  fencible  Men.  In  the  N.  W. 
Direction  it  rai.sed  even  into  New  Hampshire  and  across  over  to 
Otter  Creek — where  the  Head  of  the  Bennington  Body  of  2000 
armed  Men   received  the  News  (&  gave  out  they  should  be  ready 


NOVEMBER    17,    1774  483 

to  march)  before  the  Contradiction  overtook  them.  In  the  West- 
ern Direction  it  reached  Connecticutt  River  in  Massachusetts  & 
thro'  the  County  of  Berkshire  the  West  End  of  that  province,  & 
actually  bro't  into  Springfield  and  N"  Hampton  two  River  Towns 
2000  Men  from  Berkshire  and  York  Govt.  &c.  in  two  Divisions  of 
1200  &  800,  who  there  met  the  Contradiction  &  so  returned.  Even 
at  Albany  the  Dutch  set  off  a  number  of  Wagons  of  Provisions  for 
their  vSupply.  And  Mr.  Johnson  with  the  Mohawk  Indians  (40  or 
50)  actually  sat  off  from  the  Indian  Country  be5'ond  Hudsons  River 
in  full  march  for  Relief  of  Boston.  This  was  the'  Effect  of  the 
Report  in  the  Western  Direction. 

From  Oxford  a  little  below  Worcester,  the  Report  took  its  Direc- 
tion into  Connecticutt.  Squire  Woolcott  "  of  Oxford  hearing  the 
news  by  an  Express  said  to  have  set  out  from  Boston  the  preceding 
Evening  posted  his  son  off  towards  Boston  to  learn  the  Certaintj^ 
of  the  report ;  &  when  he  came  to  Grafton  about  35  Miles  from 
Boston,  he  heard  a  further  Confirmation  of  it  &  returned  immedi- 
ately back  to  Oxford,  when  his  Father  sent  him  to  Dudley  to 
Carters  Tavern,  where  one  Mr.  Clark  of  that  Town  a  Trader 
happened  to  be,  &  he  (passing  out  of  Massachusetts  into  Connec- 
ticut) came  to  his  fathers  Capt.  Clark  of  Woodstock,  who  came  to 
sd.  Keyes."  Capt.  Keys  bro't  the  News  to  Col.  Putnam  of  Pomfret 
in  Connecticutt  on  the  3''  of  Sept.  Eleven  o'Clock  before  noon  being 
Saturday.     Col.   Putnam  says    "I  wrote  the   following  Letter  to 

Capt.    Aaron    Cleaveland    of    Canterbury" "Mr.    Kej's    this 

moment  bro't  us  the  News  that  the  Men  of  War  and  Troops,  began 
to  fire  upon  the  people  last  Night  at  sunset  at  Boston,  when  a  Post 
was  immediately  sent  off  to  inform  the  Country.  He  informs  that 
the  Artillery  played  all  night — that  the  people  were  universall}- 
rall3dng  from  Boston  as  far  as  here,  and  desire  all  the  assistance 
possible.  This  first  Coinnicnccnicnt  of  Hostilities  was  occasioned  by 
the  Country  being  robbed  of  their  Pow-der,  from  Boston  as  far  as 
Framingham  ;  and  when  found  out,  the  Persons  who  went  to  take 
the  perpatrator  of  the  horrid  Deed,  (who  had  /fed  to  the  Camp)  were 
immediately  fired  upon — six  of  our  number  were  killed  the  first 
shot,  &  a  number  wounded  ;  and  beg  you  will  rally  all  the  forces 
you  can,  and  be  upon  the  March  immediately  for  the  Relief  of 
Boston  and  the  people  that  Way.  Israfl  Putna.m  " 

Col.  Putnam  believed  the  story  &  mounted  his  Hor.se  &  set  out 
for  Boston  accompanied  by  four  Gentlemen.      "  Having  proceeded 


4S4  DIARY    OF   EZRA   STILES 

as  far  as  Douglass,  which  is  about  30  miles  from  my  house,  I  met 
Capt.  Hill  of  that  Town  with  his  Company  who  had  been  down 
within  about  30  Miles  of  Boston  &  just  returned  ;  he  informed  me 
that  the  Alarm  was  false,  &  that  the  forces  of  Worcester  &  Sutton 
were  upon  their  Return.  I  then  turned  my  Course  homeward 
without  Loss  of  time  &  reached  ni}^  house  Sunday  Morning  about 
sun  rising ' '  &  sent  the  Contradiction  along  to  stop  the  Forces 
marching  or  rallying. 

To  return — Col.  Putnam's  Letter  of  Saturday  XI"  A.M.  as  soon 
as  it  came  to  Norwich  was  printed  off  &  circulated  to  the  Towns 
every  Way  thro'  Connecticutt  in  Handbills  ;  while  the  Original 
itself  went  forward  by  special  Posts  from  Town  to  Town  &  signed 
by  one  Committee  after  another  till  it  came  to  the  Congress  at 
Philadelphia;  where  it  was  examined  &  sundry  Gent,  knew  Col. 
Putuams  Handwriting  &  the  signatures  of  Mr.  Law  &  others. 
Being  issued  on  Saturday  it  had  the  Effect  of  putting  the  wdiole 
Colony  of  Connecticutt  into  an  Alarm  &  Motion  on  Lordsday.  In 
perhaps  two  Thirds  of  the  Congregations  it  was  brought  in  time  of 
service — &  Col.  Putnams  Letter  was  read  publickly  in  most  of  the 
Congregations  in  Connecticutt.  It  was  bro't  into  the  worshipping 
assemblies  at  New  Haven  just  at  the  beginning  of  Afternoon  ser- 
mon or  before  three  o' Clock  P.M.  &  there  read  publickly.  The 
Western  Counties  of  New^  Haven  &  Fairfield  did  not  arm,  except 
the  Rev''  Jonathan  Todd  of  E.  Guilford  and  his  Congregation  •  as 
far  as  I  can  learn  the  most  of  the  Towns  in  the  rest  of  the  Colony 
armed  &  marched  or  prepared  to  march.  On  that  Lordsdaj^  Forces 
marched  from  Preston,  Lyme,  Sa3'brook,  Haddam,  Chatham  &c. 
A  large  body  (1200)  from  Farmington  &  the  Co.  of  Litchfield 
marched  as  far  as  Hartford.  When  I  was  there  the  next  Week  I 
enquired  some  particulars. 

East  Guilford  83  armed,  with  Mr.  Todd  their  pastor. 

Pachauge  38  out  of  60 — marched  to  Rope  Ferry. 

Chester — as  forward — doublj^  equipt — 2'''  powder  apiece. 

Haddam — 100  armed — animated  by  Rev.  Mr.  May. 

Say  brook   )  ^oo.  marched  almost  to  N.  London. 
Lyme  &c.  ) 

Lebanon — 100.  marched. 

Chatham — 100.  marched  with  Rev.  Mr.  Boardman  Pastor. 
It  was  estimated  to  me  at  Colchester  &c.  that  on  this  Occasion 
there  were  Twenty  Thousand  Men   in  Arms  in   Connecticutt  & 


NOVEMBER    18-22,    1774  485 

marching  or  equipt  for  march  towards  Boston.  It  has  also  been 
estimated  that  fourty  thousand  in  Massachusetts  Province  and  New 
Hampshire  also  took  Arms.  vSundrj-  Meetinghouses  in  Connecti- 
cutt  were  almost  shut  up  :  all  being  employed  Men  &  Women  in 
Equipments.  There  are  in  Connecticutt  192  Thousand  souls 
Whites  implying  near  fifty  Thousand  fencible  men.  The  Counties 
of  N.  London,  Windham,  Hartford,  Litchfield  raised  probaljly  Two 
thirds  their  number 

The  news  flew  like  Lightning,  reached  N.  York  on  Monday 
Evening — and  in  70  hours  from  the  Date  of  Col.  Putnam's  Letter, 
it  reached  the  Congress  sitting  at  Philadelphia — where  the  City 
convened  &  were  meditating  something  very  weighty,  which  the 
Congress  prevented.  In  100  hours  it  reached  the  3  Delaware 
Counties,  where  they  instantly  armed  to  the  N"  of  1000  Men.  The 
News  proceeded  to  Maryland  «&  Virginia  before  it  was  overtaken 
by  the  Contradiction.  Thus  in  about  5  or  6  days  the  Alarm  spread 
thro'  above  a  Million  ot  People. 

It  is  said  that  Col.  Washington  a  Member  of  the  Congress, 
received  a  Letter  from  Virginia  purporting  that,  had  the  News  not 
been  contradicted,  Ten  Thousand  Men  would  have  been  instantly 
raised  in  Virginia  to  march  off  under  Col.  Washington  for  Boston. 

18.  This  day  I  began  reading  the  New  Testament  in  Course, 
examining  particular  passages  in  the  Syriac  Version.  I  see  no 
reason  to  doubt  that  the  Syriac  of  Matthews  Gospel  is  the  very 
Copy  in  which  Matthew  originally  wrote,  as  it  was  quite  unneces- 
sary to  translate  that  Gospel  as  the  Syriac  was  the  vernacular 
Tongue  of  the  Apostles,  in  which  S^  Matthew  wrote  his  Gospel  8 
years  after  the  Ascension  according  to  Theophilact  &  other  antients. 

19.  Writing  the  preceding  Account  of  the  Peoples  Taking  Arms. 

20.  Ldsdy.     A.M.  I  preached  on  Isai.  Iv,  7.     P.M.  Jno. 
Reading  Origen's  Homilies  on  the  Mosaic  Law  of  Leprosy. 

21.  By  a  ship  arrived  at  Salem  said  to  bring  News  from  London 
to  10*''  Oct. — that  the  Parliamt.  is  dissolved — doubtful 

22 There  are  many  contradict^'  and  wonderful  Things  in 

Origen,  who  abounds  with  Allegory  beyond  any  Christian  Writer — 
&  is  in  this  respect  very  much  resembling  the  Rabbinical  Writers. 
My  Copy  of  his  Works  is  in  Latin  &  came  down  to  me  from  Rev. 
Edward  Taylor  my  learned  and  pious  Grandfather 

This  day  was  brought  to  my  House  a  young  Eagle I 

never  saw  one  before.     It  is  of  the  Hawk  Genus. 


486 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 


Yesterda}^  Morning  sailed  from  hence  for  N.  York  in  their  Way 
to  Princeton,  Bristol  Yamma,  &  Jn"  Ouamine  two  freed  Negroes  of 
this  Town  designed  for  an  African  Mission.  We  have  sent  them 
to  reside  sometime  at  Jersey  College  under  the  Tuition  of  President 
Witherspoon.  Last  night  there  was  a  very  severe  Storm  &  high 
Wind — a  very  dangerous  Gale  !     [They  arrived  safe  at  N.  York.] 

This  Afternoon  I  preached  to  the  poor  &  decrepid  at  the  Alms- 
house in  Town  on  i  Cor.  i,  30. 

By  the  Post  this  day  we  have  the  Kings  Proclamation,  dated 
Sept.  13,  for  the  Dissolution  of  the  present  ParP.  &  choice  of  a  new 
one.     The  Nation  seem  to  be  in  a  great  Ferment 

23.  On  Tuesday  Sep.  27,  the  Ministry  in  London  received 
Advices  from  America,  which  threw  them  into  Contention  &  differ- 
ent Judgments  ;  some  being  for  lenient  some  for  coercive  Measures. 
However  in  three  days  it  Produced  a  Proclamation  for  Dissolution 
of  ParP.  dated  30  Sep.  &  for  calling  a  new  one  29  November.  In 
the  Engli.sh  or  London  News  of  i  Oct.  is  a  letter  from  Philad^  of  Aug. 
4.  as  follows  "In  the  Colony  of  Massachusetts  Bay,  about  eight 
Weeks  ago,  the  Militia  was  mustered,  which  consisted  of  One  hun- 
dred and  nineteen  Thousand  six  hundred  effective  Men,  belonging  to 
that  Colony  onl}^  all  trained  &  disciplined." — There  was  not  a 
general  provincial  Muster — but  only  the  Boston  Regiment.  How- 
ever probably  this  Writer  might  have  good  Information  of  the 
Total  of  Militia,  as  some  of  the  patriots  have  examined  &  col- 
lected the  Rolls  of  the  several  Towns  in  the  Massachusetts  Bay. 
The  account  of  119  Thousand  Men  tet.  16  and  supra  agreeth  to  the 
Estimate  of  400  Thousand  souls. 

"  An  Estimate  of  the  N"  of  souls  in  the  following  Provinces  made 
in  the  Continental  Congress  Sep.  1774. 


11  [Massachusetts    . 

400,000 

New  Hampshire 

150,000 

Rhode  Isld. 

59-678 

Connecticutt 

192,000 

N.  York 

250,000 

150 

N.  Jersey 

130,000 

Pensylvania  &  3  Lo.  C" 

350,000 

300 

Maryland 

320,000 

200 

Virginia 

650, 000 

400 

N"  Carolina 

300,000 

200 

S"  Carol. 

225,000 

150 

Total 

3,026,678 

' 

NOVEMBER    23,    1774  487 

This  Estimate  is  too  large  and  indefinite.  To  understand  how 
the  Sums  arose  so  high,  it  must  be  known,  what  I  had  both  from 
Gov.  Ward  &  Mr.  Payne,  that  the  first  3  or  4  days  of  the  Congress 
were  taken  up  in  debating  the  manner  of  proceeding — which  manner 
chiefly  respected  the  proportionate  Weight  of  the  several  Colonies 
in  Congress.  It  was  much  pressed  by  the  Southern  Delegates  that 
an  Estimate  should  be  made  (if  not  at  present  yet  in  future)  of  the 
Numbers  of  Inhabitants  in  each  Colony  &  the  Quantity  of  property, 
and  that  the  Number  of  Delegates  be  apportioned  by  a  Ratio 
founded  on  Numbers  and  Property.  Another  Method  was  to  ascer- 
tain the  present  Weight  by  the  Numbers  of  Inhabitants  only  as  that 
was  more  readily  ascertainable  for  the  present  Transaction,  &  the 
Delegates  to  vote  proportionably  ;  and  to  this  End  &  in  this  Con- 
nexion the  above  List  of  Inhabitants  was  brought  in.  All  these  & 
other  schemes  had  inexplicable  Difficulties,  to  be  sure  could  not  be 
settled  at  present.  So  they  finally  agreed  to  vote  bj^  Provinces  i.  e.  all 
the  Delegates  for  one  Province  fewer  or  more  should  count  but  one. 

After  the  breaking  up  of  the  Congress  Rivingtons  Eying  Gazette 
published  the  above  numbers,  as  if  authenticated  by  the  Congress — 
but  in  Truth  no  more  approved  by  the  Congress  than  Dr.  Gallo- 
way's Plan  of  an  American  Council.  How  then  came  forth  these 
numbers  ?  as  to  2  or  3  Provinces  they  were  delivered  in  upon  good 
Information,  as  to  the  rest,  upon  Estimate — under  a  general  Dis- 
position prevailing  in  the  Congress  to  exhibit  their  Numbers  as 
large  as  possible.  The  Accessions  settling  in  the  Frontiers  of  the 
Southern  Provinces,  furnished  a  pretext  for  an  unbounded  Estimate 
on  that  account,  in  addition  to  the  known  numbers  of  the  elder 
settlements  ;  whereas  they  have  allowed  for  some  one  Province  an 
addition  equal  to  more  than  the  whole  Accession  from  Europe  since 
the  War,  even  if  estimated  at  100  Thousand,  tho'  it  has  not  equalled 
Two  Thirds  of  that  number.  I  well  know  that  the  Total  of  Tax- 
ables  in  Virginia  was  not  more  than  107  Thousand  about  15  5^ears 
ago  &  about  half  of  these  were  Blacks  of  which  both  sexes  are 
Taxables,  so  but  about  50  Thousd  Males  Adults  Whites  implying 
200  Thousd  Souls  &  100  Thousd  Negroes,  Total  300  Thou.sd  in 
1758.  The  Whites  may  with  acces.sions  be  augmented  to  70  or  80 
Thousd  implying  300  Th.  Souls. — &  the  Blacks  scarcely  more 
numerous  than  before,  especially  as  a  Conviction  has  for  some  years 
prevailed  among  the  Virginia  Planters  against  the  slave  Trade.  I 
judge  Virginia  now  fewer  than  400  Thousd.  souls  Whites  &  Blacks 


^SS  DIARY    OF   EZRA   STILES 

Neo-roes  &  Indians.  Matyland  were  loS  Thousand  souls  Whites, 
or  fewer  than  Connecticutt,  in  1755.  Suppose  with  accessions  they 
are  200  Th.  souls  Whites,  &  Blacks  perhaps  50  Thousand.  The 
o-reatest  Increase  by  Accession  has  been  in  N"  Carol.  In  1769  by  a 
List  before  me  the  Taxables  were  fifty  two  Thousand.  Col.  Haniett 
of  that  Province  told  nic  a  few  Weeks  since  that  Gov.  Tryon  ( who 
was  there  about  1770)  collected  Accounts  of  above /^z^r/r  Thousand 
Men  Whites  able  to  bear  Arms.  Xow  were  above  70  Thousd.  Tax- 
ables of  which  he  judged  25  Thousd.  Negroes.  So  there  may  be 
200  Thousand  souls  Whites.  All  lilacks  of  both  sexes  above  set.  13 
are  Taxables,  so  50  Thousand  souls  Negroes,  not  more.  These 
Data  give  N"  Carolina  250  Thousand  Souls.  S"  Car"  certainly-  has 
under  sixty  Thous''.  souls  Whites,  exclusive  of  the  scattered  Fron- 
tier accessions  settled  within  a  very  few  3'ears  ;  &  inclusive  of  these 
I  cannot  judge  above  70  Thousd.  souls  Whites.  Now  they  have 
but  100  or  perhaps  1 10  Thousand  souls  Negroes  :  so  Total  of  Inhal^- 
itauts  in  S"  Carolina  iSo  Thousand  souls.  This  for  the  Southern 
Colonies  ;  as  to  which  it  may  be  observed  that  they  have  a  great 
Body  of  Three  hundred  Thousand  souls  Negroes,  which  are  Property 
not  Freemen.  Pensylv^  is  50  Th.  too  large  ;  N.  York  100  Thousd. 
&  N.  Hampshire  60  Thousd.  too  large.  The  rest  are  right.  I 
correct  the  account,  thus. 

New  England          .  .  725,000  Whiles  15,000  Negroes 

New  York       .         .  .  150, 6,000 

Jersey     .         .         .  .  130, 

Pennsylvania  &c.  .  .  300 

1,305,000  Souls  in  Non-Episcopal  Colonies. 

Maryld.  .         .         .  200,000 50,000 

Yirginia  .         .         .  300,000  100,000 

N"  Carolina    .         .         .  200,000  50,000 

S"  Carolina     .         .         .  70,000  110,000 

770,000 
>  1,300,000 

2,070,000  vSouls  Whites  and  350  Th.  Negroes. 

Nov.  23,  1746.  This  day  2S  years  ago  I  was  first  admitted  aet. 
19  a  Member  in  full  Communion  in  the  Church  of  North  Haven, 
my  Fatlier  being  Pastor.  * 

24.  Tuesday  15"'  Inst,  tlie  Ivncam])ments  at  Boston  broke  & 
struck  their   Tents,   (Iv:  the  Troojjs  went   into  Winter  Quarters  in 


NOVEMBER    24,    1774  489 

Houses,  Stores  &c  in  different  parts  of  the  Town.  Tliere  are 
"  now  Eleven  Regiments  in  this  Town  (Boston)  besides  the  Artil- 
lery." Perhaps  about  Five  Thousand  effective  men.  "  A  Guard 
of  five  hundred  men  are  every  day  on  duty." 

In  Conversation  with  Mrs.  Dennis  a  principal  IVIidwife  of  this 
Town,  she  told  me,  that  the  number  of  Births  in  this  Town  last  year 
was  four  hundred  &  thirty — that  there  would  be  440  this  year — that 
the  number  of  actually  bearing  Women  was  near  nine  hundred — 
and  that  their  usual  Term  of  bearing  was  from  fourteen  Months  to 
two  years,  that  is  each  had  a  Child  once  in  14  m"  or  two  years — 
that  of  the  900  Women  Dr.  Hunter'  had  about  fifty  and  might 
deliver  30  a  year  ;  Dr.  Haliburton''  about  a  dozen  Women  ;  all  the 
other  Doctors  together  not  so  man^^  as  a  dozen.  There  are  three 
women  Midwives  more  all  which  deliver  but  a  few^ — suppose  20  or 
30 — I  should  suppose  Mrs.  D.  delivers  350  or  more  per  annum.  I 
suppose  these  comprehend  Whites  &  Blacks  ;  of  all  which  there 
are  in  Towm  Nine  Thousand  Two  Hundred  souls.  There  are 
of  Women  above  aet.  16,  2624  Whites  and  403  Blacks.  Total 
Females — W^hites  4259.  D"  Males  3658  of  wdiich  2100  aet.  16. 
Blacks  Females  588,  Males  658,  besides  46  Indians  of  wh.  only  12 
Males.  Total  souls  in  Newport  last  May  7917  Whites,  1292  Blacks 
and  Indians — 9209. 

This  Even' g  I  attended  Mr.  Hopkins  Lecture,  he  preached  from 
Isai.  lix,  I,  2.  Toda}'-  Mr.  Hopkins  and  I  signed  a  set  of  Bills  for 
^30.  ster.  being  three  Bills  dated  this  day,  w^hich  we  dreW'  on  Mr. 
Jn"  Mcintosh  of  Eothbury  London,  by  Order  of  the  Society  in 
Edinburgh  for  promoting  christian  Knowledge  in  a  Letter  to  us 
from  Mr.  James  Forrest  dated  Febry.  last.  It  being  for  the  Use  of 
Educating  Bristol  and  Quaum  two  Negroes  for  the  African  Mission. 

The  Rev.  Jn°  Smally,  Pastor  of  a  Congregational  Church  in  New 
Britain  in  Farmington  in  Connecticut,  has  given  great  offence  to  the 
public  and  to  his  Congregation,  by  his  Expressions  unfriendly  to 
public  Liberty,   particularly  condemning  the  Rising  of  the  People 

1  William  Hunter  settled  in  Newport  about  1752,  and  married  about  1762  the 
youngest  daughter  of  Col.  Godfrey  Malbone.  He  remained  in  Newport  after 
its  occupation  by  the  British,  and  died  tliere  in  1778. 

^  John  Halyburton,  a  Scotchman,  educated  at  Edinburgh,  who  came  to  New- 
port in  1765  as  Surgeon  on  board  the  Maidstone  man-of-war.  The  next  year 
he  returned  to  Newport  and  settled,  marrying  on  January  4,  1767,  Susanna, 
daughter  of  Jahleel  Brenton.  He  fled  from  Newport  early  in  1782.  See 
Sabine's  A tnerican  Loyalists,  i,  505. 


490  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

on  the  memorable  Lordsday  of  fourth  of  vSept.  last.  A  Body 
of  his  Neighbors  the  Sons  of  Liberty  in  that  Vicinity  were  about  to 
wait  upon  him.  But  he  took  horse  and  fled  to  visit  his  Wife's 
Relations  at  Bethlehem.  He  sent  Dr.  Bellamy,  who  went  &  preached 
for  him  and  attempted  to  assuage  the  Wrath  of  his  people.  But 
could  not  give  entire  Satisfaction.  And  Mr.  Smalh^  published 
something  lately  in  one  of  the  Connecticutt  Prints  ;  which  how- 
ever don't  seem  to  give  Satisfaction.  He  is  not  at  all  connected  with 
the  Tories  ;  however  has  adopted  prett}-  absolute  principles  of  civil 
Government  &  Submission  to  the  higher  Powers  :  and  on  the  gen- 
eral Question  respecting  the  present  Contest  between  America  & 
the  Parent  state,  is  for  passive  Obedience  &  Non  Resistance.  I 
believe  it  is  partly  from  a  conscientious  Persuasion  that  passive 
Obedience  in  civil  Things  is  the  Apostolic  Doctrine. 
The  Western  Indians  on  the  Ohio  having  committed  Hos- 
tilities, Virginia  sent  out  a  Body  of  1400  Men  under  Col.  Lewis. 
On  10"'  of  Oct.  they  were  attacked  by  about  600  Indians  at  the 
great  Kanhawa.  In  the  Battle  twenty  Indians  were  left  dead  on 
the  field  ;  about  fourty  English  were  killed  &  100  wounded. 
Indian  scalps  20,  Blankets  80,  Giins  40  taken. 

A  vShip  lately  arriving  at  Chariest"  So.  Carol,  bro't  Eight  Chests 
of  Tea — which  were  immediately  destroyed. 

27.  Lordsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  2  Thess.  ii,  7,  12,  on  the 
Nature  and  Danger  of  Popery  in  this  Land,  from  the  Oper-^  of  the 
Quebec  Bill  for  the  Establishm'  of  the  Romish  Religion  over  Two 
Thirds  of  the  British  Empire.  P.M.  2  Thess.  i,  12.  Published 
two  new  couples. 

30.   This  day  Mr.   Mnal    returned   from   Bridgwater  visited   me 

This  Even»  I  held  the  Monthlj-  Meeting  of  the  married 

people  of  my  flock  not  Communicants  at  Mr.  Moss's  :   I  preached 

on  the  Parable  of  the  vSower Tliis  Evening  I   received  a 

Letter  from  Ezra  at  College  dated  Nov.  21.  He  began  to  live  in 
College  Oct.  27. — has  40  in  his  Class — is  under  Mr.  Tutor  Buck- 
minster — but  lives  with   Mr.  Tutor  Lewis. 

Yesterday  at  Eriends  Meeting  dispersed  printed  Copy  of  the  cir- 
cular Letter  from  the  Quaker  Meeting  at  Philadelphia  dated  in  Oct. 
last,  dissuading  from  joyning  or  taking  jiart  in  the  present  American 
Opposition  to  Parliament  &c.  I  was  shewn  &  read  the  Letter  last 
Evening.  I  suppose  it  to  have  been  procured  by  ministerial  Influ- 
ence.    Great  Efforts  are  made  by  the  Ministry  &  their  Connexions 


NOVEMBER    27-30,    1774  491 

ill  America  to  detatcli  the  Baptists  &  Quakers  thro' out  America 
from  the  Continental  Union  :  and  also  the  Body  of  Episcopalians 
interspersed  thro'  the  provinces  North  of  Maryland — and  with  too 
much  Success.  A  Languor  prevails  thro'  these  Bodies.  Tho  some 
few  Baptists  &  Quakers  are  heart}-  with  us,  yet  too  many  are  so 
much  otherwise,  that  was  all  America  of  their  Temper  or  Coolness 
in  the  Cause  the  Parlt.  would  easil}^  carry  their  Points  &  triumph 
over  American  Liberty.  Perhaps  the  Junction  of  the  Baptists, 
Quakers,  northern  Episcopalians,  Canadians,  and  the  Croivn  Officers 
may  form  here  among  us  a  Body  of  near  Two  Hundred  Thousand 
or  less  than  a  Quarter  of  a  Million  in  an  anti-American  Interest  ;  or 
w'ho  would  acquiesce  in  the  Loss  of  general  Liberty  under  the 
Promises  &  Smiles  of  the  Ministry  &  Parliament  that  they  should 
share  largely  in  the  Spoils  of  their  Countr3^  I  do  not  find  but  that 
the  new'  Accessions  are  of  our  side — for  they  come  over  to  enjoy 
the  sweets  of  Liberty  wdth  us.  Of  the  Whites  I  judge  we  have 
near  Two  Million  Souls  heart}-  and  uncorrupted  Friends  of  Liberty. 
These  I  trust  in  God  wnll  finalh'  prevail— when  the  Baptists  & 
Quakers  maj^  hereafter  have  Occasion  to  make  their  Court  to  us. 
The  Defence  &  Conservation  of  the  public  Libert}-  stands  on 
the  Union  of  the  Southern  Episcopalians  (w^ho  differ  on  this 
point  from  their  Northern  Brethren)  and  the  grand  universal 
Body  of  Co7igregationals  &  Presbyterians  throughout  the  Continent. 
I  believe  the  West  Indians  will  finally  come  in  wnth  us.  Perhaps 
the  Baptists  may  open  their  Eyes — but  there  is  no  hope  of  the 
Quakers  so  long  as  they  are  dictated  by  the  London  General  Meet- 
ing, &  until  the  Seat  of  Empire  is  transferred  or  erected  in  Amer- 
ica. The  Unitas  Fratrum  are  a  small  Body,  &  tho  a  pious  good 
people,  yet  meddle  not  in  this  Cause. 

Ludicrous  description  of  the  B"  Minrs.  as  to  Liberty  about  1772. 

I 
"  There's  puny  John  from  Northampton  Rev.  Jn"  Hunt 

A  lukewarm  moderate  man  ; 
And  Collegue  stout  is  withoiit  doubt  Rev.  Jn"  Bacon 

Wrapt  with  a  Tory  Clan  ! 

2 
There's  puffing*  Pem  who  does  condemn     *Psal.  xii,  5.       Rev.  Dr.  Pemberton 

All  freedom's  noble  Sons  ! 
And  Andrew  sly,  who  oft  draws  nigh  Rev.  Dr.  Eliot 

To  Tommy's  skin  &  bones.  Gov.  Hutchinson 


492 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 


Old  Mathkr's  Race  will  not  disgrace 

Their  noble  Pedigree 
And  Charles  Old  Brick,  both  well  and  sick, 

Will  cry  for  Liberty. 


Rev.  Dr.  Mather 

Rev.  Dr.  Mather  Byles  Sen 

Rev.  Dr.  Chauncy 


Little  Hopper,  if  yon  think  proper, 
In  Liberty's  cause  so  bold  : 

And  John  old  North,  tho'  little  worth 
Won't  sacrifice  for  Gold. 


Rev.  IVIr.  Stilhnan  (Bap.) 
Rev.  ]n°  Lathrop 


In  Brattle  Street  we  seldom  meet 

With  silver-tongued  S.VM, 
Who  smoothly  glides  between  both  sides, 

And  so  escapes  a  Jam  ! 

6. 
There's  PenueIv  PufT  is  hearty  enough 

And  so  is  Simeon  How.\rd 
And  long-Lane  Teague  will  joyu  the  League 

That  Freedom  may  be  ours." 


Rev.  Dr.  Cooper 


Rev.  Mr.  Bowen 

Rev.  Mr.  Howard 

Rev.  Mr.  Morehcad 


Dec. 

I.  This  Afternoon  I  rode  out  to  Portsmotith  and  married 
Charles  Jenckes  of  Providence  and  Deborah  Cadman  of  Ports- 
mouth. Reading  Braunius  de  Vestitu  Sacerdotum,  his  Disserta- 
tion on  Urim  &  Tummini. 

2.  It  is  said  that  the  Scarborough  .sent  home  by  Gen.  Gage  from 
Boston  Sept.  7,  arrived  in  a  short  passage — was  immediately 
gtiarded  by  Marines  at  Portsmouth,  &  no  news  suffered  to  transpire — 
that  in  three  da3\s  she  sailed  for  America — :  that  a  ship  wdiich 
sailed  with  her  from  London  arrived  at  Salem  with  this  News  last 
Week.     Doubtful. 

3.  This  day  I  fell  into  a  Conversation  with  Mr.  John  Pember- 
ton  of  Philadelphia  an  eminent  Speaker  among  Friends  &  Brother 
to  Israel  Pemberton  of  Philad'.  He  and  an  English  Quakeress, 
Speakers,  are  travelling  here  among  Friends  at  this  late  Season  & 
I  suppose  upon  very  particular  Business.  When  the  Congress  at 
Philadelphia  in  Sept.  last  among  other  Transactions,  issued  forth 
a  Letter  to  all  the  Colonies  recommending  Union  &  Perseverance 
in  the  present  American  Opposition  to  the  late  Acts  of  Parliament 
— at  the  same  Time  and  inimediatel}'  in  the  same  Sept.  the  Quaker 
yearly  Meeting  in  Philad'  [Only  26  Quakers  present — see  Mar.  20, 
1775]  issued  a  General  Epistle  &  dispersed  it  abroad  thro'  the  Body 


DECEMBER    1-3,    1774  493 

of  Friends  in  all  the  Colonies,  conceived  in  a  certain  subtil  &  art- 
ful phraseology,  seemingly  very  innocent  &  harmless — but  the 
true  Design  of  it,  as  they  freely  own,  is  to  recommend  to  the 
whole  Quaker  Interest  not  to  joyn  the  Colonies  in  their  present 
Opposition  to  the  Ministry  &  Parliament — &  so  in  eifect  to  con- 
travene &  nullify  the  Letter  of  the  Congress  with  respect  to  the 
Friends — and  so  to  conform  to  the  Wishes  of  the  Ministry  to  divide 
us.  To  enforce  this  Epistle,  I  suppose,  is  the  true  Reason  that  the 
Philad''  Meetg.  sent  ojBf.so  considerable  &  principal  a  Quaker  as  Mr. 
Pemberton  at  this  late  Season  of  the  year.  This  I  suppose  to  be 
his  Errand  hither.  With  these  Apprehensions  I  entered  into  Con- 
vers''  with  him  upon  that  Epistle,  ask-  him  whether  the  Friends 
meant  by  it  to  detatch  the  whole  Quaker  Interest  from  the  rest  of 
America  in  the  present  Conflict  ?  He  answered  with  sly  Cunning 
&  Evasion — saying  he  was  little,  &  no  polititian,  &  that  Friends 
were  a  humble  inoffensive  peaceable  people,  &  that  there  was  much 
of  a  worldly  spirit  in  the  Times,  and  they  had  only  advised  their 
Friends  to  keep  in  their  own  Line,  be  in  a  humble  &  low  standing. 
I  told  him  the  Epistle  by  holding  up  that  the  Quakers  enjoyed 
religious  Libert}^  from  the  King  &c.  seemed  to  suggest  a  reason  for 
their  not  opposing  him  peculiar-  to  them,  as  if  all  Protestant  Amer- 
ica did  not  enjoy  that  Liberty  as  far  as  Friends.  Again  calling 
them  to  consider  this  at  this  Time  implied  that  the  Friends  consid- 
ered the  Colonies  in  an  illegal  Opposition  to  the  King,  which  was 
not  the  Case.  Their  inveighing  against  clandestine  Trade  &  not 
paying  the  Kings  Dues,  at  this  Time,  implied  that  the  Quakers 
justified  the  parliamentary  Duties  &  Revenue  Laws,  tho'  they  had 
cautiously  avoided  mentioning  the  last  Revenue  Acts.  Their  care- 
fully avoiding  to  say  any  Thing  on  the  Cause  of  public  American 
Liberty  at  this  critical  Time  when  it  became  them  to  be  explicit,  & 
to  define  what  they  approved  &  what  they  condemned — &  yet  con- 
demning &  guarding  against  going  into  Excesses — all  implied  an 
oblique  Reflection  upon  the  Congress  &  the  present  public  Measures 
which  had  been  concerted  by  the  united  Wisdom  of  the  Colonies. 
In  a  Word  I  told  him  that  the  Epistle  was  exactly  such  an  one  as 
L''  North  himself  &  the  Ministry  could  have  wished  to  have  issued 
forth  from  the  Quakers — «&  that  it  had  thus  an  appearance  as  if 
dictated  and  procured  thro'  ministerial  Influence — &  that  if  all 
America  could  be  bro't  to  follow  &  conform  to  that  Epistle  the 
Parliament  &  Ministry  w^ould  carry  their  point.     He  spake  of  Per- 


494  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILEvS 

sedition.  I  asked  whether  he  tho't  if  the  Quebec  Act  continued, 
it  would  not  endanger  even  the  Quakers  suffering  far  greater  Per- 
secution from  Romanists  than  ever  they  received  from  Protestants? 
I  observed.,  that  we  did  not  expect  Quakers  to  joj-n  in  taking 
Arms  :  but  we  might  justly  expect  they  would  pray  for  us,  & 
wish  us  well,  especially  in  our  commercial  War — &  at  all  Events 
not  to  undermine  &  oppose  us.  That  their  Conduct  had  the 
Aspect  of  their  making  Friends  with  the  Mammon  of  Unrighte- 
ousness. That  the  Quakers  figured  most  in  Pensylvania  &  this  by 
means  of  their  Charter,  which  if  taken  awaj^  the  Quakers  lost  their 
Glory  &  Power — that  the  power  that  should  subdue  Bostou  &  Mas- 
sachusetts Charter  would  finall}^  destro}"  that  of  Pensylvania — & 
therefore  that  we  were  fighting  their  own  cause,  &  so  it  was  greatly 
unnatural  that  the  Quakers  should  oppose  us  or  hold  an  indif- 
ference, for  X'  said  he  that  was  not  for  us  was  against  us.  That  they 
acted  with  Duplicity  or  held  a  conduct  looking  both  Ways— if  the 
Colonies  succede,  they  could  say  they  only  did  what  they  usuall^^ 
did,  caution  against  Excesses,  but  were  not  against  America — if 
the  Parlt.  carried  their  point,  the  Quakers  would  hereby  have 
made  Merit  with  the  Ministry.  That  this  was  not  acting  sincerely 
&  honorably  in  this  Crisis.  He  resented  the  Tho't  of  Duplicit5^ 
I  observed  the  Time  might  come  when  Empire,  or  the  sovereign 
Power  should  be  transferred  or  erected  on  this  side  the  Atlantic,  & 
wished  him  &  the  Friends  to  consider  that  a  Time  might  come 
when  they  must  .seek  Protection  &  political  Favors  from  American 
higher  Powers  : — &  asked  him  to  consider  how  it  would  be  remem- 
bered in  History  two  hundred  j-ears  hence,  that  in  the  important 
grand  &  hopefully  decisive  Conflict  of  the  present  Day,  when  the 
American  Colonies  united  in  a  bold  &  firm  stand  against  parlia- 
mentar)^  Taxation  &  oppression — in  that  critical  Time,  the  Body  of 
the  Quakers  in  America  took  in  ivith  the  Ministry  &  Parliament 
against  their  Countr3'men  &  deserted  the  Cause  of  American  Liberty 
— and  that  they  were  persuaded  thus  to  joyn  the  Enemies  of  the 
Colonies  by  a  general  Epistle  issued  from  the  Meeting  at  Philadel- 
phia &  addressed  to  the  whole  Body  of  Quakers  in  America  at  a 
Time  when  the  Congress  were  from  the  same  City  issuing  a  Letter 
addressed  to  all  the  Colonies  to  confirm  their  Union  in  the  glorious 
Cau.se  of  Liberty  ?  I  told  him  that  the  Quakers  deserted  the  Cause 
— and  joyned  with  the  Canadians,  Crown  Officers  and  their  Con- 
nexions   in    forming  one  Anti- American   Interest ;    and   that   the 


DECEMBER   3,    1774  495 

Defense  of  American  Liberty  stood  on  the  Presbyterians  to  the 
Northward  and  the  Episcopalians  to  the  southward.  That  there 
was  no  depend-'  on  the  Sects  interspersed  in  the  Northern  Colonies  ; 
that  it  was  however  ungenerous  in  them  to  take  part  against  us  in 
this  important  &  interesting  Crisis.  Mr.  Pemberton  shewed  me 
one  of  the  printed  Epistles,  and  endeavored  to  vindicate  it  and  to 
justify  it  as  to  the  Time  ,  he  would  not  allow  that  it  ought  to  be 
construed  as  the  Quakers  taking  part  against  American  Liberty  ; 
&  tho't  that  I  read  it  with  prejudice  &  an  evil  Eye  ;  W\2X  perhaps 
the  Friends  were  not  insensible  to  the  Destresses  of  this  day,  and 
perhaps,  he  said,  they  had  been  &  would  be  assistant  in  getting 
them  removed  in  a  proper  way  ; — that  they  were  peaceable  &c.  I 
observed  if  they  were  friends  to  Liberty  they  ought  in  this  Letter 
to  have  mentioned  how  far  they  approved  our  Opposition  &  dis- 
tinguished wherein  they  did  not  joyn  us — &  particularly  let  their 
people  know  whether  they  discountenanced  any  Thing  besides 
Mobs  &  Arms — but  they  left  the  matter  under  such  general  Expres- 
sions as  that  their  Body  must  judge  that  they  discountenanced  the 
whole,  at  least  so  far,  that  they  would  advise  all  Quakers  to  take 
110  part  at  all  in  any  form.  He  would  not  distinguish  but  kept  to 
generals — he  would  not  sa)^  that  the}-  would  have  Friends  joyn 
with  us  in  this  that  or  another — yet  denied  that  the}'  joyned  with 
the  Ministry,  &  seemed  evidently  nettled  at  such  a  suggestion 
which  however  I  believe  is  the  Truth.  He  said  many  Things,  but 
all  in  the  cautious  manner  of  talking  about  it  &  about  it  &  about 
it,  &  leaving  the  matter  as  it  was.  I  suggested  to  him  that  the 
proper  way  was  for  the  Friends  to  manifest  &  make  all  the  sons  of 
Liberty  to  know,  that  they  were  cordially  and  at  heart  one  with 
them,  in  the  general  Cause,  &  this  without  justifying  any  inci- 
dental Extravagances  as  Mobs,  Riots  &c — but  designate  wherein 
&  how  far  they  would  assist  in  this  in  their  own  Way — that  they 
would  jojm  in  witholding  Commerce  viz.  non-Liiportation  &  non- 
Consumption  Agreement  &  recommend  this  thro'  their  Body — that 
they  would  joyn  in  supplicating  the  Throne  of  Grace — that,  tho' 
they  could  not  in  Conscience  take  Arms  &  must  bear  Testimony 
against  this  mode  of  defending  our  Liberties,  yet  they  united  in 
Remonstrances  &  Petitions  to  the  King,  Parliament  &  people  of 
England,  &  write  home  to  the  General  Meeting  in  London  &  all 
their  powerful  Friends  &  Connexions  in  Great  Britain  to  sollicit 
them  in  petitioning  the  Kings  Majestj'.     If  you  will  do  so,  says  I, 


49^  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

you  will  be  in  heart  one  with  us  :  but  3'OU  have  cautiously  avoided 
in  vour  Epistle  to  suggest  this,  or  informing  your  Body  certainly 
what  to  do,  leaving  every  Thing  doubtful  &  ambiguous  at  best, 
leaving  them  to  collect  (if  any  Thing  besides  Duplicity)  only  that 
thev  should  sit  still  &  have  nothing  at  all  to  do  in  the  matter. 
When  I  mentioned  writing  home  he  said — ''perhaps  that  had  been 
done ' '  and  at  length  that  it  7vas  do7te,  and  that  Friends  were  well 
respected  at  Court  &  had  great  Influence  there  ( and  yet  at  the 
beginning  of  our  Discourse  "  I  am  no  politician,  w^e  are  poor  & 
ignorant  &  humble  &  know  nothing  of  politics")  and  that  the 
Quakers  in  London  had  used  their  Influence  in  favor  of  America 
with  success  at  Court — particularly  that  they  had  wrote  them  that 
had  it  not  been  for  their  Interposition,  greater  Severity  had  been 
used  in  the  B".  Port-Bill,  that  they  had  much  moderated  the  late 
Acts.  I  observed,  so  far  was  well  that  they  in  lyondon  assisted  us 
— that  I  thought  however  neither  the  Quakers  nor  any  Else  had 
much  INIerit  in  moderating  the  Rigour  of  those  Acts — that  they 
could  not  be  more  severe  and  rigorous,  not  onh'  stabbing  the  Vitals 
of  a  Charter  of  civil  &  religious  Liberty  &  erecting  a  Tyranny,  but 
abolishing  Juries,  legitimating  the  Murdering  of  Americans,  besieg- 
ing Boston  with  Navy  &  Troops,  and  ordering  the  seizure  of  all 
obnoxious  persons  &  sending  them  home  in  Irons  to  Europe  for 
Trial  and  Execution.  I  knew  not  what  could  be  more  sanguinary, 
severe  &  rigorous.  It  was  however  well  if  the  Friends  had  used 
their  Influence  against  these  Acts,  tho'  unsuccessful.  I  myself 
was  too  ardent  in  the  Conversation  &  perhaps  pressed  Things  too 
closel5%  for  my  Indignation  was  raised  to  see  this  artful  Manoeuvre 
of  Quaker  policj'  ;  I  excused  m3^self  for  my  Warmth — but  said  to 
him,  Sir,  it  is  necessary  that  you  should  be  told  these  Truths,  that 
3'ou  may  not  carry  home  the  report  that  that  Letter  gave  universal 
Satisfaction — &  that  Friends  may  knoiv  in  %vhat  Liglit  that  Letter  & 
their  Conduct  are  viezced  by  other  Sects.  Friend  Pemberton  was  full 
of  Wrath,  tho'  he  suppressed  it  much  ;  my  Plainness  &  Simplicity 
&  Faithfulness  gave  him  great  Pain  &  Uneasiness  &  Resentment — 
and  I  believe  he  will  never  forgive  me. 

4.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Luke  xviii,  13,  14,  and 
publi-shed  two  couples.  P.M.  Eph.  ii,  21,  22.  Examin^'  several 
Texts  in  the  Syriac  N.  Testament. 

5.  The  Scarborough  arrived  at  Spithead  on  30"'  Sept.  after  24 
days  Passage  from  Boston.     The  Proclamation  for  dissolving  the 


DECEMBER    4-5,    1774  497 

Pai-r  dated  30"'  Sept. — tho'  in  some  Newspapers  it  is  by   Mistake 
printed  the  thirteenth  of  September. 

Mr.  Murray'  one  of  the  new  Councellors,  told  Gov.  Gage  that 
he  was  tired  out  of  being  shut  up  in  Boston,  that  his  Estate  suflfered 
in  the  Country — &  therefore  that  he  must  resign.  Very  well,  says 
the  Gov.  to  him,  &  swore  an  Oath,  you  may  resign,  but  I  will 
instantly  put  you  on  board  a  Man  o'  War  &  send  you  home  to  Eng- 
land. You  &c.  are  the  Men  that  have  been  writing  home  for  this 
Change  of  Government— it  has  been  made  upon  your  Represent-' 
&  you  yourselves  put  into  the  Council — and  now  you  desert  me. 
Be  assured,  Sir,  you  shall  go  home  and  answer  it  to  the  King. 
[Doubtful  tho'  probable.] 

"Inventions  of  Mr.  Sion  Seabury  of  Tiverton  for  the  Relief  of 
Boston  in  its  present  Siege. 

1.  A  solid  Timber  Roller  7  or  8  feet  Diameter  &  8  or  10  feet 
more  or  less,  to  defend  against  the  Canon  on  B"  Neck.  Sundry  of 
these  connected  together  by  a  Central  Chain  thro'  them  all  & 
Chains  around  them,  will  form  an  extended  movable  Breastwork 
for  covering  a  Body  of  Men  sufficient  for  seizing  &  possessing 
themselves  of  the  Artillerj^  &  Fortific^  upon  the  Neck  or  eksewhere. 
At  the  Ends  of  the  lyine  of  Rolling  Breastwork,  may  be  a  Range  of 
Rollers  following  after,  so  as  to  guard  the  sides.  A  Mast  or  span 
at  the  open  End,  may  keep  the  whole  steadj^  and  at  the  same 
Time  employ  the  Men  in  pulling  aft  as  well  as  pushing  forwards. 
The  side  Defence  might  be  made  with  a  Frame  on  small  Wheels 
charged  with  Wool  packs.  The  great  Front  Rollers  may  be  made 
of  Cedar  or  light  Wood.  (&  perhaps  in  part  filled  with  Wool 
or  Wool-Rollers  intirely.)  Mr.  Seabury  thinks  Wood  onh'  the 
best. 

2.  A  Plank  Breastwork  to  be  carried  to  defend  against  Small- 
Arms  ;  and  upon  coming  up  to  the  Canon  so  that  thej^  are  silenced 
or  useless,  to  be  raised  up  on  the  Top  of  the  Front  lyine  of  Rollers, 
to  cover  the  Men  firing  thro'  small  port-holes  to  oblige  the  Engi- 
neers &  Soldiery  to  abandon  the  Canon. 

3.  To  blind  and  deceive  the  Enemy,  (especially  if  the  attack 
be  in  the  Night)  let  several  Bbs.  of  Tarr  or  Pitch  be  set  on  fire 
between  the  Enemy's  Ships  &  place  of  Attack  ;  this  will  render  the 
Progress  of  the  movable  Breastwork  invisible  to  the  Shipping,  &  be 
advantageous  for  the  attack.     These  Tarbarrels  might  be  fired  on 

^  Col.  John  Murray,  of  Rutland.     See  Sabine's  Amer.  Loyalists,  ii,  1 15-17. 
32 


49S  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Water  by  Floats  as  well  as  on  I^aiid.  The  same  Thing  ma}'  be 
practised  to  render  an  Army  iiivisible,  should  it  in  the  Night  march 
over  Ice,  or  procede  in  Boats  across  the  Water  to  Town.     Exod. 

xiv,  19,  20. 

SiON  Seabury. 

Tiverton,  Nov.  ii,  1774. 
' '  Sir 

While  anxiously  concerned  for  the  Destresses  of  Boston  &  devising  Methods 
for  its  Relief,  the  preceeding  Inventions  occurred  to  my  Mind,  about  six  Weeks 
ago  :  which  yielded  me  an  asstirance  that  the  Canon  and  Works  on  Boston 
Neck  might  be  safely  approached  &  taken  without  the  Loss  of  a  single  Life  on 
our  part.  I  could  not  resist  an  Inclination  I  instantly  conceived  to  communi- 
cate it  for  the  Benefit  of  our  suffering  Brethren.  The  Invention  was  to  me  new 
&  original  as  well  as  satisfactory.  And  altho'  I  now  understand  that  an  Attack 
by  a  Line  of  Moveable  Fascines  has  been  thought  of,  &  and  is  now  under  Con- 
templation :  Yet  I  am  desirous  of  testifying  my  Ardor  in  the  common  Cause, 
by  communicating  my  Method  also.     I  afn.  Sir, 

Your  unknown  Hnmb.  Serv' 

Sign  Seaburv." 
Hox.  Coi..  John  Hancock 
Boston. 

6.  The  Gen.  Assembly  of  Connecticutt  at  last  Oct.  Session 
ordered  all  the  thirt}^  Regiments  of  Horse  &  Foot  in  that  Colony 
to  exercise  twelve  half  days  between  that  Time  &  the  first  of 
May  next— and  also  ordered  a  general  Muster  of  all  the  mil- 
itary   Companies    the    24*''    of    Nov.   which    was    duely  attended. 

New^  England  is  full  of  military  Exercise 

7.  Rev.  Mr.  Mellen  of  Lancaster'  visited  me.  He  is  now 
preaching  at  Providence  in  Mr.  Rowland's  Meeting.  Some  of  Mr. 
Goss's  Church  applied  for  Communion  at  Mr.  Mellens  Church  a 
while  ago,  being  at  the  Time  of  the  Lord's  Supper.  Mr.  Mellen 
declined  it ;  &  at  length  put  it  to  Vote  whether  the^'-  should  have 
Leave  to  partake — the  Church  voted  in  the  Affirmative  and  Mr. 
Mellen  negatived  the  Vote,  (S:  put  hy  the  Sacrament.  A  Contro- 
versy ensued — several  Councils  were  called — particular!}'  one  in 
June  last,  w^hich  adjourned  to  Sept.  last  when  they  met  again  ;  but 
were  so  divided  that  they  tho't  proper  not  to  make  a  Result,  & 

'  John  Mellen  (Harvard  1741),  minister  of  the  parish  in  Lancaster  which 
became  in  17S1  the  town  of  Sterling,  Mass.  His  dismission  was  finally  dated 
in  December,  1778,  and  he  and  his  adherents  continued  to  worship  by  themselves 
as  a  distinct  church  until  his  removal  to  another  parish  in  1784.  See  Worcester 
Magazine,  ii,  220-24. 


DECEMBER    6-9,    1774  499 

dissolved.  Upon  which  some  Brethren  applied  to  the  Pastor  to 
call  a  Church  Meeting,  at  which  they  proposed  to  chuse  a  new 
Moderator — the  Pastor  insisted  he  was  Mod""  and  put  to  vote 
whether  they  would  act  upon  the  4  Articles  alledged  against  him. 
It  was  no  Vote — upon  which  he  said  there  was  nothing  to  do  & 
dismissed  the  Meeting.  Afterwards  the  Church  chose  a  new 
Moderator  &  voted  to  dismiss  Mr.  Mellen  from  his  pastoral  Care 
over  them — &  called  a  Society  Meeting,  which  met  &  confirmed  the 
Dismission.  Mr.  Mellen  and  about  20  Brethren  his  Adherents 
immediately  called  an  Ecclesiastical  Council,  which  convened  & 
disapproved  the  Church's  Conduct  as  disorderly  &  declared  that  in 
their  Opinion  no  Church  ought  to  hold  Communion  with  this 
Church.  There  are  about  80  Members  Males  of  the  Church,  & 
of  these  43  against  Mr.  Mellen,  &  a  number  Neuters.  This  was 
last  fall,  perhaps  in  October.  After  this  Mr.  Mellen  preached  to 
his  Adherents  on  I^dsdys  in  a  private  House,  &  this  new  Meeting 
is  still  upheld.  The  Church  at  Providence  late  Mr.  Rowlands 
sent  to  get  Mr.  Mellen  to  supply  them  a  few  Sabbaths.  It  is  a 
question  whether  he  is  legally  or  ecclesiasticall}^  dismissed? 
Legally  indeed  he  is  not,  for  b}'  Law  he  can  hold  his  Salary  till 
he  is  dismissed  by  Advice  of  an  Ecclesiastical  Council  mutually 
chosen,  which  has  not  been  the  Case.  But  however  he  must 
finally  leave  them — it  will  be  to  but  little  &  invidious  pur- 
pose to  litigate  his  Salary,  when  he  can  serve  them  no  more  in 
Comfort.  He  seems  to  have  conducted  with  prudence  &  steadiness, 
on  his  principles  which  indeed  is  the  general  Opinion  of  the  Minis- 
ters, that  a  Pastor  has  a  Negative  on  Church  Votes,  at  least  so  far 
as  to  suspend  their  Operation  till  the  Advice  of  a  Council.  He 
may  perhaps  get  his  Salary  a  A^ear  or  two,  but  must  finall}-  seek  a 
Dismission.  He  dies  a  Martyr  to  the  Negative  on  the  Votes  of  the 
Brethren. 

8.  Mr.  Vinal  with  me  again. 

9.  Mr.  Mellen  went  away.  The  Assembly  is  now  sitting  in 
Providence.  The  Governor  has  received  a  packet  from  home, 
wherein  are  Orders  supposed  to  be  circular  to  all  the  Governors 
on  the  Continent  to  seize  all  powder  &  Arms  which  may  be  bro't 
into  port,  unless  bj'  the  Kings  permission.  It  is  said  that  Gen. 
Gage  has  sent  a  ship  which  has  sailed  for  this  port,  to  seize  &  carry 
off  all  the  Canon  from  our  fort.  The  Gen.  Assembly  have  ordered 
&  sent  several  Vessels  to  dismantle  the  Fort  at  Newport,  &  take  all 


500  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

the  Cannon  &  Stores  &  carry  them  to  Providence.  Two  or  three 
Packets  came  down  from  Providence  &  arrived  here  at  Ten  o'clock 
last  Night,  &  worked  all  night  at  the  Fort  in  removing  the  Canon. 
Early  this  Morning  several  Canon  were  discharged,  Drums  beat 
up  for  Volunteers  to  assist,  «&  thereupon  Multitudes  went  over  to 
the  Fort  to  assist.  At  Noon  three  Vessels  were  loaded  &  sailed 
off.  Thej'  have  been  laboring  all  daj^  &  have  sent  off  &  got  on 
board  all  the  Canon  but  Eight.  There  are  a  Number  of  Eighteen 
&  Twent}'  four  pounders,  which  last  weigh  nearlj^  three  Tons. 
The  Tories  are  exceeding  wroth,  as  they  had  for  two  days  past 
laughed  in  their  sleeves,  blindly  &  sneeringly  thrown  out,  that  we 
should  have  a  little  Sport  before  Saturday  Night :  they  expected 
the  Man  o'War  to  seize  &  carry  off  the  Guus  &  Ball  from  the  Fort 
— in  which,  if  that  was  intended,  they  are  now  disappointed. 

10.  This  da}'  the  last  of  the  Canon  were  got  on  Board  to  be  car- 
ried off  to  Providence,  excepting  four  left  at  the  Fort  for  constant 
Use  (6-24  pounders,  18-18  Do.  14-6  pounders,  6-4  Do.  Total  44.) 
This  day  I  am  47  years  old.  Having  obtained  help  of  God  I  con- 
tinue to  this  day.  I  have  been  reviewing  the  Series  of  the  divine 
Goodness  to  me  ever  since  raj^  Birth.  How  graciously  has  my 
heavenl}'  Father  dealt  with  me?  Bless  the  Eord  O  my  Soul  &  for- 
get not  all  his  Benefits.  God  has  so  ordered  that  I  have  spent  ni};- 
Eife  from  my  Earliest  youth  among  Books — but  the  most  valuable 
Knowledge  I  have  been  acquainted  with  is,  not  the  mathematical 
&  philosophical  Sciences,  not  the  acquaintance  with  the  antient 
learned  Languages  of  Latin  Greek  Hebrew  Samaritan  Chaldee 
Syriac  &.  Arabic  in  all  which  I  have  attained  such  a  Competency  as 
to  be  able  to  read  &  examine  any  Authors  freely  in  them,  not  in 
ecclesiastical  Hi-storj^  &  the  History  of  almost  all  Nations  & 
Empires  on  Earth,  not  in  the  knowledge  of  Law  &  the  political 
Constitutions  of  most  vStates  in  Europe — but  that  in  which  I  have 
found  the  greatest  Delight  Entertainment  &  Satisfaction  is  the 
Knowledge  of  Je.sus  Christ  &  the  Redemption  of  the  Cross.   .   .   . 

11.  Lordsday.     A.M.  I  preached  on  Gal.  iv,  28.     P.M.  on  Prov. 

viii,  17 In  the  Evening  I  married  2  Couples,  viz.  Cap* 

Tanner  and  Anna  Stevens,  and  W"  Briggs  and  Patience  Crandall. 
The  Rose  Man  o'War  arrived  here  this  day  A.M.  just  after  the 
Ves.sel  w'ith  the  last  Guns  sailed  for  Providence. 

12.  Reading  Theophilact's  Commentary  on  the  Evangelists. 

13.  The   King  has  sent  to  seize  all   Powder  &  Arms  that  shall 


DECEMBER    IO-16,    1774  501 

land  here.  The  General  Assembly  last  Week  revived  the  Militia 
Law,  appointed  the  Gov.  Captain  General,  Mr.  Dep.  Gov.  Sessions 
Lt.  General,  &  Col.  Potter  of  Bristol  Major  General  ;  &  ordered 
40,000  Flints,  300  Bb.  Powder,  3  Tons  of  Lead  &  4  Brass  Field 
pieces  to  be  procured  for  the  Use  of  this  Colony.  The  Assembly 
accepted  &  approved  the  Doings  of  the  Congress  &  recommended 
to  all  the  Towns  thro'  the  Colony  to  chuse  Committees  to  carry 
them  into  execution — gave  thanks  to  Messrs  Hopkins  &  Ward — & 
elected  them  again  as  Delegates  to  the  Congress  in  May  next.  .  .  . 
Last  Evening  I  read  a  Letter  dated  at  Boston  yesterday  and  sent 
by  Dr.  Young  to  Mr.  vSec'ry.  Ward  with  this  Information,  viz.  last 
Evening  Dr.  Warren  desired  me  to  inform  3'ou  &  the  rest  of  our 
Friends  in  Newport  that,  300  Soldiers  more  or  less  are  embarked 
for  Newport. 

15.  This  day  public  Thanksgiving  thro'  the  Province  of  Massa- 
chusetts Bay.  It  was  not  appointed  as  usual  by  the  Governor  & 
Council,  who  issued  no  proclamation  ;  but  by  the  Provincial  Con- 
gress which  recommended  to  the  Churches  to  set  apart  &  observe 
this  day  as  a  day  of  public  Thanksgiving,  &  printed  the  same 
signed  b}^  Jn"  Hancock  President.  It  was  later  than  usual,  I  sup- 
pose, that  we  might  have  the  more  intelligence  from  England. 
Our  two  Congregational  Churches  in  Newport  kept  the  daj^, 
At  X^^''  A.M.  we  begun  divine  Service  with  singing  loo^''  Ps. 
Watts  ;  &  after  the  first  praj-er  sang  145"^  Ps.  2'^  pt :  then  I 
preached  upon  Ps.  cxlv,  9-12,  then  last  pra3'er — Contribution  for 
the  poor — sang  150"'  Ps.  with  the  Xtian  Doxology — Blessing.  I 
dined  at  Mr.  Chesebroughs 

This  evening  Mr.  Marchant  shewed  me  a  letter  which  he  had 
received  from  Mrs.  Macaulay  the  Historian  dated  Oct",  last  at  Bath. 
She  laments  the  state  of  America  ;  &  complains  of  my  Neglect  in 
writing  to  her. 

16.  Reading  Magazines.  This  da}^  I  received  a  Box  of  Books 
from  New  Haven  Via  N  York,  containing  six  Folio  Volumes 
intirely  Hebrew,  not  having  a  single  Letter  of  another  Tongue  & 
Character.  It  is  a  complete  Edition  of  the  Bible  with  the  most 
eminent  Rabbinical  Commentaries. — The  Columns  exhibit  the 
Hebretv  Text,  the  Chaldee  Targuni,  the  Commentary  of  R.  Selemoh 
I scaak i  QoiwrnonXy  called  Jarchj,  that  of  R.  David  Kimchi,  and  that 
of  the  great  Hocham  R.  Aben  Ezra,  with  marginal  Notes  &  Criti- 
cisms interspersed I  have  now  a  feast  of  Hebrew  as  I  can 


502  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

at  pleasure  turn  to  an^^  Text  &  examine  the  Criticisms  of  these 
Commentators 

i8.  Lordsdaj' A.M.  1  preached  on  Eph.  iv,  17,  18,  and  pub- 
lished Mr.  Ferguson  .Sic.  P.M.  Mat.  xiv,  12,  13,  and  baptized  2 
Children  Infants  viz.  William  Son  of  Henr}'  Marchant  Esq.  and 
Mary  Daughter  of  Mrs.  Doubleday. 

20.  The  Sandimanians  opened  Shops  in  Boston  on  Thanksgiving 
day  last  &  the  Episcop-'  at  Cambridge  refused  to  observe  it  :  the 
3-oung  Dr.  Biles  Episc"  Clergyman  refused  to  open  his  Church  in 
Boston  to  the  great  Offence  of  his  little  Flock,  \Yhich  are  more  for 
Liberty  than  any  Episco.  Congregation  north  of  Maryland. 

On  the  14"'  Inst.  350  Persons  at  Portsm"  Piscataqua  went  in 
Boats  down  to  their  Fort  at  N.  Castle  N.  Hampshire,  &  demanded 
the  Province  Powder  &c.  The  Captain  refused  &  fired  three 
Guns — upon  which  the  people  scaled  the  Walls,  took  the  Fort,  & 
carried  off  97  Bb.  of  Powder,  bro't  it  to  Town  &  removed  it  into 
the  Country.  The  next  daj'  came  into  Portsmouth  a  large  Body 
of  people  under  an  Alarm  that  Gen.  Gage  had  sent  to  seize  the 
P'ort  &c.  &  sent  a  Committee  to  the  Gov.  (Wentworth)  Who 
informed  them  that  he  knew  nothing  of  any  such  design.  There 
were  1500  Men  raised  in  New  Hampshire  and  in  full  march  for 
Portsmouth  on  16"'  Dec 

' '  Application  has  been  made  to  the  French  Inhabitants  of  Canada 
to  arm  themselves  against  the  Colonies  :  but  they  rejected  the  pro- 
posal with  Indignation,  &  declared  that  if  any  £>;/<"  Canadian  should 
be  deluded  so  far  as  to  go  against  their  sister  Colonies,  they  would 
send  ten  to  their  Relief." 

What  an  Idea  are  we  led  to  form  of  a  Brit.  Admin".  By  an 
Order  of  Privy  Council  we  are  prohibited  from  procuring  the 
Means  of  Defence,  &  at  the  same  Time  the  zvhole  Influence  of  Govt. 
is  exerted  to  stir  up  the  Canadians  &  Savages  to  cut  our  Throats. 

21.  The  scale  of  Dr.  Bartlets  H^'grometer  is  100  deg.  between 
perfect  Dryness  &  perfect  Humidity.  The  lowest  or  driest  he  has 
known  was  y?z^^,  the  \\\^^s\.  fifty  four :  he  estimates  the  salutary 
Medium  25  to  35,  40  too  moist  for  Health,  20  too  Ary.  For  about 
3  W.  past  it  has  been  50  and  above.  The  Storm  of  Rain  last 
Monday  altered  &  restored  the  too  great  Moisture — now  27.  It  is 
very  cold  tho'  no  Snow  here  at  Sunri.se  this  Morning  Fahr.  Therm. 
stood  at  Eight  above  o,  at  Noon  rose  to  Twelve. 

Letters  in  the  last  packet  inform  that  the   King  has  founded  a 


DECP:i\rBER    18-29,    1774  503 

Professorship  of  Divinity'  in  the  College  in  N  York  with  a  Salary 
from   home:   &   appointed   the   Rev.   John   Vardill,    A.M.    now  in 
England  to  be  his  jSrst  Roj'al  Professor. 
21.   Reading  Dr.  Mosheim's  Ecc.  Hist'y. 

23.  Reading  Mosheim  all  day.  There  is  a  flying  Report  that 
the  Ministry  have  determined  to  repeal  the  obnoxious  Acts  of  Par- 
liament :  Doubtful. 

It  is  certain  that  Application  has  been  made  to  the  PVench  Cana- 
dians &  to  the  Six  Nations  of  Indians,  to  joyn  the  Kings  Troops 
against  the  Colonies — but  as  to  both  without  Success,  as  I  see  in 
the  New  York,  N  Haven  &  Boston  prints.  Dr.  Young  just  from 
Boston  brings  the  same  Ace"  who  conversed  with  a  Gentleman  just 
from  Canada.  The  Tories  begin  to  say  that  no  such  Application 
has  been  made.      Mr.  \"inal  went  away. 

24.  Reading  Mosheim,  &  also  Theophilact  on  sundry  Passages 
in  the  Gospels.  Also  read  50  or  60  pages  in  a  Volume  of  Sermons 
on  the  Scripture  Doctrine  of  Christs  sonship  by  Benj-'  Wellin  M.A. 
a  London  Baptist  Minister — published  1771.  He  is  sound  &  ortho- 
dox as  to  the  Divinity  of  Christ :  but  has  some  peculiar  Notions  as 
to  the  Believers  eternal  Union  with  the  vSon  in  the  Prescience  and 
Decrees  of  God.  No  ringing  of  Bells  except  that  the  Chh.  Bell 
might  ring  a  quarter  of  an  hour  in  the  Evening  &  a  short  time 
Dordsday  Morning. 

25.  Lordsday.      I  preached  all  day  on  Luke  ii,  13,  14 

28.  Violent  N.  E.  Snow  storm  all  day. 

29.  Sundry  Cargoes  of  Goods  imported  since  first  of  this  M"  are 
advertised  at  Portsm",  Salem,  Plym"  N.  York  &  Philad'^  to  be 
sold  b}^  the  Committees  according  to  the  Congress.  Extract  from 
a  Philad''  paper  : — 

"  The  Histor}'  of  Kings  is  nothing  but  the  Histor}'  of  the  folly 
&  Depravity  of  human  Nature.  To  live  (says  Bp.  Hoadly)  by  one 
Man' s  Will  became  the  Cause  of  all  Mens  Misery.  If  the  Bible  was 
silent  Analogy  would  teach  us  that  the  Depravity  &  Misery  of  one 
Man  could  contaminate  &  render  miserable  a  ivhole  Race  of  Men. 
Look  up  then.  Mortals,  to  Kings  with  humility.  They  are  livi7ig 
histories  of  your  first  Calamity.  One  Man  still  continues  to  be  the 
source  of  Misery  &  Depravity  in  all  K™^  of  the  World.  God  deals 
with  Mankind  as  he  did  with  the  Jews.     He  gives  them  Kings 

'  This  professorship  was  one  of  Natural  Law,  not  Divinity,  and  was  founded 

in  1773. 


504  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

only  in  his  Anger.     We  read   now   &  then  it  is   true   of  a  good 

King  ;  so  we  read  likewise  of  a  prophet  escaping  unhurt  from  a 

Lions  Den  &  of  3  men  walking  in  a  fiery  furnace  without  having 

even  their  Garments  singed.       The  order  of  Nature   is  as  much 

inverted  in  the  first,  as  it  was  in  the  last  2  Cases.     A  good  King 

is  a  Miracle." 

Dr.  Dickinson,  I  suppose. 

I  remark — that  under  some  Views,  even  a  Deist  can  adopt  the 
Doctrine  of  Original  Sin  ;  tho'  he  might  reject  it  in  Religion,  he 
may  admit  it  a  fact  &  Doctrine  &  Politics.      It  is  true  in  both. 

30.   At  III''  P.M.  I  preached  m}^  Sacramental  Lecture  2  Jno.  v,  8. 

31 Total  of  Deaths  231   of  which  47  Blacks,  in  Town 

Newport  the  year  past.  Total  Inhab.  9209  souls  of  which  1292 
Blacks. 

On  2i.st  Inst.  Rev*^  Joseph  Avery  was  ordained  Pastor  of  the 
Church  in  Holden.  And  Inst.  Mr.  Henry  Dawson  was  ordained 
in  Jersey  or  Pens3'lvania  by  two  Sabb.  Bapt.  Klders  :  He  received 
Lay  Ordination  before  this  in  Gorhamt"  N.  England  ;  and  after- 
wards was  installed  at  Newport  by  a  Sep''  Bap.  Elder 

[Dr.  Stiles' s  Visiting  Catalogue  for  his  Congregation  during  the 
year  1774  is  as  follows, — the  numbers  appended  to  the  names 
showing  the  visits  paid  : — 

Tim"  Allen,  2  Capt.  Church,  2 

Phil.  Ackland,  3  Mr.  Coit,  2 

Jos.  Belcher,  8  Peleg  Cary,  6 

Nathan  Beebee,  3  Jno.  Car}',  2 

Sisters  Do.,  2  Mrs.  Clianning,  35 

Dr.  Bartlet,  13  W"  Chauning,  Esqr.,  20 

Wm.  Bently,  2  W"  Carr  &  Clark,  21 

Job  Bissel,  4  Ma'ni  Coggeshall,  6 

Sisters  Do.,  3  Mr.  Cole,  5 

Wife  Tho.  Brown,  2  W'"  Do.,  jun.,  4 

W"  Brown,  Ja.,  1  Lemuel   Crandal,  r 

Do.  Do.  (Pitman)  i  Sam'  Do.,  2 

Exp.  Brown,  i  W  Chambers,  2 

Jos.  Brown  W°  Carter 

Tho.  Burnham,  3  Rob'   Do. 

Capt.  Briggs,  5  James  Do.,  4 

Mrs.  Bowers,  i  An  Clianning,  3 

Mrs.  Baker  Mrs.  Cornel,  i 

Mrs.  Ben  net,  5  W"  Corey 

David  Chesebro',  20  James  Clark,  i 


DECEMBER    30-31,     1774 


505 


Peace  Clark,  i 
Mrs.  Cornel  (Mihv') 
David  Caldwel 
An  Crandal  (Topli.) 
W"  Cook 
Jos.  Crandal,  2 
Ab'"  Dennis,  7 
Ebeu'  Davenp't.,  sen.,  4 
Do.         Do.  jwu-,  2 

Isaac  Dayton,  27 
Ben.  Do.,  5 
Hez,  Do.,  12 
W°  Davenp*.,  3 
W  Davis,  4 
Isaac  Da3ton,  jvm.,  i 
Mrs.  Doubleda}-,  6 
Chas.  Davens,  3 
Mrs.  Downer,  i 
Miss  Dyre,  6 
Mrs.  Ellery,  37 
Ben.  Ellery,  3 
W"  Ellery,  Esqr.,  10 
Christ"  Ellery,  6 
Capt.  English,  3 
Eli  Evans,  5 
Mrs.  Fryers 
W"  Finch,  2 
Mrs.  Fry,  3 
Adam  Ferguson,  2 
Jn"  Ferguson,  2 
Caleb  Gardner,  9 
Capt.  Godfry,  3 
Mrs.  Gibbs 

Mrs.  (Tardner,  S.  Ann,  2 
Rob't  Gibbs,  i 
Sally  Graves,  i 
Capt.  Hatch 
Mr.  Hill,  I 
Eliza  House 
Mr.  Haggar,  2 
Mrs.  Howl'd  (Sayer),  4 
Mrs.  Howland  (Job),  3 
W"  Hamilton,  i,  removed  to  Piscataqua 
Jos.  Haniand,  2 
Miss  Hammonds,  7 
W'"  Howard 
Capt.  Hyers 
James  Holmes 


Mrs.  Heath  (Milvv'd.) 

B.  Ingraham,  i 

Mr.  James,  2 

W"  Ingraham 

W»  Jones  &  D.,  3 

Ann  Ingraham,  2 

Benj"  King,  9 

Sam'  King,  2 

W"  Kennicott  &  D.,  6 

J.  B.  King,  4 

Nathan  Luther,  3 

Rich'd  Low 

Hen.  Marchant,  Esqr.,  21 

Mrs.  More,  31 

Phil.  Moss,  5 

Capt.  Mowat,  i 

W  Murphy 

W"^  Merriss,  9 

\V'"  Mihvard,  i 

Rob.  Milward,  2 

Miss  Milward,  i 

Capt.  M'Cdrry,  2 

Mr.  Maxwel,  3 

Capt.  Newton,  5 

Jno.  Newton,  4 

W>  Nichols  (Kend.),  3 

Major  Otis,  14 

Sally  Oldham,  i 

W°  Nicols  (Cath.),  i 

Jno.  Pitman,  Esqr.,  20 

Benj"  Pitman,  7 

Phil.  Peckham,  i 

W  Peckham,  i 

Capt.  Peck,  2 

W"  Pitman,  5 

Rebecca  Petteface,  4 

Capt.  Parker,  i 

Mrs.  Potter,  3 

Hannah  Preston,  i 

Eliz"  Pratt 

Sam'  Pitman,  jun.,  i 

Eben''  Rdson.,  Esqr.,  5 

Thos.  Rdson.,  3 

Eben'  Rdson.,  jun.,  3 

Dan'l  Russel,   11 

\V  Rum  rill,  10 

W  Ryder,  i 

W"  Robinson,  3 


5o6 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 


Mrs.  Roland,  2 

Jacob  Rdson.,  2 

Deacon  Saver,  6 

Capt.  Ben  Saj-er,  6 

Joshua  Sayer,  jun.,  2 

Mrs.  Searing,  15 

IMrs.  San  ford,  i 

:Mr.  Stevens  (Rob),  35 

W"  Sylvester 

Edw*  Simmons,  6 

Jno.  Simpson,  2 

Jno.  Simpson,  jun.,  i 

Rd.  Simpson,  2 

Jos.  Smith,  3 

\V"  Spinny,  i 

W"  Sherburn  &  Son,  &c.  3 

W"  Sherman,  i 

Jon"  Stoddard,  2 

W"  Syms,  I 

W»  Stella 

Jno.  Stevens,  5 

Mrs.  Stanly,  4 

\V"  Shore,  2 

Scranton,  i 

\\"'"  Stevens,  i 


M'  Trevet,  sen.,  12 

W°  Treby,  sen.,  2 

Sam'  Treb)',  3 

W°  Treby,  jun.,  3 

W"  Topham  (Jno.),  4 

WoToph.  (Theo.) 

Jno.  Topham,  4 

W"  Townsend,  3 

Nurse  Do.,  2 

Jno.  S.  Treby,  2 

Mr.  Tripp,  5 

Wilkins  Treby,  2 

Wife  W"  Thurston  (Norman),  i 

Capt.  Toman,   2 

Stephen  Tripp  (Toph.) 

vSam'  Vernon,  i 

William  Vernon,  21 

Eben''  Vose,  6 

W""  Whitwel 

Jno.  Wood,  3 

Sam'  Weedon,  9 

W«  Wills,  2 

W»  Wilson 

W""  Wilson 

Nurse  Wa}-,  i] 


1775 
Janry. 

1.  Lordsday,   A.M.   I  preached  on  Jn"  x,  15.  and  administered 

the  Lords  Supper  to  above  fifty  Comminiicants P.M.   I 

preached  a   New   years  Sermon In   the  Even^  I  married 

John  Ferguson  &  .'     This  the  first  Day  of  the  Year, 

Month,  Moon,  &  Week. 

2.  Reading  &  fini.shed  the  first  Vohnne  of  Dr.  Mosheim's  Eccle- 
siastical History — &  began  the  second  :  In  the  Evcn^'  I  preached  to 
the  young  men,  2  Tim.  iii,  15-17. 

3.  Read*-'  in  Binius'  Collection  of  Coinicils. 

4.  It  is  said  that  there  is  as  much  Variance  &  Conflict  among 
the  Ofiicers  of  the  Army  &  Navy  at  Boston,  as  among  the  Ameri- 
cans— some  warmh'  espousing  the  Cause  of  Liberty,  others  against 
it.  This  Even'''  I  preached  a  monthly  Even*^'  Lecture  to  the  married 
people  of  my   Congreg''   not   Connnunicants,    at  Mr.  Tripp.s.    .    .    . 


'  The  name  here  omitted  is  given  in  Dr.  Stiles's  official  register  of  marriages 
as  Ann  Greene. 


JANUARY    I-16,    1775  507 

The  squadron  in  N"  America  under  Adni.  (xraves  at  Boston   on    the 
first  Inst,  consisted  of   Tzverity  four  ships — 502  Guns — 3475  Men. 

7.  I  am  told  that  three  Vessels  are  arrived  into  Connecticutt  with 
Powder. 

8.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  Ixviii,  5.  P.M.  Jude  v.  20,  21. 
and  propounded  M''  Balfour  for  owning  the  Covenant.  In  the 
Even*''  I  married  Samuel  Clark  &  Sarah  Brown. 

II.  Read  60  pages  in  Mosheim.  This  Even- the  monthly  Chh. 
Meeting  at  Sister  Channings.     I  preached  from  i  Jno.  iv,  g-i  i . 

14.  Reading  Mosheim  130  pages. 

15.  Edsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ezek.  xiv,  14,  &  published  two 
Couples.     P.M.  Micah  vi,  6. 

16.  Writing  Eetters  to  Yale  College.  In  the  Even^  I  preached 
on  the  Parable  of  the  X  Virgins  in  xxv  Mat.  to  the  Young  Women 
of  my  Congregation.  For  ten  days  past  we  have  had  a  Report 
circulating  that  the  X"'  Reg'  at  Boston  had  mutinied  &  was  dis- 
armed. The  Tories  affect  to  disguise  the  Truth,  which  has  been 
difficult  to  find.  The  Post'  (a  ministerial  Hireling )  affects  to  talk 
it  into  nothing,  &  the  B"  prints  say  nothing  about  it.  However 
the  Post  owns  &  squeezes  out  thus  much  to  a  few  persons,  viz,  that 
a  Deserter  being  apprehended  was  suddenly  condemned  in  a  Court 
Martial  &  instanth'  shot — that  his  Regiment  murmured  greatly  at 
the  suddenness,  saying  they  used  to  be  allowed  one  Sunda}'  at  least 
to  prepare  for  Death — upon  which  they  were  disarmed  ;  but  their 
Arms  were  returned  to  them  next  day,  so  that  they  were  disarmed 
but  one  Night  ;  and  that  this  was  a  matter  of  Discontent  to  the 
Soldiery,  tho'  easil}'  kept  under.  Mumford  also  says,  another 
Deserter  was  condemned  to  (say)  900  Lashes — he  received  600  or 
two  thirds  &  fainted  seemingly  dead  ;  upon  which  the  Drummer 
refused  to  proceed  ;  he  was  commanded  to  lay  on  the  rest — he 
refused,  &  was  put  under  Guard.  The  Soldier  coming  to  Eife 
again,  he  &  the  Drummer  were  dismissed  &  turned  out  of  the 
Regiment  &  Army  next  da3\  These  are  undoubted  Facts.  It  is 
said  that  military  Law  &  the  most  rigorous  &  unmerciful  Pun- 
ishments are  incessantly  exercised  in  the  Army.  Those  who  have 
been  used  to  the  Army,  say,  that  the  Discipline  of  the  Camp  at 
Boston  is  now  more  severe  &  rigorous  than  ever  is  used  in  an  Enemys 
Country,  in  an  English  Camp  in  Flanders  or  Germany.  A  Gentle- 
man yesterday  from  B"  says  they  ha\'e  assurance  that  great  uneasi- 

'  That  is,  the  Post-rider,  Benjamin  Mumford. 


5o8  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILEvS 

t 

ness  &  Difference  prevails  in  the  Camp,  as  well  among  the  Officers 
as  Soldiers,  many  of  whom  dislike  the  Krrand  they  are  come  upon — 
&  that  there  is  openly  an  ajfectcd  or  real  Difference  between  Gen 
C'lagc  &  Ld  Picrcy,  Ld  Piercy  cultivating  an  Intimacy  with  Col. 
Hancock. 

17.  Extract  of  a  Letter  from  an  Officer  of  the  Mrginia  Troops  on 
the  Expedition  against  the  Indians,  dated  Augusta  Dec.  3,  1774. 

"  I  could  inform  you  of  man}-  remarkable  Things  I  observed 

in  our  March  of  330  Miles  over  almost  impassible  Mountains — but 
I  caimot  omit  mentioning  a  burning  Spring  we  came  across.  It 
resembles  in  form  a  Wooden  Dish,  containing  upwards  of  150  Gal- 
lons, in  which  the  Water  (which  is  of  black  mudd}'  Colour)  boils 
with  as  nuich  force  as  ever  I  saw  our  Eimestone  springs,  so  that 
you  ma}-  hear  it  above  30  }-ards  ;  yet  it  does  not  run  over,  or  visibty 
sink  in  any  part.  And  if  you  put  a  B/a'^e  of  Fire  within  two  feet  over 
it,  it  will  catch  in  an  Instant  and  burn  violently,  which  it  has  been 
known  to  do  some  weeks. — I  have  roasted  meat  at  the  Blaze,  and  eat 
it  afterwards."  Extracted  from  Holts  N  York  print  12"'  Janry. 
Ins'.  I  have  been  told  of  such  a  spring  in  the  Jerseys,  but  doubted 
it.  What  is  Rum  or  spirit  but  aqua  ardens,  burning  Water  ?  If 
an  Alcohol  or  Phlogystic  ^ther  transude  thro'  a  Fountain,  it  may 
become  an  Aqtia  ardejis 

iS.  \'i.sited  this  da}-  by  Elder  Backus  of  Middleborough.  Had 
nuich  Convers''  with  him  upon  the  Affairs  of  the  Baptists  whose 
History'  he  is  writing.  I  lent  him  some  MSS.  He  was  delegated 
with  M""  Manning  by  the  Baptist  Association  last  fall  to  the  Bap- 
tist Congress  at  Philad'^  to  complain  to  the  Continental  Congress  of 
the  Persecution  of  the  Baptists  in  Massachusetts  Ba}-.  He  told  me 
he  had  known  one  Instance  of  two  Quakers  while  unbaptized 
actually  partaking  of  the  Lords  Supper  at  Elder  Spragues  baptist 
Chh  in  Exeter  about  1752.  This  brought  on  the  Controversy 
among  the  New  Light  Separates  both  Baptist  &  Psedobaptist  con- 
cerning Close  or  Open  Communion  :  they  began  1741  in  open,  and 
ended  in  1753  in  close  Communion.  He  never  knew  of  another 
Instance. 

19.  Read  Magazines  of  Oct''  last.  This  day  M''  Chesebrough  and 
M'  Marchant  dined  with  me.  Elder  Backus  at  my  Study  tran- 
scribing &  extracting  from  my  Copy  of  Gov.  Winthrops  MS  Hi.st. 

'  Tlie  first  vohitne  of  Isaac  IJackus's  History  of  the  Baptists  in  New  England 
was  published  in  1777. 


JANUARY    17-25,    1775  509 

20 The  Committees  of  Correspond.  &  Inspection  of  Hartfd 

&  3  other  Towns  met  9"'  Ins*  &  warned  a  Meetinc^  of  the  Commit- 
tees of  all  the  Towns  in  the  County  of  Hartford  to  be  held  at  Hartfd 
25"'  Ins'  Janry.  for  execiitinj^  the  Measures  of  the  Continental  Con- 
gress, &  to  resolve  on  the  threatning  Aspect  of  pub.  Affairs.  The 
principal  Towns  of  New  Ha\-en  C"  have  warned  a  Meef-'  of  Com- 
mittees in  that  County  also.  And  I  suppose  it  will  go  thro'  Con- 
necticutt. 

Upon  receiv-  L,etters  from  the  Secretary  of  vState  Gov.  Trumlnill 
convened  the  Council  or  Assistants  of  Hartford  the  2"  Ins'  and  the 
Gov.  with  Advice  of  the  Council  (for  the  Deputies  were  not  as.sem- 
bled)  issued  a  Proclam''  dated  at  Hartfd  5"'  Ins*  for  a  Day  of  public 
F'asting  &  Prayer  on  account  of  the  Times  appointing  Wednesda}?- 
the  first  of  Febry.  the  day  of  Fasting,  and  Prayer  throughout  the 
Colon}'  of  Connecticutt. 

22.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Isai.  xlviii,  18,  &  published  a 
Couple.  P.M.  Ps.  xxvii,  8,  and  baptized  Margaret  Robertson 
Daughter  of  M''  Andrew  Balfour'  late  of  Edinburgh  &  PHizabeth  his 
Wife  :  said  M""  Balfour  being  the  vSon  of  Andrew  Balfour  Esq  late 
of  Braidwood  in  the  Parish  of  Temple  &  Shire  of  Midlothian  &  now 
living  in  Edinburgh  :  having  first  addressed  the  Covenant  to  him  to 
educate  his  Child  in  the  christian  Faith. 

23.  Went  over  to  Tiverton  to  visit  the  Rev.  M''  Campbell  who  is 
sick.^  He  tells  me  that  after  the  19'"  NS  of  next  month  he  should 
be  in  the  80"'  year  of  his  Age — so  he  was  born  Feb.  8"^  1695/6.  O.  S. 

24.  Returned  having  visited  M''  Campbell  &  Deacon  Josias  Sawyer 
of  his  Chh  both  dangerously  sick.  M''  Campbell  sent  over  &  desired 
public  pra3'ers  last  Edsdy  in  my  Congregation. 

25.  Examining  X**"  chap.  Jno.  in  SN^riac. 

In  a  Eondon   print  the   Morning  Chronicle  of  the   12"' 

Nov.  last  I  find  Col.  Putnam's  Letter  of  2^  Sept.  with  the  Indors- 
m'^  as  it  passed  along  thro'  the  Country  from  Pomfret  in  Connecti- 
cutt to  Philadelphia.  It  was  taken  from  a  N  York  Thursdy  paper 
of  Sept.  8,  where  it  arrived  on  the  Eveng.  of  the  fifth  of  September 
— the  paper  says  ' '  on  Monday  Eveng.  the  Inhab.  of  this  City  were 
greatly  alarmed  with  the  follow''  accounts  brot  by  Express,  which 
had  been  forwarded  with  great  Dispatch  to  our  Committee  of  Cor- 
respondence." 

'  See  also  this  Diary,  May  20,  1782. 

-  For  his  death  see  this  Diary,  Dec.  19,  1778. 


5IO  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Cor..  Putnam's  famous  Letter. 

"  POMFRET  Sept.    3''. 
Cap'  Clevki.axd 

^NP  Kevs  this  Moment  brought  us  tlie  news  that  the  men  of  war  and  troops 
began  to  fire  \ipon  the  people  last  night  at  sun-set  at  Boston,  when  a  Post  was 
immediately  sent  ofl  to  inform  the  Country.  He  informs,  that  the  Artil  lery 
played  all  night — that  the  people  were  universally  rallying  from  Boston  as  far 
as  here,  and  desire  all  the  Assistance  possible.  The  first  was  occasioned  by  the 
Countr\-'s  being  robbed  of  their  powder  from  Boston  as  far  as  Farningham,  and 
when  found  out,  the  persons  who  went  to  take  them  were  immediately  fired  upon; 
six  of  our  Number  were  killed  the  first  Shot,  and  a  number  wounded,  and  beg 
you  will  rally  all  the  Forces  you  can,  and  be  ujDon  the  march  immediately  for 
the  Relief  of  Boston,  and  the  people  that  way. 

Israel  Putnam. 

P.  S.     Send  an  Express  along  to  Norwich  and  elsewhere. 

Aaron  Cleveland 

' '  Forwarded  from  Norwich  per  John  Durkee 

New  London,  September  3. 

"  Pray  send  forward  an  express  to  Saybrook  and  elsewhere  on  the  Sea  shore, 
and  to  Fast  Haddam  immediately.  I  desire  those  Towns  to  forward  expresses 
to  their  neighboring  Towns. 

Richard  Law 
Nath.  Shaw 
Sam.  H.  Parsons 
"  To  ^lessrs.  John  Lay  Esq  and  the  rest  of  the  Committee  of  Correspondence 
at  Lyme." 

New  London  September  3. 
"  You  will  see  by  a  Letter  to  your  Committee  of  Correspondence  the  necessity 
of  rallying  all  your  forces  immediately  ;  pray  let  every  man  who  values  his 
own  or  his  Coxintrys  Liberty  appear  immediately.  We  shall  march  before 
Noon  to-morrow  ;  I  came  home  to-day  ;  shall  set  out  with  our  Forces  on  the 
morrow.  Let  your  Captains  call  their  men  as  soon  as  possible,  and  make  no 
delaj-  in  joyning  , 

"S.  Parsons." 

Tlie  above  is  a  Copy  of  a  Letter  received  from   P.  vS.  H.  Parsons. 

To  the  Committee  of  CorresjKJndence  in  Saybrook,  or  to  the  select  Men  in 
Saybrook,  it  is  desired  that  this  may  be  forwarded  to  Killingworlli,  to  be  for- 
warded Westward. 

Ele.  Mather,  John  Lay,  second,  John  MacCurdy,  William  Noyes,  Sanmel 
Mather  jun.     Committee  of  Correspondence. 

To  D'  Nath.  Ruggles  and  Samuel  Brown,  Esq  : 
Gentlemen 

You  will  doubtless  think  it  prudent  on  Receipt  of  this  Intelligence  to  forward 
it  at  least  as  far  as  New  Haven,  where  doubtless  Intelligence  will  be  received 
by  the  upper  Road. 

Aaron  Elliot 
Benjamin  Gale 


JANUARY    26,    1775  511 

Guii,FORD  Sept.  4. 
Forwarded  by  the  subscriber  to  Brauford 

Samukl  Brown. 

Branford,  Sept.  4. 
li'orwarded  to  John  W'hitiiit^,  Usq  and  the  rest  of  the  Coniniittee  on  Corre- 
spondence at  New  Haven,  per 

Sam.  Baker 
Sam.  Jones 

New  Haven,  Sept  4. 
Gentlemen 

We  have  to  communicate  the  fatal  News  of  an  attack  by  the  Kings  fleet  and 
troops  upon  the  town  of  Boston.  Inclosed  you  have  the  foundation  and  con- 
veyance of  the  melancholy  intelligence  ;  we  thought  it  necessary  and  expedient 
to  communicate  by  express,  expecting  your  speedy  aid  to  forward  the  same  to 
the  Congress  at  Philadelphia. 

We  are.  Gentlemen, 

Your  friends  and  brethren  in  the  Common  Cause 
Signed  for  the  Committee  of  Correspondence 

Timothy  Jones,  Clerk  of  the  said  Committee. 
To  the  Committee  of  Correspondence 
New  York." 

Copied  &  extracted  Jaiiry.  25  1775  by  Ezra  Stiles.  The  Commit- 
tee at  N  York  forwarded  it  to  Philadelphia,  where  it  arrived 
It  came  to  New  Haven  in  the  forepart  of  the  afternoon  Service. 
President  Dagget  told  me  he  that  I^dsdy  preached  for  M''  Edwards 
&  the  news  came  into  the  Meetinghouse  just  as  he  was  entering  on 
his  Sermon.  In  my  last  3^ears  Diary  I  have  Putnams  Eetter  ;  which 
he  complained  was  mutilated  b}^  the  Torj'  printer  Rivington  at  New 
York  :  but  I  find  by  comparing  there  was  no  great  Alteration.  Col. 
Putnam  never  tho't  of  his  I^etter  going  to  the  Congress  or  to  Engld. 
The  sheet  he  wrote  could  not  contain  all  these  Indorsm*^  but  an 
Addition  pasted  on  to  it  might — besides  the  N  Haven  Letter  was  a 
Cover.  However  this  Collection  of  Letter,  Minutes,  Indorsm'^  &c 
exhibits  the  true  Idea  of  the  Spread  &  Propagation  of  the  News.  .  .  . 

26.  On  the  10"'  Inst'  Janry.  died  the  Rev''  John  Gardner  Pastor 
of  the  Chh  of  Stow  in  Massachusetts,  set.  79.  Min-'  57.  He  had 
been  disabled  from  the  Ministry  but  18  Months  the  Rev"  M""  Newell 

having   been   lately   ordained    Collegue    Pastor.' Gov. 

Hutchinson  now  in  Engld  has  written  a  Letter  of  4'''  Nov.  last  to 
Rev.    D''    Pemberton    of   Boston.      He   says,    it   was   about   being 

^  John  Gardner  was  a  graduate  of  Harvard  in  1715,  and  Jonathan  Newell  a 
graduate  there  in  1770. 


512  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

resolved  bv  the  Xing  in  Council  to  moderate  Matters  with  the 
Americans,  by  adopting  a  plan  in  which  Taxation  &  Legislation 
should  be  left  the  American  Assemblies,  the  Parliam'  reserving  a 
o-eneral  power  to  regulate  Commerce.  But  upon  receiving  the  news 
that  the  Continental  Congress  had  adopted  the  Resolves  of  the  C 
of  Suffolk,  they  had  suspended  any  further  Consider^  of  matters, 
referring  them  to  the  Discussion  of  the  Nation  : — or  to  this  Effect, 
as  we  have  it  in  the  prints.  This  shews  the  Impression  which 
American  News  received  before  the  Beginning  of  Nov.  had  been 
such,  as  to  produce  a  Conviction  of  the  Expediency  of  j-ielding  the 
capital  Demands  of  America.  The  Gov'  suggests  that  later  News 
had  altered  that  Conviction.  But  I  judge,  that  if  the  vScarborough 
News  made  them  think  of  giving  way — the  Necessity  would  appear 
stronger  afterwards. 

2S.  Wrote  a  Letter  to  my  Uncle  Eldad  Taylor  Esq  of  Westfield. 
Heard  of  the  Death  of  Madam  Raynolds  of  Enfield  ni}-  Kinswoman.' 
There  is  a  flying  Report  in  Town,  that  upon  the  Petition  of  a  Num- 
ber of  men  at  Marshfield,  the  Connexion  of  M""  Thomas  of  that 
place  one  of  the  Mandamus  Councellors,  Gen.  Gage  has  sent  thither 
by  Water  a  Body  of  Troops.  But  it  is  dubious.  Reading  much  in 
Vitringa. 

29.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  i  Jno.  ii,  5,  &  published  a 
couple.     P.M.  Ps.  119,  132. 

30.  Reading  Alstedij  Chronologia.  The  South-Carolineans  have 
nobly  declined  using  the  Liberty  granted  them  b}-  the  Congress  of 
exporting  Rice.  And  have  resolved  to  instruct  their  Delegates  to 
the  next  Congress  accordingh".  This  is  a  Piece  of  true  Patriotism 
&  heroic  Selfdenial  for  the  public  good.  Our  news  from  London 
hitherto  is  only  to  the  15""  or  middle  of  November.  The  Caro- 
lineans  have  received  Letters  from  London  similar  to  Gov  Hutchin- 
sons  to  D""  Pemberton.    .   .    . 

31.  About  twenty  regular  Officers  attacked  the  Watch  in  Boston 
about  a  fortnight  ago  ;  there  w^as  a  Concourse  tho'  after  Ten 
o'clock  at  Night ;  Some  of  the  Officers  were  in  drink  &  ver}-  insult- 
ing &  warm  words  &  tumultuous  actions  took  place  so  that  there 
was  the  utmost  Danger  of  an  high  &  very  extensive  Tumult. — The 

'  ElizaVjeth,  widow  of  the  Rev.  Peter  Raynolds  (Harvard  1720),  and  consin 
of  Dr.  Stiles,  died  in  Enfield  on  Nov.  28,  1774.  Her  father,  a  half-brother  of 
Dr.  Stiles's  mother,  having  died  early,  she  was  brought  np  in  her  grandfather 
Taylor's  family  at  Westfield  as  an  adopted  daughter. 


JANUARY    28-31,    1775  513 

Justices  examined  the  matter,  when  it  appeared  to  have  begun  in 
the  disorderh^  Insolence  of  the  Soldiery — they  bound  over  half  a 
dozen  Officers  for  Trial  at  some  future  Court  of  Common  Law.  But 
it  will  not  be  presented  as  the  Courts  now  stand  least  it  should 
begin  a  precedent  of  Juries  on  the  new  Model. 

The  Marshfield  affair  is  true — about  120  Troops  having  been  sent 
thither.  But  the  Committee  at  Boston  have  written  thither  and  to 
all  the  surround''  Towns  beseeching  them  not  to  take  fire  &  withold 
all  Violence.  It  being  resolved  to  keep  all  still  &  bear  all  Insults 
till  news  from  the  Parliament.  A  Vessel  to  day  from  N  York  brings 
Letters  that  on  26""  Ins^  a  Motion  was  made  in  their  Assembly  now 
sitting  for  considering  the  Doings  of  the  Continental  Congress  ;  and 
it  passed  in  the  Negative.  The  Assembl}^  consists  of  31  Deputies, 
of  which  only  21  were  present,  the  others  not  arrived  in  the  City. 
Of  the  21  there  were  10  for  &  11  ag'  the  motion  or  rather  the  pre- 
vious Question,  whether  that  motion  shd  be  considered  noiv  ?  It  is 
the  usage  of  that  Assembly,  upon  every  Motion,  to  put  what  they 
call  the  previous  Question  viz  whether  it  shall  be  considered  7toiL' 
directly  or  hereafter  ?  &  oftentimes  when  once  deferred  it  is  never 
after  resumed,  tho'  it  ma}-.  However  the  Tories  are  highly  elated, 
&  laugh  &  sa}^  the  Snake  is  broken,  the  Union  of  the  Colonies  dis- 
solved, for  N  York  has  given  Way.' 

The  Truth  is  that  a  Majority  of  a  small  septennial  Assembly  is 
easih'  bought  up  b}-  a  Kings  Governor.  This  Assembly  is  effect- 
ually opposed  to  America.  But  their  Constituents  are  generally 
right.  The  pretext  ag'  consid-  the  Congress  is  because  the  N  Y 
Delegates  were  not  appointed  by  Assembly,  &  therefore  the  Assem- 
bly had  best  let  it  alone,  say  nothing  pro  nor  con.  But  the  real 
Reason  is  Court  Influence  &  Corruption.  For  in  so  important  a 
Cause  as  the  present,  Assemblies  give  Weight  by  approv^  the  Con- 
gress, e^'en  those  who  could  not  appoint  Delegates.  Hence  while 
N  York  Assem.  refused  to  approve,  yet  last  Week  N  Jerse}-  Assem- 
bly have  approved  the  Congress  unanimously.  This  Evening  I  held 
a  religious  Meeting  of  the  Negroes.  I  preached  on  i  Tim.  i,  15. 
[The  last  sermon  my  dear  Wife  ever  heard.] 

'  The  reference  is  to  the  symbol  displayed  about  this  date  at  the  head  of 
various  American  newspapers  (as  The  Massachusetts  Spy  and  Holt's  N.  Y. 
Journal),  consisting  of  successive  segments  of  the  body  of  a  snake  stamped 
with  the  initials  of  the  separate  Colonies  and  surmounted  by  the  legend  "Join 
or  Die." 

33 


514  DIARY    OF    KZRA    STILEvS 

February 

I.  This  Even^  monthly  meeting  of  the  married  pple.  at  Mr. 
Smiths.      I  preached  on  Titus  ii,  14. 

3.  My  Wife  is  very  sick.  May  the  great  God  prepare  us  for  all  the 
Events  of  his  holy  Providence.  This  Afternoon  the  Kings  speech 
came  to  town.  A  vessel  arrived  at  Marblehcad  29*"  Janry.  from 
Falmouth  in  P^ngland,  with  the  English  prints  to  the  12"'  of  Dec. 
ult.  The  Pari'  opened  30"'  Nov.  The  Kings  speech  is  short  but 
sanguinary  &  resolute.  Speaking  of  American  Affairs  he  says — 
"  ^■ou  may  depend  upon  my  firm  &  steadfast  Resolution,  to  with- 
stand every  Attempt  to  weaken  or  impair  the  supreme  Authority 
of  this  Legislature,  over  all  the  Dominions  of  ni}'  Crown  ;  the  main- 
tenance of  which  I  consider  as  essential  to  the  Dignity,  the  Safety, 
and  the  Welfare  of  the  British  Empire — ."'  Upon  this  the  .spirit  of 
the  pple,  instead  of  being  dampt,  rises  into  determinate  Resolution 
for  Resistance  <S:  the  last  appeal. 

4.  This  Afternoon  a  Boston  thursday  paper  came  to  Town. 
Another  Vessel  is  arrived  &  brings  news  to  18  Dec. — that  our  Cause 
seems  to  bear  a  l)etter  Aspect  in  Parliament  ;  and  that  Things  are 
taking  a  more  favorable  Turn — that  the  American  Cause  was  com- 
mitted to  a  Committee  of  Parliament  who  were  to  consider  all  the 
Papers  of  Information,  &  report — and  that  the  Pari'  was  adjourned 
to  21  Janry.:  that  several  Members  were  spirited  on  our  side — that 
Ld  Cavendish  had  chastised  Ld  North  for  his  Expression  last  year, 
that  he  would  not  desist  till  he  had  humbled  the  Americans  & 
bro't  them  to  his  feet — upon  which  Ed  North  palliated,  &  said  he 
meant  no  more,  than  to  bring  them  to  petition  in  a  regular  &  legal 
manner  for  Redress  of  Grievances  by  Petitions  of  the  several  Colony 
As.semblies  :  which  they  had  been  incessantly  doing  for  Years  in 
vain — that  however  the  Ministry  had  in  a  particular  Vote  264,  & 
the  Colonies  73  :  .so  that  the  Pari'  at  the  beginning  of  the  .session 
are  above  two  Thirds  [three  Quarters]  against  &  one  Third  [Quarter] 
for  America,  or  thereabouts.  Perhaps  we  ma\-  hereafter  have  Two 
Thirds  on  our  side  upon  a  full  State  &  Discussion  of  our  Cause  :  — 
That  the  Sea  P'orces  proposed  by  the  Min-  were  4000  less  this  than 
the  last  year,  which  Ed  Cavendish  or  M'  Hayly  remarked  was  a 
Contradiction  to  the  Kings  Speech. — That  the  Manufacturers  mur- 
mured &c  &c. 

5.  Ldsdy  A  M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  xvi,  11.  Publick  prayers 
desired  for  my  Wife  in  the  Congregation.     P.M.  Ps.  xcvii,  2. 


FEBRUARY    1-7,    1775 


515 


6.  My  Wife  very  sick.  A  Letter  from  London  Oct.  28  1774.  to 
a  Gentleman  in  Boston  says — "  Boston  is  now  the  Object  of  Atten- 
tion of  all  Ranks  of  pple.  You  have  obtained  the  Name  of  wise 
men,  may  yon  i)reserve  it  thro'  Ages  " — "  Popery  &  arbitrary  power 
seem  now  in  view  even  of  the  Lords  vSpiritual.  O  how  is  the  Chh 
fallen  !  I  belong  to  the  Chh  &  know  that  the  pure  Religion  &  good 
morals  of  Boston  ha\'e  drawn  upon  them  the  Envy  of  Persons  of  a 
very  different  Character.  The  Courtiers  here  cannot  contemplate 
with  Composure,  the  Blessings  civil  &  religious  enjoyed  in  your 
Country.  For  my  own  part,  I  esteem  Boston  the  Garden  of  the 
World. — Far,  very  far,  does  it  excel  London  in  point  of  Air  &  Situ- 
ation." 

In  the  Massachusetts  Spy  of  19"'  Janry.  ult.  We  have  the  state 
of  the  Siege  at  Boston.  "  There  are  at  this  time  in  Town  of  Bos- 
ton the  IV"^  V'  Xt''  XVIII^"  XXIII"  xxxviir^^  XLin" 
XL\TI''>  LII '  LIX"^  and  LXV"  Regiments  of  Foot :  two  Reg'^  of 
Marines,  and  two  Companies  of  his  Majestys  Royal  Artillery,  with 
Canon,  shells  &c.  &c.  &c.  and  another  Reg'  of  foot,  viz,  the  LXIV"' 
at  his  Majestys  Castle  William  ;  in  the  Whole  fourteen  Regiments, 
exclusive  of  the  Artillery. — The  Town  is  surrounded  with  Ships  of 
War."     Tot.  about  6000. 

In  the  several  Boston  prints  is  exhibited  a  curious  Dramatic  piece, 
in  which  the  Dramatic  Personge  are  as  follows,  to  which  I  here 
subjoyn  the  Names  they  denote. 


Ld  Chief  Just.  Hazlerod 

Judge  Meagre 

Brigadier  Hateall 

Hum  Humbug  Esq 

Sir  Sparrow  Spendall    . 

Hector  Mushroom — Col 

Beau  Trumps 

Dick,  the  pubHcau 

Simple  Sapling  Esq 

Monsieur  de  Francois 

Crusty  Crowbar  Esq 

Dupe.  Secry.  of  State 

Scriblerus  Fribble 

Comodore  Batteau 

Collateralis — a  new  made  Judge 


Peter  Oliver  Esq 
Foster  Hutchinson  Esq 
Brig.  Ruggles 

Sir  Wm.  Pepperel  als  Sparhawk 
Col.  Murray 

Nic"  Lechmere 
Ray  Thomas 

Col.  Edson 

Sam'  Sewal 
Com.  Loring 
Wm.  Brown  Esq. 


The  most  of  these  are  new  Councillors. 
7.   My  Wife  very  sick.     This  Morujng  I  recei\-ed  Letters  from 
Ezra  at  College  together  wnth  one  from  Rev''  M'  Whittelsey  of  N. 


5l6  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Haven — proposing-  that  Conntcticut  &  Jersey  should  withdraw 
Trade  from  the  Citj-  of  N  York,  because  that  Assembly  refuse  to 
accede  to  the  Congress  Resolutions.  The  Import''  from  G.  Brit,  to 
X  York  is  ^530,000  ster.  yearly  ;  which  supplies  or  is  consumed 
by  the  Province  of  N  York,  half  Jersey  &  half  Connecticutt. 
Connecticutt  onh'  take  off  ^100.000  ster.  annually  European  Goods 
from  the  York  Importers. 

8.  My  W^ife  \-ery  sick  :  the  fever  sensibly  checked  :  very  dan- 
gerous as  to  her  pulmonary  Complaints.  Towards  Eveng.  her 
Respiration  a  little  relieved — blessed  be  God  ! 

9.  My  Wife  dangerous  &  given  uj)  by  the  phN-sician,  Dr.  Bart- 
lett,  a  very  skilful  Man. 

10.  My  Wife  still  continues  a  Monument  of  Gods  sparing  Mercy 
hitherto  : — very  dangerous.    May  a  hoh-  Gd  prepare  us  for  all  events. 

iVr  Hopkins  returned  yesterda}'  from  Preston.  He  tells  me  that 
M'  Periam'  has  differ' d  &  parted  with  his  Chh  at  Alford— the  little 
flock  which  he  lately  persuaded  to  form  into  a  Chh  state  there.  He 
was  a  member  but  not  a  Pastor  of  that  Chh  of  perhaps  a  dozen 
Members.  He  refused  to  be  ordained  unless  they  would  have  a 
plurality  of  Elders.  He  lived  with  M""  Jos.  Gilbert  one  of  the 
Brethren,  but  they  differed  &  he  removed.  M'  G.  afterwards  went 
to  visit  him,  but  M""  Periam  shut  the  Door  upon  him,  calling  him 
the  Pope  as  ruling  the  Church.  I  saw  M''  Periam  at  N.  Haven  in 
Sept.  last  in  Comp'^  with  M""  West  &c.  Tho'  a  young  mercurial 
Man,  there  was  a  deep  &  solemn  Gravity  in  his  Face.  Now  he  has 
done  preaching,  is  removed  to  the  Nine  Partners  near  Sharon,  is 
gay  &  merry  as  a  Greek,  &  mightih^  carried  awa^^  with  learning 
to  sing,  &  talks  about  going  into  Trade.  D''  Bellamy  writes  that 
he  has  turned  out  either  a  high  Sandimanian  or  is  crazy  &  dis- 
tracted. Alas  I  the  poor  inihappy  Gentleman  is  smitten  in  the 
Intellect  !  He  is  full  of  Ingenuity,  Learning,  Virtue  &  Instability 
and  carries  the  seeds  of  a  flight}-  &  variable  Frenzy  in  his  animal 
Constitution,  which  will  be  e\'er  &  anon  breaking  out,  &  defeat  the 
Usefulness  of  perhaps  one  of  the  finest  Geniuses  in  America. 

The  Rev''  Job  vSwift'  of  was  last  Month  dismissed  by  an 

'Joseph  Periam  (Princeton  Coll.  1762)  was  licensed  to  preach  in  1774  by  the 
New  York  Presbytery.  After  leaving  Alford  (Berkshire  Connty,  Mass.)  he 
returned  to  New  Jersey  and  died  in  1780. 

•A  graduate  of  Yale  in  1765  ;  settled  in  Richmond,  Berkshire  County,  Mass., 
in  1769,  and  dismissed  on  Dec.  27,  1774. 


FEBRUARY    S-l6,    1775  517 

Eccl.  Council.  He  is  one  of  the  New  I)i\init>-  Connexion.  His 
pple  accused  him  of  Heresy  of  that  kind,  and  of  their  own  accord 
voted  him  a  Dismission  both  in  Chh  «&  Congregation  by  a  very 
great  Majority.  It  is  said  that  if  a  Minister  be  di.smissed  in  Massa- 
chusetts without  Advice  of  Council,  &  against  liis  Consent,  he  can 
legall>-  claim  his  Salary  according  to  Mass.  Laws.  This  Interpreta- 
tion of  the  Statute  is  dis]nited  &  litigated,  &  has  not  been  judicially 
determined  in  the  Courts  of  L,aw.  M'  Swift  said  his  Dismission 
was  irregular — that  it  was  a  Reflexion  on  his  Character — &  that 
he  would  not  con.sider  himself  dismissed  without  calling  in  an 
Ecclesiastical  Council.  This  was  lately  called  &  examined  the 
Accus'  of  Heresy.  They  found  &  declared  him  orthodox  in  the 
Faith — that  however  some  of  his  Expressions  had  l^een  impudent 
&  having  a  seeminglj^  different  Aspect — &  advised  a  Dismission — & 
accordingly  M''  Swift  w-as  dismissed. 

The  day  before  yesterday  a  vessel  from  N.  York  bro't  a  print 
with  an  account,  that  the  first  of  this  Month  a  Merchant  Ship 
arrived  there  with  Goods  from  England  ;  upon  which  the  Com- 
mittee of  Correspond,  agreeable  to  the  Continental  Congress  resolved 
vshe  should  not  land,  but  be  sent  back  with  her  Cargo  to  London 
unshipt  ;  which  was  done. 

This  da}-  1757  I  and  my  Wife  were  married.  She  has  been  a 
great  Blessing  to  me  ;  may  the  blessed  God  continue  her  a  Blessing. 

11.  My  wife  very  ill. 

12.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  preached  on  i  Thess.  iii,  13,  and  P  M.  on 
Ps.  cxix,  4,  5. 

13.  My  Wife  has  had  a  more  comfortable  Day.  And  we  begin 
to  be  encouraged.  The  good  Lord  fill  us  with  Gratitude  &  grant 
us  his  Salvation. 

14.  M}-  Wife  apparently  better.  At  IX  o' Clock  this  forenoon 
Ezra  came  home  from  College  to  see  his  Mother.  He  left  New 
Haven  Saturday  P.M. 

15.  Yesterday  four  Military  Companies  mu.stered  in  this  Town 
for  Exercise.  We  are  still  encouraged  respecting  my  Wife.  Read- 
Whitefields  Dissertation  on  the  Hebrew  Points. 

16.  Writing  a  Letter  to  M""  Tutor  Lewis  of  Yale  College  on  the 
Antiquity  of  the  Points.' The  more  I  consider  the  subject, 

1  Dr.  Stiles  has  preserved  a  copy  of  this  letter.  A  part  of  the  first  paragraph, 
apparently  in  reply  to  some  remarks  concerning  the  College  course  of  study, 
is  interesting  : — 


5l8  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

the  more  I  am  inclined  to  judge  the  Points  coeval  with  the  Hebrew 
Language. 

17.  Certain  Ace'  that  the  Ship  is  sent  back  from  N.  York. 

18.  Reading  Buxtorf  s  Clavis  Masoreticus,  &  Aben  Ezra,  Jarchi, 
&c. 

19.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Mat.  vii,  21.  P.M.  Luke  xvii, 
10.  Took  Consent  of  my  Church  that  M""""  Green  of  Warwick, 
wliom  I  baptized  there  last  Summer,'  that  she  might  partake  of  the 
Lds  Supper  with  us  occasionalh*,  tho'  not  a  Member  of  this  or  any 
particular  Chh,  yet  a  Member  of  the  Chh  catholic.  My  Chh  con- 
.sented  freelw 

20.  "The  first  Inst,  was  performed  in  the  i"""  parish  of  Rowle}', 
the  Ordin-'  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Seth  Noble'  to  the  pa.storal  Care  of  the 
Chh.  (S:  Congreg'''  in  Mmigreville,  on  the  River  St.  John  in  Nova 
Scotia,  by  a  Council  of  Chhs.  convened  for  the  Purpose  .  .  The 
Rev.  Mr.  Oliver  Noble  of  Newbury  made  the  first  pra3-er  &  then 
preached  on  i  Tim"  iii,  i.  The  Rev.  Mr.  Cleaveland  of  Ipswitch 
(laying  on  hands  with  the  Rev''  Mr.  Leslie  of  Linebrook  &  the 
Reyd  ]\Xj-  Xoble  of  Newbury)  solemnized  the  Ordination  by  Prayer 
&  giving  the  Charge  ;  then  Mr.  Leslie  prayed  &  gave  the  Rt  Hand 
of  Fellowship  ;  cS:  the  whole  was  concluded  by  singing  Gods  praise 
&  a  ble.ssing  pronounced  by  the  new  Pastor."  ^ 

The  lower  branches  of  polite  Literature  I  have  an  indifferent  Opinion  of  ; 
such  as  Poetry,  the  dramatic  Writings,  and  the  profusion  of  modern  Novels, 
which  too  much  engage  the  Attention  even  of  men  of  Letters.  But  you  will 
not  from  hence  conceive  that  I  disapprove  of  the  higher  &  more  valuable 
Branches  of  the  belles  Lettres,  such  as  Geography,  History,  Speaking,  &  accu- 
rate Composition  in  the  English  Language.  In  these,  Scholars  have  been  too 
deficient.  I  intirely  agree  with  j'ou  particularly  in  the  importance  of  cultivat- 
ing the  English  Language  with  a  granmiatical  Accuracy.  I  have  no  great  opin- 
ion of  Logic.  But  the  Classics,  Mathematics,  Philosophy,  Astronomy,  Theol- 
ogy, &  a  general  knowledge  of  the  Nature  of  Government,  &  the  different 
Policies  in  all  the  Kingdoms  &  Empires  on  Earth,  together  with  a  summary 
View  of  Ecclesiastical  History  for  the  two  periods,  of  the  three  first  ages  and 
the  Reformation,  as  also  a  summar}-  Idea  of  the  pontificial  System — compose 
the  grand  Object  of  Academical  Erudition.  To  this  I  think  it  of  importance 
to  add,  a  thorough  knowledge  of  the  Geography,  &  Policies  both  civil  &  religi- 
ous, of  the  several  English  Colonies  in  .\nierica. 

'  See  Diary,  July  27,  1774. 

*  Rev.  Seth  Noble,  from  Westfield,  Mass.,  was  afterwards  settled  in  Bangor, 
Me.,  and  elsewhere,  and  died  in  Ohio  in  1807.  Oliver  Noble  was  a  graduate  of 
Yale  in  1757,  John  Cleaveland  of  Yale  in  1745,  and  Oeorge  Lesslie  (pastor  of 
Linebrook  Society  in  Ipswich)  of  Harvard  in  1748. 


FEBRUARY    17-23,     1775  519 

21.  The  vShip  James,  Cap'  Watson  from  (jlas^^ow  arrived  at  N 
York  the  secoml  Ins',  being  the  day  after  the  Time  limited  by  the 
Congress.  Great  pains  were  taken  by  the  Tories  (S:  Crown  officers 
to  land  her  Goods.  The  People  rose  twice — the  Tories  from  2  to 
four  Hundred,  the  Whigs  from  four  to  five  thousand — the  Ship  was 
sent  off  by  the  Committee — the  Man  o'W\ar  stopt  her  ; — the  pple 
assembled  a  second  Time  &  visited  the  Cap'  of  the  Man  o' War,  the 
King  Fisher,  &  demanded  his  Reason  &  Auth^'  for  stopping  the 
Vessel — he  dismissed  the  Vessel  ;  and  on  the  12"'  Ins'  (after  ten 
da3'S  Contest)  that  ship  sailed  from  N  York  "  for  Jamaica,  without 
ever  entering  at  the  Customhouse  or  discharging  one  single  pack- 
age. She  was  attended  to  Sandy  Hook  by  a  N"  of  Gent,  from  our 
Committee,  who  waited  at  the  Hook  till  they  lost  Sight  of  her."  — 
' '  Every  Artifice  has  been  used  &  a  \^ariety  of  Manoevres  put  in 
practice,  by  a  set  of  ministerial  Hirelings  in  order  to  get  the  Cargo 
of  the  above  Ship  landed."  This  is  a  great  Defeat  :  &  shews  that 
the  Disposition  of  the  Body  of  the  pple  with  respect  to  the  public 
Cause  of  Liberty  is  not  to  be  learned  from  the  Votes  of  N  York 
venal  Assembly.  iVnother  Ship  is  expected  there  from  Europe  ; 
the  owners  of  which  have  given  orders  at  the  Hook  that  she  shall 
not  come  up,  but  go  off  from  this  Continent. 

Unexpectedly  the  Politics  of  Jamaica  are  altered  &  they  are 
coming  over  to  the  side  of  American  Liberty,  tho'  they  have  above 
Two  Hundred  Thousand  Negro  Slaves  on  that  Island.  ' '  The 
Assembh'  of  this  Island,  by  a  Majority  of  sixtcoi  to  Au/ie,  have 
passed  a  Memorial  to  his  Majesty,  &  have  petitioned  for  a  Repeal 
of  all  the  later  Acts  of  Parliam*  respecting  America."  It  was 
passed  about  Xtmas — &  was  to  be  sent  7"'  Janry.  I  have  read  it 
in  MS. — ■"  Your  petitioners  make  this  Claim  &  Demand  from  their 
Sovereign,  as  Guarantee  of  their  just  Rights,  on  the  Faith  &  Con- 
fidence of  w'^  they  have  settled,  &  continue  to  reside,  in  these 
distant  parts  of  the  Empire  :  That  no  Laws  shall  be  made,  & 
attempted  to  be  forced  upon  them,  injurious  to  their  Rights  as 
Colonists,  Englishmen  or  Britons."  This  is  noble  &  patriotic.  It 
conies  in  a  Letter  from  Jamaica  dated  i  Janry.  ult. 

22.  This  has  been  a  mild,  clear,  pleasant  Day.  No  snow  on  the 
Ground  here.  The  most  Summer  like  Day  known  here  in  the 
memory  of  Man.      Fahr.  Therm.  57  and  63  highest. 

23.  News  that  Quebec  have  drawn  a  Petition  &  Remonstrance  to 
the  King  against  the  Quebec  Bill  &  for  the  Repeal  of  that   ^:  the 


520 


DIARY   OF   EZRA   STILES 


several  obnoxious  Acts  of  Parliament  :  Also  that  another  Ship  is 
arrived  from  Engld  to  N  York  ;  &  that  the  owners  have  peaceably, 
agreed  that  she  shall  go  back  to  Hngld  without  unloading  here. 

The  Mass.  ^ro^•.  Congress  at  Cambridge  has  adjourned  on  i6*'' 
Ins'  to  22''  March,  then  to  meet  at  Concord  :  having  first  recom- 
mended a  general  Fast 

25.  The  Ministry  have  circulated  Notices  &  secret  Inform'  to 
their  Creatures  the  Governors  &c  that  Petitions  from  the  several 
Assemblies  for  Repeal  &c  would  be  heard  with  Acceptance.  They 
dont  chuse  to  consider  the  Congress  as  legal,  &  would  affect  to 
have  it  that  none  of  the  Parliamentary  Transactions  in  the  present 
Grand  Conflict  should  be  influenced  by  the  measures  &  Applic''  of 
the  Continental  Congress,  which  stands  upon  an  Origination  from 
the  pple,  which  Courtiers  &  Tories  would,  if  they  dare,  declare 
illegal  &  rebellious.  The  Gov''  of  N  Jersey  gave  assur-'  to  his 
Assembly  in  Janry.  last  that  their  separate  Petition,  disconnected 
from  the  Congress,  would  be  heard  :  the  Assembly  approved  the 
Congress,  but  replied — "  tho'  we  cannot  conceive  how  the  sepaiate 
Petition  of  one  Colony  is  more  likely  to  succeed  than  the  united 
petitions  of  all ;  yet  to  shew  our  Desire  to  promote  so  good  a 
purpose  by  every  proper  means,  we  shall  make  use  of  the  mode 
pointed  out  by  your  Excellency,  in  hopes  it  will  meet  with  that 
Attention,  which  j'ou  are  pleased  to  assure  us  will  be  paid  to 
the  Representatives  of  the  People." — Cortlandt  Skinner  Speaker. 
House  of  Assembly  Feb.  i,  1775. 

The  venal  Assembly  of  N.  York,  dictated  by  IJ-  Gov.  Coldeu  «& 
the  Ministry,  have  sent  a  Petition  to  the  King,  a  Memorial  to  the 
Lords,  &  a  Representatioji  &  Renioustrancc  to  the  Commons  of  G' 
Britain.  This  thej^  resolved  Janr}'.  31  ult.  I  expect  to  hear  that 
this  has  been  the  ministerial  Dictatiire  by  the  last  Packet  to  &  for 
all  the  Assemblies.  Hence  tlie  Jamaica  Petition,  first  having  per- 
mission from  the  Higher  Powers — Hence  the  Quebec  Petition— & 
N  York  Petition.  As  for  Jersey,  the  Gov''^  Reply  perhaps  will 
impede  that — He  saj's — "  It  is  besides  in  vain  now  to  argue  on  the 
subj',  as  you  have  with  a  most  uncommon  «&  unnecessary  precipi- 
tation, given  your  entire  Approb''  to  that  destructive  Mode  of  pro- 
ceed ■-',  w*-'  I  so  earnestly  warned  you  against.  Whether  after  such  a 
Resolution,  the  Petition  yon  mention  can  be  reasonably  expected  to  pro- 
duce any  good  Effect  &c."  Virginia  Assembly  is  now  sitting,  & 
perhaps  most  of  the  American  Assemblies  have  been  called  upon 


FEBRUARY    25-28,     1775  521 

for  separate  Petitions  to  the  Crown  ;  it  is  certain  some  two  have 
been  called  on  with  Assiir'  of  Success.  Now  for  what  Reason, 
should  the  Min>'  dictate  tS:  encourage  this  new  Mode  of  Petition 
from  the  Assemblies? — was  it  because  they  foresaw  that  they 
should  be  necessitated  to  give  up  the  Conflict  ?  or  to  get  us  to 
quarrelling  about  the  Mode  of  Applic-'  for  Redress  of  Grievances — 
and  in  this  Quarrel  to  loose  the  prosecution  of  the  grand  Object  of 
our  united  Endeavours  the  Res/oiafion  and  Preservation  of  American 
Liberty  ?  Is  it  not  an  Insult,  impl3-ing  that  America  had  not  used 
this  regular  Mode  for  Redress  ? — when  in  Fact  the  Assemblies 
have  been  petitioning,  &  petition:'  «&  petitioii'  again  &  again  for  nine 
3' ears  past ;  &  their  Petitions  been  treated  even  by  the  Sovereign, 
not  merely  with  Ahglect,  but  with  Marks  of  Royal  Aversion, 
Despication  &  Contempt.  And  yet  now  the  Ministry  &  their 
Hirelings  &  Banditti  ask  us,  forsooth,  why  the  Assemblies  dont 
petition  ;  that  it  cannot  be  expected  that  the  King  will  hear  the 
Petitions  of  Mobs  &  Co7igresses  illegal  &  irregular  Assemblies  ;  but 
ask  in  a  legal  manner  by  the  Assemblies,  &  vou  shall  assuredly'  be 
heard.  But  the  King  must  know,  the  British  Pari'  nuist  know, 
for  the  World  will  know  it,  that  the  American  Continental  Con- 
gress of  Sept.  last  was  a  regular  legal  patriotic  Body,  wherein 
Two  millions  were  as  justly  and  truly  Represented  as  ever  any 
Body  of  Mankind  were  before — -»&  that  the  Mode  of  their  Eleetio)i  by 
a  patriotic  spontaneous  selforigination  from  the  People  is  defenci- 
ble  on  the  first  Principles  of  Society  &  the  English  Constitution,  & 
justifiable  &  glorious  on  the  principles  of  the  Law  of  Nature  & 
Nations  &  the  finest  Reasonings  of  the  Jus  civile.  It  is  more  over 
exemplary.  It  holds  up  Light  to  Engld,  to  Europe,  to  the  World, 
to  shew  to  all  the  enslaved  Empires  around  the  Globe,  How  they 
may  put  their  Lives  in  their  Hands,  cS:  from  orderly  &  regular 
Congresses  for  Petitions  to  Tyrants  the  Higher  Powers,  rise  into 
a  System  of  irresistable  Vindication  &  Liberty. 

26.  Lordsday.  A  INI.  I  preached  on  Heb.  vii,  9,  and  P  M  on  2 
Cor.  i,  12,  and  propounded  my  Negro  Servant  Newport'  to  be 
admitted  into  full  Communion  in  the  Church.  Read  sundry  of 
Dr.  Pemberton's  Sermons  on  Salvation  hy  Grace. 

27.  The  Canadians  have  petitioned  the  King. 

28.  A  Magazine  is  forming  at  Worcester. 

^Bought  for  Dr.  vStiles  at  Cape  Mount  on  the  coast  of  Guinea  in  1757  (when 
supposed  to  be  about  11  years  old),  in  exchange  for  a  hogshead  of  whisky. 


522  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

March. 

I.  Today  our  son  Ezra  sat  out  on  his  Return  to  Yale  College  ; 
my  Wife  being  better 

3.  At  IV'  P.M.  I  preached  ni}^  Sacramental  Lecture  from  2  Pet. 
i.  10,  II.     [27  canon  removed  at  vSalem.] 

4.  For  two  daj-s  past  have  had  a  Report  concerning  an  Affair  at 
Salem. 

5.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Gal.  ii,  20,  and  administered 
the  Lords  Supper  to  58  Communicants.  P  M.  2  Pet.  iii,  ult.  My 
Wife  grows  worse  again.     Reading  Minutius  Fa-Iix,  his  Odavius. 

7.  Last  Ldsdy  a  vessel  arrived  here  from  the  \^inyard,  the 
Captain  of  which  told  that  a  vessel  had  just  arrived  at  the  Vinj^d 
from  Eustatia  in  18  days,  with  news  that  the  Parliament  was  dis- 
solved ;  the  ace"  of  which  was  brot  by  a  Vessel  in  28  days  from 
Engld  to  Eustatia.  The  Cap*^  of  the  Coaster  received  it  from  the 
Mouth  of  the  Eustatia  Captain.  The  same  day  the  same  ace"  was 
brot  here  by  a  Man  from  Dartmouth.  It  was  doubted  as  being 
incredible  or  impossible.  Yesterday  a  Gentleman  came  here,  Via 
Providence  from  Boston,  who  asserted  that  he  dined  at  Boston  last 
friday  with  the  Captain  of  &c  who  came  passenger  in  a  Vessel 
from  Bristol  in  Engld  to  the  Vinyard  in  about  30  da)^s,  who  told 
him,  that  the  Report  in  Bristol  was  that  the  ParP  House  had  been 
surrounded  by  40  or  50  Thousd,  demanding  a  Redress  of  Griev- 
ances, which  the  ParP  promised  should  be  done  in  a  few  da^^s. 
But  the  Boston  prints  of  Monday  last  or  yesterday,  coming  b}^  the 
post  to  day,  mention  nothing  of  the  matter.  [We  had  the  same 
Story  of  a  Dissolu.  of  ParP  by  a  Vessel  from  Barbados  March  12. 
But  it  is  onh'  an  Adjourn'  of  Pf.rP.] 

On  Ldsdy  Morng.  25.  ult.  the  Reg*^  at  Castle  William  of  240  Men 
embarked  on  board  a  Tran.sport  on  a  secret  Expedition  ;  and  at  III 
P  M.  (while  the  Congregations  were  at  pub.  Worship)  landed  at 
Marblehead,  &  march  5  miles  around  to  Salem  to  seize  some  Ord- 
nance &c.  Instance  Notice  being  sent,  the  pple  at  Salem  removed 
the  Canon  over  a  Bridge.  The  Troops  under  Col.  Leslie  arrived 
at  the  Bridge,  which  a  Draw  Bridge  not  far  from  the  N"  or  young 
yV  Barnards  Meetinghouse.  The  provincial  Col.  Pickering  mus- 
tered between  30  &  40  under  Arms  on  the  other  side  of  the  Bridge 
&  drew  up  the  Bridge.  A  vast  Multitude  was  convened,  and 
Alarm  Guns  fired  continually.  Col.  Leslie  find*-'  the  Bridge  drawn, 
ordered  his  Men  to  face,  seeming  to  intend  to  fire  on  those  on  the 


MARCH    I- 


/? 


75 


523 


other  side.  The  Men  did  not  face.  At  length  he  ordered  his  men 
to  put  off  two  Gundalo.s — but  the  Salemites  in.stantly  skuttled 
them.  The  Soldiers  prickt  them  with  Bayonets  &c.  At  this  Inst 
the  Rev.  M''  Barnard  jun.  stept  up  to  Col.  Leslie  ;  complained  that 
his  soldiers  abused  our  pple,  told  him  they  wer  the  Aggressors,  & 
beged  him  not  to  fire,  for  that  if  they  did  they  would  all  be  cut  off. 
Leslie  kept  his  Troops  at  the  Bridge  an   hour  &  half : — at  length 


[Copy  of  Sketch  by  Dr.  Stiles.] 


Col.  Leslie  pledged  his  honor  that  if  they  would  let  down  the 
Bridge  he  would  march  but  thirty  rods  over  it  &  return  without 
doing  any  Thing  further.  The  Line  was  markt,  and  Col.  Picker- 
ing with  his  40  brave  heroes  (like  Leonidas  at  Thermopylae)  faced 
the  Kings  Troops,  risked  Col.  Leslies  Honor ;  the  Bridge  was  let 
down,  Leslie  marched  over,  &  while  some  were  on  the  bridge  «S: 
other  on  this  side,  he  halted,  ordered  them  to  face  about,  &  so  the}^ 
marched  back,  returned  to  Marblehed,  &  embarked  that  night  for 


0 


24  DIARY    OP^    EZRA    vSTlLHvS 


Castle  William,  without  the  Canon  which  thej'  went  after.  The 
Coiintr}-  was  alarmed,  the  News  flew  like  I^ightning,  they  marched 
from  Haveril  «S:c  "and  one  comp''  arrived  in  Arms  from  Danvers 
just  as  the  Troops  left  the  Town."  Thus  inglorious  was  the 
Excursion  and  Retreat  of  the  Kings  Troops.  It  was  not  known  at 
Boston  that  the  Stupidity  of  Gen.  Gage  had  left  the  Castle  defence- 
less, for  no  more  than  15  were  left  to  keep  Garison  and  they  kept 
the  Milk  Man  who  supplied  the  Castle  with  Milk,  &  would  not 
suffer  hini  to  go  off  Castle  Isld  till  the  Troops  returned  :  Thus 
was  Gen.  Gage  most  shamefully  out-generalled — he  sent  out  a 
Regiment  to  surprize  &  seize  the  Salem  Ordinance  ;  but  they  not 
only  returned  without  it,  but  with  Circumstances  of  Repulse 
derogatory  to  the  Honor  of  Soldiers,  besides  hazarding  a  Trial  in 
which  they  might  have  been  swallowed  up  by  the  Thousds  which 
would  have  soon  appeared  in  Arms. 

8.  In  the  Even-  attended  the  M"  Meeting  at  Sqr.  Pitmans  &  I 
preached  on  Col.  i,  10. 

9.  In  comp-'  with  Cap'  Romans  who  is  publishing  a-Volume  of 
American  Natural  Hist-  with  Charts.' 

10.  Cap'  Romans  visited  me.  Conversed  largel)^  on  the  Indians, 
their  Origin,  and  Customs.  Examined  Plato's  Critias,  Diodorus 
Siculus,  &c  for  the  History  of  the  Isld  of  Atlas.  He  has  travelled 
among  all  the  Indians  from  Eabradore  to  Panama.  The  Indian 
Tribes  in  New  Spain  are  most  numerous  ;  but  he  saw  none  that  he 
estimated  to  have  above  Ten  to  Twenty  Thousd  Men.  He  esti- 
mated the  Total  of  Souls  Indians  between  Mississippi  &  the 
Atlantic,  &  from  Florida  to  the  Poles  to  be  fewer  than  One  hun- 
dred Thousd  vSouls. 

Cherokees      ....  1000  fencible  Men. 

Chauktaws     ....  5000 

Creeks  lower       .      .      .  11 60) 

Do     upper      .     .     .  1 200 ) 

Chickesaws    ....  250 
Catawbas       ....  50 

1 1 .  The  second  Ship  is  sailed  back  from  N  York  for  England — 
the  fir.st  sailed  for  Jamaica  the  second  sailed  for  Engld  laden  with 
English  Goods,  without  unload-  any  of  her  Cargo  at  N  York.    .  .  . 

'  A  Concise  Natural  History  of  East  and  West  Florida,  by  Captain  Bernard 
Romans,  was  published  at  New  York  in  1775. 


MARCH    8-15,    1775  525 

12.  Ldsday.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Rev.  iii,  10,  and  P.M  on  Ps. 
cxix,  4,  5,  and  baptized  an  Infant  of  M'  Newtons,  by  the  name  of 
Elizabeth  Eaton  ;  also  baptized  my  Negro  Man  AW'/)or/ ( zet.  27, 
nearly)  and  admitted  him  into  full  Communion  with  the  Church. 
Notified  the  Fast  next  Thursday.  Reading  that  eminent  Divine 
(who  formed  so  many  of  the  first  New  Engld  Ministers)  M'  Wil- 
liam Perkins  of  the  Univ-  of  Cambridge  in  Engld,  his  Treatise  on 
the  Creed.     A  most  excellent  Divine. 

13.  M'  Romans  visited  me.  He  tells  me  the  Esquimaux  or  Lab- 
radore  Indians  differ  from  others  in  i.  Their  Complexion  being 
whiter  than  others.  2.  Their  Hair  not  strait  <S:  black,  but  some- 
what curled  &  of  a  dusky  or  reddish  Hue.  3.  They  have  Beards 
&  these  pretty  large. 

The  Ship  Beulah,  which  lately  arrived  at  N  York  from  Engld, 
wath  a  Cargo  of  Goods  prohibited  by  the  Congress,  was  obliged  to 
depart  again  with  all  her  goods.  She  sailed  back  again  from  New 
York  for  Europe  [Hallifax]  Tuesday  7"'  In.stant.  Great  were  the 
Exertions  of  the  Tories  at  N  York  to  retain  &  unlaid  her  ;  &  also 
to  obstruct  the  Chusing  of  Delegates  for  the  next  Continental  Con- 
gress— but  with  an  intire  Defeat 

14.  Militar}^  Exercise  universal  thro'  New  Engld.  Connecticutt 
Assembly  about  raising  &  equipping  Ten  Thousd  Men  for  the 
Field — these  to  be  Men  from  20  to  set.  30,  &  not  above.  But 
Everywhere  thro'  the  Country  Men  aet.  60  take  their  places  in  the 
Ranks  &  assiduous!}'  learning  the  Exercise 

The  B"  prints  of  last  Monday  mention  sundry  Reports  of  the 
Dissolution  of  Pari' — but  not  credited.  The  Marshfield  Tories 
have  addressed  Gen.  Gage,  and  a  number  of  the  Inhabitants  pro- 
tested against  it.  The  Troops  at  Boston  verj^  sickly.  Yesterday 
Se'nnight  Dr.  Warren  pronounced  the  Oration  in  the  Old  South 
Meetghou.se  on  the  Anniversary  of  the  Massacre  the  5th  of  March. 

15.  This  Evens  M"  Chh.  Meeting  at  Si.ster  Sayers  :  I  preached 
on  Ps.  cxlv,  17-19 

This  Morning  arrived  here  a  Vessel  from  N  York  with  last 
Mondays  paper  ;  which  contains  an  Ace"  of  the  Arrival  there  of 
the  Packet  &  another  Ship  from  Eugid,  with  news  from  London  to 
i4janry.  The  Address  or  Petition  of  the  Continental  Congress 
was  presented  to  the  King  on  Dec.  31  or  on  New  Years  Day,  & 
received,  &  is  to  be  laid  before  ParP  which  was  adjourned  to  21 
Janry.     It  is  spoken   of  as   moderate   &   nothing  said  against  it. 


526  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

The  Extracts  of  the  Resolves  of  Congress  were  printed  in  I,ondou 
&  dispersing  thro'  the  Kingdom  with  good  Acceptance.  The 
London  Merchants  in  the  American  Trade  were  assembled,  & 
designated  particular  persons  as  commercial  Representatives  for 
each  of  the  several  Colonies  ;  &  agreed  to  petition  the  ParP  for  the 
Repeal  of  the  Acts  against  America.  Bristol  had  done  the  same  ; 
&  Petitions  were  procure  from  all  the  Manufacturing  Towns  thro' 
the  Kingdom.  The  West  India  Merch'"  had  appointed  a  Meet'''  for 
the  same  purpose — but  the  West  India  Planters  in  London  desired 
them  to  put  it  off  to  a  day,  when  they  would  jo3'n  them,  &  form  a 
Body  of  Planters  »S:  Merchants  to  petition  as  a  distinct  Body  to 
represent  the  West  Indies,  as  they  were  greatly  alarmed  with  the 
Danger  with  which  the  Resolutions  of  the  Continent  might  affect 
the  W.  Ind.  Plantations,  which  they  are  sensible  cant  subsist  with- 
out the  Continental  Trade.  Ld  Chatham  (M'  Pitt)  is  highly 
pleased,  saying  that  he  wanted  Words  to  express  the  satisfaction 
he  had  in  read^'  the  Doings  of  the  American  Congress — that  he  did 
not  believe  that  there  were  52  such  Men  of  superior  Wisdom  to  be 
found  in  the  Universe  as  were  those  of  the  Congress — &  finally 
that  they  must  have  been  inspired  from  Heaven. 

About  the  4'*'  or  5"'  of  Janry.  Ld  North  told  the  Merch*'^  that  the 
assembling  of  the  Merch'*  &  these  Motions  for  petitioning  for  the 
Repeal  of  the  American  Laws,  was  far  from  disagreeable  to  him  ; 
&  that  he  wished  to  have  all  the  Inform-'  possible  laid  before  the 
Parliament. 

So  that  upon  the  whole,  Things  seem  to  be  taking  a  favorable 
Turn  at  home.  The  King  has  been  studying  the  American  Prints 
6c  Letters  all  Winter,  &  noting  remarkable  Passages.  The  Letters 
give  assurance  that  the  Ministry  cannot  carry  their  Schemes,  & 
that  the  Acts  must  and  will  be  repealed.  I  have  not  perceived  anj^ 
Reflexions  upon  the  Congress  as  illegal.  On  the  contrarj^  it  has 
acquired  great  Reputation  for  Wisdom.  The  News  is  highly  agree- 
able to  the  Friends  of  Liberty  in  Newport :  but  the  Tories  are 
struck  up  cv:  amazingly  dejected,  as  they  begin  to  dispair  of  carry- 
ing their  villainous  System  of  Revenues  &  Domination.  How 
wonderful  is  the  overruling  Providence  of  God  ! 

1 6.  This  being  a  day  of  Fasting  &  Prayer  appointed  by  the  Massa- 
chusetts Provincial  Congress  to  be  observed  thro'  that  Province,  our 
two  Congregational  Chhs  in  Newport  observed  it.  A.M.  I  preached 
on  Isai.  v,  4,  and  P.M.  Joel  ii,  12,   13.     We  had  a  Contribution  for 


MARCH    1 6-1 8,    1775  527 

the  poor.  Reading  President  Oaks'  Artillery  Sermon  1672.  And 
some  others  of  the  Fathers  of  our  Chhs.  the  last  Centur3^ 

17 By  the  Western  post  this  day  there  came  a  Letter 

to  Gov.  Wanton  &  this  Colony  from  Ld  Dartmouth  Secretary  of 
State,  dated  4*''  Janry.  He  calls  the  Continental  Congress  an 
Illegal  Assembly — &  by  the  Kings  Order  enjoyns  it  upon  the  Gov- 
ernor to  prevent  our  Assembly  from  electing  Delegates  to  the  next 
Congress  in  May  next,  &  to  prevent  their  going  if  elected.  Hereby 
the  King  disgusts  above  Two  Million  Subjects,  who  will  as  a  Body 
pay  no  regard  to  any  such  Prohibition.  Again  this  shews  that  it 
is  the  plan  of  the  Ministry  &  Pari'  that  their  Transactions  shall 
not  be  founded  on  the  Petition  of  the  Congress  to  the  King,  but 
on  the  Petitions  of  the  British  Merchants  &  perhaps  two  or  three 
American  Assemblies  petitioning  separately.  It  is  immaterial  to 
us,  on  what  principles  the  Repeal  is  to  be  founded,  if  done.  But 
a  wise  Prince  would  judge  it  of  Importance,  by  unnecessarily 
increasing  the  Disaffection  of  his  Subjects,  to  incur  [insure]  the 
Hazard  of  a  total  &  irreconcileable  Alienation  of  their  Affections. 

18.  The  Celebration  of  this  anniversary  designedly  neglected 
here  this  day,  as  we  have  found  the  Repeal  of  the  Stamp  Act 
1766  was  not  done  on  generous  fraternal  principles,  as  America  at 
first  conceived  :  No  Flag  on  the  Tree  of  Liberty,  nor  any  other 
Demonstrations  of  Joy.  A  few  Boys  jingled  the  Bells  a  little,  but 
were  soon  stopt. 

The  Speaker  of  our  Assembly  received  a  Letter  signed  by  3 
Colony  Agents  in  London  D'  Franklin,  M""  Bollan,  &  M-"  Lee, 
dated  24'^  Dec.  in  which  they  say  that  the  Petition  was  that  day 
presented  by  Ld  Dartmouth  to  the  King,  &  that  it  was  received 
very  graciously,  &  the  King  said  it  contained  Matters  of  great 
Moment,  &  that  he  would  lay  it  before  both  Houses  of  Parliament. 
This  seems  a  little  inconsistent  with  Ld  Dartm°  Letter  to  the  Gov- 
ernor. This  Afternoon  there  is  News  from  N  York  that  there  has 
been  a  thoro'  Trial  of  the  Tory  &  Liberty  Interests  there,  at  a  Poll 
for  Delegates  to  a  Provincial  Congress  [held  15  Inst] — in  the  Poll 
the  Tories  appeared  to  be  about  163 — the  Whigs  825 — or  as  is  said 
5  Whigs  to  a  Tory  &  10  over.  A  vessel  this  day  from  Virginia 
informs  that  the  Virginians  had  sent  a  Vessel  to  Old  France  which 
lately  returned  Laden  with  Powder,  Arms,-  Field  pieces  &  military 
stores— &  tho'  pursued  &  fired  at  by  the  Mano'War&her  Cutters, 
got  in  safe  to  Land. 


5 28  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

The  Regulars  at  Boston  on  8"'  Inst  seized  a  poor  Countr3nnau 
for  tampering  about  a  Gun,  &  Tarr' d  &  feathered  him.  A  Colonel 
at  the  Head  of  it.  But  the  Tories  &  Arm}'  are  greatly  ashamed 
of  it,  because  following  American  Example. 

19.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Col.  i,  21.  P.M.  on  Ps.  xciv, 
19.  Thus  I  have  preached  seven  Sermons  the  last  Eight  Days. 
Reading  Perkins'  Works  A",  first,  on  the  Creed. 

20.  Reading  much  in  Zohar.  This  Day  mj'  Wife  was  brought 
out  into  the  keeping  Room  where  she  has  not  been  since  ist  Febry. 
Deo  Grates  ! 

Rivingtons  Papers  says  in  a  Letter  from  Philad''  that  the  Friends 
of  Gov'  increase  in  Pensylv'*  very  fast — That  the  Body  of  Quakers, 
Germans  &  Bapihts  were  come  over  to  the  side  of  the  Ministry. 
And  tho'  there  is  a  mistake  here  as  to  the  Greatness  of  the  Success, 
yet  it  .shews  that  the  Ministry  have  endeavored  to  influence  the 
religious  .sects  as  such,  &  disconnect  them  from  the  Cau.se  of 
Liberty.  I  knew  this  was  the  case  before,  &  that  the}-  had  wro't 
with  considerable  Success  among  the  Quakers  &  Baptists.  But  in 
Answer  to  the  false  Accounts  of  the  lying  ministerial  Rivington,  a 
Letter  from  Philad''  27"'  Feb.  say.s — "We  have  all  the  Wealth, 
A'irtue  «&  Understand*^'  in  the  Province  on  the  side  of  Liberty.  I 
must  here  except  that  share  of  them  which  belong  to  the  Friends  : — 
but  even  this  Body  of  people  are  di\-ided,  many  of  them,  perhaps 
most  of  them,  disapprove  of  the  Testimony  which  was  pu]:)lished 
against  the  Proceed-^  of  the  Congress  :  it  was  agreed  upon  and 
written  at  a  Meeting  of  only  Tiventy-six  of  that  Society.  There 
are  but  8  or  10  avowed  Tories  in  our  City,  &c." 

21.  Pjy  the  Packet  lately  to  N.  York  the  London  News  comes 
down  to  1 1  Jany.     The  prospect  is  rather  favorable  for  America. 

23.  Reading  the  History  of  Hai  Ebn  Yohdhan,  written  in  Arabic 
by  Abu  Jaafar  Ebn  Tophail  about  A.D.  11 50. 

24 The  two  Murrays,  Owners  of  the  Ship  Beulah,  had 

unladen  a  ])art  of  the  Cargo  secretly  &  landed  it  at  Elizabeth  Town. 
Tlic  Committees  detected  the  fraud  &  Imposition,  as  the  public,  tho' 
the  .Ship  was  sent  back  without  break*-'  Bulk.  The  public  Resentm' 
6t  Vengeance  rose  against  the.se  eminent  Merchants.  They  found 
themselves  in  a  bad  state — made  a  Confession  of  the  whole  Matter 
{ before  the  Committees  had  really  gotten  the  Goods )  offered  to  send 
them  back,  &  give  ^200.  to  the  Rebuild-  the  N.  York  Hospital,  & 
any  other  Concessions  to  the  pub.  Acceptance.  The  Poll  of  15'" 
Ins'  is  important  &:  stood  thus. 


MARCH    19-APRIL    2,    1775 


529 


Out  Ward 

E.  D" 
S°  D" 
W.  D" 
Dock  D" 
Montgomery  D" 


For  the  Deputies 

Against  them 

66 

99 

36 

125 

22 

42 

23 

.       213 

23 

52 

32 

.        228 

27 

825 


163 


25.  Reading  Perkins  on  Creed,  a  most  excellent  Divine  ! 

26.  lydsd}'.  A.M.  I  preached  on  i  Cor.  vi,  20,  &  published  one 
Couple.     P.M.  on  2  Cor.  v,  6-9. 

27.  Attended  the  Finieral  of  M''  David  Lopez  who  died  yesterday- 
Morning  aet.  61,  and  was  this  day  at  Noon  buried  in  the  Jews 
Burying  Grotnid.  He  came  from  Portugal  a  few  years  ago,  & 
with  his  two  sons  was  circumcised,  having  been  ol)liged  to  live 
secreted  in  Portugal.      No  Mourning,  tho'  the  Family  wealthy. 

29.  The  Rev.  M'"  Gordon  of  Roxbury  here  on  a  Visit.  vSpent  the 
Eveng.  very  agreeably. 

30.  Wrote  Letters  to  D''  Chauncy  &  Professor  Wigglesworth. 
Reading  Perkins  on  Predestination.  Warm  Affairs  with  Col.  Gil- 
bert of  Freetow^n  who  has  procured  from  Gen.  Gage  56  small  Arms 
&  Amunition  &  raised  a  Comp^  of  102  IMen  against  our  Liberties. 
Also  at  N  York  warm  Dealings  with  Mess'^  Murrays  for  secreth' 
landing  Goods,  imported  in  the  Ship  Beulah.  M""  Gordon  tells  me 
that  there  are  but  about  &  not  more  than  4000  Troops  at  Boston  & 
the  Castle  :  &  that  several  Officers  have  rec''  Letters  from  London 
that  there  is  to  be  no  fighting  in  America. 

31.  It  has  been  a  very  severe  Winter  in  Europe,  more  so  than 
since  1740.  It  is  remarkable  that  in  America,  &  part^'  in  N.  Engld 
it  has  been  the  most  moderate  Winter  in  the  Memory  of  Man.  The 
Water  from  Chariest"  to  Boston  has  not  been  frozen  over  this  Win- 
ter, which  seldom  is  the  Case  thro'  a  whole  Winter.  The  Army 
have  been  in  great  Jeopardy  least  the  Country  should  rush  in  upon 
them  over  a  Bridge  of  Ice  :  and  since  the  Time  or  freezing  Season 
has  elapsed,  have  become  rather  more  insolent  than  before. 

April 

2.   Ldsdy.     A.M.   I  preached  on   Ps.    xxxii,    11,  and  P.M.  on 
Job  xiv,  10.     Examining  the  Rabbinical  Commentators  upon  the 
lesser  Prophets. 
34 


530  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

^.  This  clay  there  was  a  general  Muster  of  the  4  Companies  of 
the  Newport  Militia  &  the  Light  Infantry.  The  4  Companies  con- 
sisted of  about  230  Soldiers,  the  Light  Infantry  47.  vSo  there  were 
about  300  in  Arms.  M''  Att"  Gen.  Marchant  presented  the  Light 
Infantry  with  a  Pair  of  Colours,  delivering  an  hand.som  spirited 
Address  or  Oration  to  them  at  giving  the  Colours.  There  was 
a  vast  Concourse  of  pple.  The  Light  Infantry  made  a  fine 
Appearance,  &  performed  the  Exercise  and  Manoeuvres  with  a 
Dexterit}'  equal  to  any  Regulars.  They  gained  themselves  great 
Honor 

4 This  Afternoon  the  Post  comes  in  with  the  Boston 

Prints  of  yesterday.  On  Ld.sd}-  2'  Inst,  arrived  a  \'e.ssel  at  Mar- 
blehd  which  sailed  from  P'alm"  17"'  Feb.  &  brought  London  prints 
11"'  Febry.  In  the  Addresses  &  Answers  w*^  passed  between  the 
King  &  ParP  his  jSIajesty  assures  the  Pari',  that — "  he  was  deter- 
mined to  the  more  .speedy  &  effectual  Measures  for  the  support  of 
the  just  Rights  of  the  Crown  &  the  2  Houses  of  Pai'l'. — "  and  that 
they  ' '  ma>-  depend  upon  my  taking  the  most  speed\'  and  effectual 
ISIeasures  for  Ivnforcing  due  Obedience  to  the  Laws  &  Autliorit>'  of 
the  supreme  Legislature.  Whenever  any  of  my  Colonies  .shall  make 
a  proper  &  dutiful  Applic'\  I  .shall  be  ready  to  concur  with  yon  in 
ajfording  them  every  just  &  reasonable  Indulgence  ;  &  it  is  ni}- 
ardent  Wish,  that  this  Di.sposition  may  have  a  happy  Effect  on  the 
Temper  &  Conduct  of  my  Subjects  in  America." 

The  ParP  resolve — "the  Contumacy  &  Defiance  of  Legislative 
power  in  the  Americans  to  be  rebellions. ' '  This  News  elevates  the 
Tories  or  PViends  of  Government  :  and  is  di.sgustful  to  the  FViends 
of  America  ;  .some  timid  persons  are  depressed — but  in  general  the 
Friends  of  Liberty  are  hereby  exasperated  &  declare  themsehes 
ready  for  the  Combat,  &  nothing  is  now  talked  of  but  inunediateh 
forming  an  American  Army  at  Worcester  &  taking  the  F'^ield  with 
undaunted  Resolution. 

5.  A  Gentleman  came  out  of  Boston  yesterday  at  X''  A.M.  & 
arrived  at  Providence  last  Night.  And  by  a  Packet  from  Providence 
to  day,  we  are  informed  that  a  few  hours  before  the  above  Gent,  left 
B"  an  Express  from  vSalem  bro't  news  to  B"  that  on  Monday  last  a 
vessel  arrived  at  Salem,  &  brot  News  from  London  ten  days  later 
than  the  last  news — &:  that  Things  had  taken  a  new  Turn  in  ParP 
more  in  favor  of  America.  This  Eveng.  I  held  a  monthly  Meeting 
of  the  married  pj)le  of  \\\\  Congregation.      I  preached 

I 


APRIL    3-7,    1775  531 

On  the  23''  of  March  died  the  Rev''  John  Chipinan'  let.  .S5,  vSenior 
pastor  of  the  second  Chh  in  lieverly.  Also  the  Ins^  April  died 
Rev.  Jon^^  Bowman' set.  71,  at  Dorchester.  He  had  resigned  the 
Ministry-  there  I  think  last  year. 

6.  Yesterdays  News  not  credited.  This  Kven.^;.  I  preached  M'' 
Hopkins  lyccture  Levit.  26,  12. 

7.  Rivingtons  N  York  Gazetteer  30  March  contains  a  burlesque 
or  Satyrical  Account  of  the  Transactions  &  Resolutions  of  the 
Committee  of  Inspection  at  Newport  on  5th  March.  It  holds  up 
this  Idea  that  the  Design  of  the  present  Struggles  of  Patriotism 
are  to  elevate  the  Presbyterians  to  Supremacy  in  Gov',  &  their 
Intentions  to  oppress  &  subdue  the  Quakers,  Episcopalians  &  Bap- 
tists. It  is  to  alienate  these  3  sects  from  the  common  Cause,  by 
holding  up  Hanging  to  the  first,  &  Loss  of  their  College  to  the 
Baptists.  Their  Resolutions  are  fictitioush^  descriptive  of  some 
particular  Characters  in  Newport  both  of  the  Committee  &  others. 
Among  others,  it  is  said  they  have  respect  to  me,  particularly  in  the 
following. 

"  Resolved,  6^'''-  That  the  Baptists,  notwithstand-  all  their  fair 
pretenses,  are  at  best  but  Troublers  of  an  Israel  to  the  Common- 
wealth, of  which  they  have  shewn  themselves  inimical  b}'  their 
loud  Clamours  &  injurious  Remonstrances  &c —  :  and  as  some  of 
their  Leaders  have  had  the  consummate  Impude?ice  to  lay  be/ore  the 
Grand  Continental  Congress,  Complaints  of  the  Tyranny  of  the 
good  &  quiet  pple  of  the  Massach.  bay,  which  was  at  that  very 
Time  greviou.sly  suffering  on  Ace"  of  its  zeal  for  Ivibert3\  Resolved, 
That  We  will  henceforth  entertain  for  that  Sect,  no  greater  affec- 
tion than  the  Israelites  had  for  the  Children  of  Edom  ;  that  ive  will 
never  forget  nor  forgive  such  an  atrocious  Injury  ;  that  we  will  take 
hold  of  every  Occasion  to  repay  it  seven  fold  into  their  own  Bosoms  ; 
that  tve  will  extirpate  them  whenever  our  Republic  is  properl}-  con- 
firmed ;  &  that  in  the  mean  Time  we  will  vigorousl}'  exert  ourselves 
to  get  such  a  Majority  in  the  House  of  Assembly  next  Gen.  Elec- 
tion, as  will  transfer  the  Direction  of  their  College  at  Providence,  into 
the  Hands  of  much  fitter  Instructors  of  Youth,  the  Independants, 
that  herein  the  Saying  may  be  true.  One  soweth  &  another  reapeth. 

Resolved  7  "''•'■  That  the  present  Transh'  of  the   Bible  being  the 
Work  of  some  Highflying  priests,    the  Tools  of  Despotism  in  the 

1  Graduated  at  Harvard  171 1. 

-  Harvard  Coll.  1724.     Ordained  in  Dorchester,  Nov.  5,  1729. 


532  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILEvS 

arbitrar\-  Reign  of  James  I.  is  thence  deeply  tinged  with  the  most 
damnable  princi])les  of  Jacobitism,  <S:  contains  a  severer  Condemn^ 
of  our  present  glorious  struggles,  than  was  ever  disgorged  from  the 
diabolical  press  of  the  Paricide  Rivington.  Resolved,  therefore. 
That  that  pernicious  Book  shall  henceforth  be  utterly  abolished, 
and  that  the  good  pple  shall  confine  themselves  intirely  to  prayer, 
exhort',  and  singing  the  N  Engld  Psalms  in  all  their  private  & 
public  meetgs,  until  the  American  Transl'  be  published,  whereby 
even  the  weakest  will  be  able  to  see  how  grossly  they  have  been 
imposed  upon  in  the  Tory  TransP,  by  being  required  to  pa}'  to 
Kings,  &  all  that  are  in  Auth-  under  them  that  honor  &  submission 
which  are  only  due  to  Congresses,  Committees  &  Town  Meetings. 
Said  Transl''  is  kindly  undertaken  by  the  Rev.  and  learned  Doctor 
Magpie,  from  a  ver}-  antient  Syriac  Edition  of  the  Old  Testament, 
once  in  the  possession  of  the  celebrated  Rabbi  Aben  Ben  Ezra,  and 
from  the  Ocneva  Edition  of  the  New,  which  he  proposes  to  collate 
with  a  MvS  Copy  of  English,  prepared  for  the  Press  by  the  Rev. 
M'  Goodwin,  Chaplain  to  the  Lord  Protector  ;  which  valuable  Copy 
was  lately  stolen  out  of  the  closet  of  the  worthy  Chaplains  Grand 
daughter,  at  London,  by  a  celebrated  American  Patriot,  and  sent  to 
the  Doctor  as  a  Testimony  of  Respect  for  his  great  Abilities  dis- 
played in  calculating  accurately,  the  prodigious  Swarm  of  Inde- 
pendents that  will  cover  the  face  of  the  Western  W^orld  towards 
the  Close  of  the  9999.  To  the  above  Transl*  will  be  prefixed  a 
recommd-'  Preface  by  that  eminent  Ornament  of  the  Bar  Henr}- 
Bluster  Es(i.  our  late  faithful  Envo}-  extraord-'  at  the  Court  of  G. 
Britain  &  now  vSollicitor  to  the  worshipfull  Comp'^  of  Spies  & 
Informers. 

Resolved  11"''-'  That  the  Thanks  of  this  Committee  &c  be  pre- 
sented to  the  Rev'^  Doctor  Magpie  for  the  laudable  Example  he  has 
lately  set,  in  ceasing  to  pray  for  George  the  third." 

Remarks,  i.  The  persons  described  are  M'  W"  Eller}-,  M'  W" 
Vernon,  D'  Bartlett,  M""  Henry  Marchant.  M""  Henry  Sherburn  & 
myself  all  Congregationalists.  Besides  these,  two  more  but  neither 
Congregationalists,  one  originally  a  Baptist  the  other  educated  a 
Presb.  both  now  hav"  forsaken  all  religious  Worship  &  one  a  pro- 
fessed Deist,  but  both  high  sons  of  Liberty.  2.  It  is  circulated 
that  I  have  said  those  Things  of  the  Baptists  : — part  is  true  indeed — 
but  not  what  relates  to  taking  Providence  College  away,  or  extirpat- 
ing or  anyways  oppressing  them.     3.   Aben  Ben  Ezra  shews  Ignor- 


APRIL   8-14,    1775  533 

auce — Ben  &  Aben  are  the  same,  only  one  is  Heb.  the  other  Arabic. 
The  Rabbi  meant  is  not  Aben  the  son  of,  but  R.  Abraham  Bar  Meir 
Ben  Ezra,  or  abbreviately  R.  Aben  Ezra.  4.  That  I  have  ceased  to 
pray  for  the  King  &  Royal  Fani-  is  so  far  from  l)eing  true  that  I 
constantly  pray  pul)lickly  for  the  King  every  Eords  da>-  &  on  every 
public  Occasion. 

8.  A  Man  from  Norwich  \"'ia  N  London  tells  me  that  the  News 
of  Pari'  enforcing  their  Acts,  struck  a  great  Damp  on  the  people  at 
New  London. 

9.  Ldsd}'.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Micah  v,  4.  P  M.  2  Cor.  iii,  18, 
&  notified  Catechising  to  morrow  V'  P  M.     Reading  Perkins  Works. 

10.  Writing  Letters  to  England.  At  V'  catechised  21  Boys,  47 
Girls  &  9  Negroes. 

11.  Col.  Gilbert'  of  Freetown  has  fled  to  the  Man  o'War  in  this 
port.  Yesterday  above  a  Thousd  Men  assembled  in  Arms  at  Free- 
town to  lay  Col.  Gilbert  as  the}-  had  heard  he  had  risen  up  against 
his  Countr}-.  The}'  came  from  all  parts  round  as  far  as  Middleboro' 
Rochester  &c.  They  took  about  30  of  his  Men  &  disarmed  them, 
tho'  they  had  lately  taken  the  Kings  Arms. — The  Rev.  M'  West  of 
Dartm"  &  Rev''  Mr.  Helyer  of  Barnstable  here  on  a  Visit. 

12.  M''  West  all  day  examining  Texts  in  the  Pentateuch  & 
Prophets  in  the  Targum  of  Jonathan  &  Onkelos.  Chh  Meet^'  at 
Sister  Carrs,  I  preached 

13.  M''  West  tells  me  that  Elder  Cushman  of  his  Chh  died  about 
a  fortnight  ago.  With  him  I  suppose  will  end  the  Ruling  Elder- 
.ship  in  that  Church,  viz  the  Cong.  Chh  in  Dartmouth. 

14.  Some  of  Col.  Gilbert's  Men  it  is  said  seized  a  Soldier  of  the 
Regulars  a  Deserter  who  was  teaching  military  Exercise  at  Free- 
town, &  were  about  carrying  him  to  Gen.  Gage  at  Boston.  The 
Night  before  last  50  Men  marched  from  Dartmouth  to  joyn  a  large 
Body  wath  a  View  to  rescue  the  vSoldier.  By  a  Letter  from  Boston 
I  am  informed  that  pple  are  removing  out  of  B"  very  fast  :  and  that 
M''  Hancock  &  M'  Adams  in  particular,  who  are  at  the  Provincial 
Congress  now  sitting  at  Concord,  do  not  design  to  return  into  Bos- 
ton. The  Expect-'  of  more  Troops  will  cause  a  considerable  Evac- 
uation from  Boston.  The  Provincial  Congress  have  wrote  a  Letter 
to  Gov.  Wanton,  that  the}-  have  appointed  2  Delegates  from  the 
Congress  to  the  Rhode  Isld.  Assembly  next  Month,  then  to  lay 
before  them  the  Designs  &  Transactions  of  the  Congress. 

'  Thomas  Gilbert.     See  vSabine'.s  Aiiicr.  Loyalists,  i,  46S-72. 


534  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

1 6.  Ivclsdy  Rev.  Jii"  Martin  preached  for  me  all  day.  A.M.  from 
Numb,  xxiii,  lo.  P.M.  Ps.  Ixxxv,  9.  I  baptized  Oliver  Croniwel 
vSon  of  D""  John  Bartlett  &  Lucretia  his  Wife,  who  was  born  the 
.second  Instant.  I  also  propounded  Judith  a  Negro  vServant  for  full 
comnnniion.  M'  Martin  is  perhaps  fet.  24.  He  was  born  in  Ireld 
&  educated  at  a  Romish  Academy  or  Seminary  at  W.  Meath.  Tho' 
an  Episcopal  Protestant  he  became  a  Dissenter,  &  was  ordained  by 
M''  Ray  &  other  Pastors  of  the  Independ'  Association  in  the  N"  of 
Ireld  formed  since  1765 — contain*^  seven  Chhs  partly  of  Westleian 
(S:  ^^'hitf^eldian  Methodists,  i,  e.  chiefly  Presbyterians  as  to  Mode  of 
sitting  around  a  Table  at  Communion  yet  adopting  the  Independent 
I'sage  as  to  admissions  by  Votes  of  the  Brethren  &  by  written 
Relation  of  Experiences.  He  was  ordained  1771,  and  came  to  Nova 
Scotia  1772.  He  tells  me  that  he  is  personally-  acquainted  &  lodged 
with  the  Pretender  in  Ireld  1771  &  he  offered  him  to  be  one  of  his 
Chaplains  (as  he  has  4  Hugenot  Chaplains  at  Paris)  at  ^120.  ster 
vSalary  : — that  the  Pretender  is  jet.  55  circa  ;  &  travels  Incog,  thro' 
the  3  K"'^  every  two  years — &  draws  from  them  7  or  ^8000.  Sterl" 
per  ann. — and  that  the  Pretender  told  him  he  had  never  received 
the  Mass,  was  not  a  Papist,  but  a  Protestant. 

17.  Cap'  Hathaway  of  Freetown  Militia  being  in  Newport,  was 
this  day  seized  &  carried  aboard  the  Rose  Man  o"  War,  as  was  said, 
to  be  sent  to  Gen.  Gage  for  taking  away  the  Kings  Arras  from  Col. 
Gilberts  Men.  They  detained  him  about  Hours  &  dismissed 
him.  He  is  about  commencing  an  Action  against  the  Officers  of  the 
Rose  for  false  Impri.sonment. 

18.  Vessels  arrived  at  Boston  advise  that  three  Reg'*  of  P'oot 
&  one  Reg'  of  Dragoons  are  com^'  over.  Bring  the  particulars 
of  Ld  Norths  insidious  Proposal,  which  he  said  himself  in  ParP 
he  did  not  expect  the  Americans  would  comply  with.  It  is  appar- 
ent the  Pari'  are  determined  to  enforce  their  Acts,  withoiit  Reced- 
ing at  all 

19.  This  Aft.  attended  jSP  Kellys  Lecture  &  heard  M''  Martin 
preach  Gal.  v,  i. — M'  Martin  is  now  let.  25.  born  1750.  his  father 
died  when  he  was  3'oung  about  half  a  year  old — he  was  brot  up  till 
?et.  7.  in  the  West  of  Ireld  where  they  talk  nothing  but  old  Irish, 
&.  he  knew  no  English  till  afterwards.  He  was  designed  for  a 
Physician,  and  by  his  Guardians  sent  to  the  Romish  Seminary  of 
West  Meath  &  studied  Physic  there  3 '  ^  years  under  a  Roman 
Catholic  professor.     Tho'  educated  in  the  Chh  of  Engld,  he  became 


APRIL    16-20,    1775  535 

a  ^Member  of  a  Deistical  Clul)  at  the  vSeminarj- — till  about  half  a  year 
before  he  left  the  Sem-  when  he  became  a  Methodist.  He  left  the 
vSem-  and  bej^an  to  preach  xt.  18,  and  in  1771  xt.  21  he  was 
ordained  &  in  1772  came  to  America,  havin^^  preached  above  six 
hundred  Sermons  the  first  year — perhaps  smitten  with  a  religious 
Ambition  to  see  how  soon  he  can  preach  15  Thousd  or  as  many  as 
M'  Whitfield  did  in  his  whole  Life.  There  were  si.x  or  7  Students 
expelled  for  Methodism  from  that  Seminary  as  well  as  a  Number 
expelled  at  Oxford.  Several  of  those  &  M'  Martin  with  them 
applied  to  the  seceed-  Presb-  in  X"  of  Ireld  for  Ordin',  but  were 
refused  because  they  came  out  of  a  Romish  vSeminary,  &  unless  they 
went  &  studied  in  Scotland  4  years.  Upon  this  they  applied  to 
M'  Ray  &c.  He  sa}S  he  had  an  Interview  with  the  Pretender  1767 
— &  I  think  three  Times  in  all.  He  ridicules  Ministers  praying 
against  the  Pretender  Charles  as  a  Papist,  which  he  says  he  shall 
never  do,  for  he  knows  he  is  no  Papist,  because  he  told  him  so.  I 
asked  him  whether  the  Pretender  had  not  imposed  upon  him  & 
taken  him  in?  He  smiled  a  smile  of  Resentment  &  said,  you  may 
think  so  if  you  please.  I  asked  him  whether  the  Pretender  &  his 
Adherents  did  not  di.spair  of  his  reach'  the  Crown.  He  said  their 
only  Hopes  were  in  .some  interior  Divisions  &  Convulsions,  which 
they  were  watching  for.  I  observed  in  that  Case  the  Pretenders 
Religion  would  be  an  insuperable  &  common  Objection  against  him. 
He  .said,  Charles  was  no  Papist.  But  says  he  if  I  shd  talk  so  in 
Engld  or  Ireld  I  might  perhaps  be  taken  up — but  America  was  a 
Land  of  Lib-  where  Men  said  any  Thing.  After  talking  so  that 
one  would  have  took  him  to  be  a  close  Friend  to  the  Pretender  ;  he 
said  he  had  six  scars  of  Wounds  which  he  had  received  from  the 
Papist.s — one  he  .shewed  at  the  Edge  of  his  Eye,  made  by  a  stone 
thrown  at  him  while  preaching  :  &  then  he  talked  as  one  that  had 
been  a  Martyr  for  Protestantism.  I  doubt  his  true  Character.  He 
was  educated  under  Jesuits.  Their  vSubtlety  is  great.  Would  not 
Charles  give  /'loo.  saP'  to  a  Man  imder  the  Mask  of  a  Methodist 
Preacher  to  itinerate  &  carry  thro'  America,  at  this  critical  Time, 
an  Assurance,  that  he  was  a  Protestant,  supported  4  Hugenot  Chap- 
lains, and  never  partook  the  popish  Mass  or  vSacrament  ?  ' 

20.   At  VIII  o'clock   this  Morn'-'  an  Express  arrived  in  Town 
from  Providence,  with  the  following  Letters. 

'  See  also  this  Diary,  May  12,  13,  1777. 


536  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

"  PROviDiiNCE  April  19'''  1775 

10  o'clock  at  Night 

"  vSlK 

Having  rec'  Intelligence  that  our  Breth:  iu  Mass:  Bay  are  attacked  by  a 
Body  of  regular  Troops  &  that  many  of  our  Friends  are  slain. — These  are  to 
request  your  Honor  that  you  will  be  pleased  to  call  the  Gen'  Assembly  of  this 
Colon}-  to  meet  together  as  soon  as  possible  (by  Monday  next  at  furthest)  that 
they  may  make  such  necessary  preparations  for  the  common  Defense  as  shall 
be  tho't  necessary.     We  are  your  Honors  Obed  serv'^ 

P.vS.  There  are  Two  Gent:  here  from  the  Prov:  Cong:  now  waiting  to  confer 
with  the  Assembly.     We  beg  your  Honors  Answer." 

N  B.  The  foregoing  is  directed  to  Gov.  Wanton  and  is  signed  b}-  26  of  the 
principal  Inhabitants  of  Providence. 

"Sir 

This  Evening  Intelligence  hath  been  rec'  that  about  Twelve  himdred  of  the 
Regulars  have  proceeded  from  Boston  towards  Concord,  and  having  fired  upon 
&  killed  a  Number  of  the  Inhabitants  of  Lexington,  are  now  actually  engaged 
in  butchering  &  destroying  our  Brethren  there  in  the  most  inhuman  manner, 
that  the  Inhabitants  oppose  them  with  Zeal  &  Courage  &  Numbers  have  already 
fallen  on  both  sides.  Reinforcements  were  at  Ten  o'Clock  under  Motion  from 
Boston,  &  the  Provincials  were  alarmed  and  mustering  as  fast  as  possible.  It 
appears  necessary  therefore  that  we  immediately  make  some  provision  for  their 
Assistance,  &  his  Honor  the  Lieutenant  General  desires  your  immediate 
Attendance  to  advise  &  order  in  that  Behalf.  His  being  very  ill  occasions  my 
Writing  in  his  Behalf.  We  shall  impatiently  wait  your  Arrival  as  Numbers 
are  read}'  &  wait  only  Orders  to  proceed. 

The  Countrj's  PViend  &  yours 

S.    HOPKIN.S." 

"  Providence  Wednesday  Night 

Ten  o'clock. 
"To  Major  General  Potter." 

Upon  Receipt  of  tlii.s  News  the  Town  was  thrown  into  Alarm, 
and  all  went  into  preparation.  The  Gov'  issued  Warrants  for  call- 
ing the  Assembl}'  to  meet  at  Providence  next  Saturday.  Gen. 
Potter  Cwho  lives  at  Bristol)  set  off  this  Morning,  with  Numbers 
from  Bri.stol  &  Warren.  None  have  marched  from  Newport  to  day, 
tho'  Col.  Dayton  tells  me  this  Afternoon  that  there  are  five  Hundred 
armed  &  ready  to  march,  waiting  only  the  Governors  Orders,  The 
Tories  have,  in  order  to  intimidate,  circtilated  thro'  the  Town,  that 
Cap^  Wallace  of  the  Rose  Man  o'  War,  insolently  says  he  will  fire 
upon  the  Town  &  lay  it  in  A.shes,  if  any  march  from  hence.  This 
intimidates  some  pple.  They  are  training,  exercising  &  preparing 
all  day.  It  is  said  that  the  Regulars  coming  up  with  abotit  30 
Minute   Men  exercising  at  Lexington,   ordered  them   to  lay  down 


APRIL    21,    1775  537 

their  Arms — that  upon  Refusal,  the  Re.^ulars  dastardly  fired  upon 
them  &  killed  six — that  the  others  returned  the  fire  «&  killed  some 
of  the  regulars.  But  of  this  there  is  no  Certainty.  Gov.  Hopkins 
does  not  inform  the  Basis  of  his  Intelligence — dont  even  date  his 
Letter.  And  it  is  not  known  whether  the  Troops  marched  to  Lex- 
ington yesterday  Morning,  or  before.  It  is  probable  the  whole 
Countr>-  is  thrown  into  the  same  Alarm  as  last  September.  The 
good  Lord  direct  &  overrule  all  for  his  Glorj-  &  the  good  of  his 
Chosen.  It  is  happy  that  the  Troops  have  given  the  first  blow — 
the  way  is  open  &  clear  now  for  the  Americans.  If  they  will  Init 
tarry  out  of  Boston  a  few  days,  I  doubt  not  the  Americans  will  give 
a  good  Account  of  them.  But  I  fear  their  Cowardice  has  made 
them  instantly  return  to  Boston.  All  that  I  rel}-  upon  in  this  News 
is  that  they  have  marched  to  Lexington,  &  killed  a  few  Men.  I 
am  not  a  little  apprehensive  that  it  may  prove  only  another  false 
Alarm,  designedly  excited  by  our  pple  to  prevent  the  Troops  from 
marching  out  of  Boston,  into  the  Country. 

21.  This  has  been  a  day  of  universal  Anxiet}'  &  Sollicitude  in 
Town.  All  Business  is  laid  aside.  Various  have  been  the  Reports 
from  different  parts.  From  all  which  I  collect,  that  on  Wednesday 
19"'  Ins'  about  1500  Troops  went,  earh'  in  the  Morn-  before  day,  in 
Boats  from  Boston  by  Water  &  landed  about  Cambridge,  and  pro- 
ceeded by  a  quick  march  to  Concord  &  there  destroyed  about  50 
Bbs  of  Flour  &  spiked  up  some  Canon  :  &  then  returned  thro' 
Lexington  to  Charlestown,  &  so  passed  over  to  Boston  the  Eveng. 
of  the  same  da}-.  That  the  Country  was  alarmed  ;  and  about  300 
Minute  Men  attacked  them  at  Lexington,  when  a  number  were 
killed  on  both  sides.  That  these  300  harrassed  them  in  the  Return 
&  again  attacked  them  between  Cambridge  &  Charlestown  ;  when 
more  were  slain  on  both  sides.  The  number  slain  said  to  be 
about  80  Regulars  &  40  Provincials.  An  Express  left  Cambridge 
yesterday  &  came  to  Providence  about  XI''  this  forenoon,  &  the 
news  reached  Newport  at  V'  this  Afternoon.  Inform-  that  yes- 
terday there  were  assembled  16  or  seventeen  Thousd  Provincials 
of  which  7000  were  at  Cambridge,  4000  at  Chariest"  &  4000  at 
Roxbury.  Col.  [General]  Ward  wrote  to  Providence  to  stay  the 
further  Accession  of  Troops  as  they  had  more  than  a  vSul^cienc\- 
assembled.  Col.  Putnam  was  marching  from  Connecticut  with  a 
Body  of  Forces  from  that  Colony.  This  is  the  state  of  the  news 
to  day.     None  marched  from  Newport,  nor  from  Providence. 


538  DIARY    OF    F.ZRA    STILEvS 

22.  This  (lay  brinies  turtlier  Confirm'  of  the  News  yesterday,  but 
no  new  Intelli.y,ence.  It  is  remarkable  that  19"'  Ins'  the  day  of  the 
march  from  Boston  to  Concord  &  Commenc'  of  actual  Hostilities, 
was  the  day  of  the  anniversary  Fast  thro'  Connecticutt.  We  do 
indeed  hear  that  Gen.  Ga<^e  having  sent  a  Vessel  to  take  off  his  100 
Men  sent  to  Marshfield,  the  Minute  Men  of  the  neighboring  Towns 
assembled  to  prevent  &  secure  the  vSoldiers  from  being  carried  off. 
And  that  a  great  Light  was  seen  from  Providence  in  the  direction 
of  Marshfield,  which  is  60  Miles  off,  supposed  to  be  the  firing  of 
that  Town.  But  this  I  do  not  credit.  That  Light  was  seen  from 
Newport  by  the  Watch  last  night.  [This  was  a  fire  in  vSandwich 
Woods.]  But  Marshfield  is  a  dispersed  vSettlement.  The  supposi- 
tion is  in  no  wise  credible.  Tho  probably  the  Party  is  secured — 
for  Things  are  becoming  more  &  more  serious  every  day. 

The  Gov''  of  N"  Car"  in  a  Speech  to  his  A.s.sembly  now  sitting 
inveighed  against  the  last  Congress,  &  ag'  send*-'  Delegates  to  the 
present.  But  the  Assembly  gave  him  a  warm  Reph'.  ha\'e  appro\-ed 
their  Delegates,  &  stand  firm  in  the  Cause  of  Liberty. 

23.  Ldsday  A  M.  I  preached  on  Hosea  xii,  6,  &  sang  Watts'  Ps. 
79  from  5"'  to  8"'  Stanzas  inclu.sive.  It  was  in  Course  to  read  a 
Chapter  after  the  first  prayer — at  the  Desire  of  M''  William  Vernon 
a  Gentleman  of  my  Congregation  I  read  Ps.  Ixxix  and  Ixxx  as 
adapted  to  the  present  melanchoh'  Occasion,  the  Commencement  of 
Civil  War  in  New  Engld  by  the  Hostilities  19"'  Ins'  at  Lexington 
&c.  P.M.  Ps.  cxxx.  6,  7,  and  baptized  John  the  Infant  of  Brother 
Bis.sel.  This  Afternoon  we  sang  Ps.  74,  six  first  Stanzas  and  Ps. 
130,  Long  Metre.  It  has  been  a  Day  of  great  vSeriousness  & 
Solemnity.  The  Times  are  \-ery  aft'ecting.  May  we  all  know, 
that,  was  there  no  Sin  there  would  be  no  sufiferings,  that  Sin  is  the 
procur-  Cause  of  all  Calamities — that  Humiliation  Repent''  &  Turn- 
ing to  the  Ld  is  our  Duty  peculiarly  when  his  Judgm'''  are  abroad 
in  the  P^arth. 

24.  By  an  Express  which  left  the  American  Arm\-  last  vSaturday 
we  learn  that  nothing  further  had  been  done,  only  that  they  were 
very  busily  employed  in  forming  their  plans  in  the  best  manner  : 
and  that  they  were  full  of  the  Idea  of  entering  Boston.  But  it  is  to 
be  hoped  that  maturer  Counsels  will  postpone  that  Attempt.  It  is 
said  that  (ien.  Gage  has  removed  his  Canon  and  abandoned  the 
Fortification  on  the  Neck  :  and  that  they  had  taken  Col.  Leslie  of 
the  Regulars.      We  have  some  more  accurate  Ace"  of  the  March  of 


APRIL  22-25,   T775  539 

the  Troops,  viz,  That  between  XI  (S:  XII  o" Clock  on  Tuesday 
Eveng.  a  Detachni'  of  1000  or  1500  embarked  in  Boats  from  Hoston 
^  landed  at  Phipps'  Farm  in  Cambridge  &  immediately  proceed 
thro  Lexington  for  Concord  :  they  arrived  at  Lexington  before  Sun- 
rise on  Wedn-'  Morning  &  found  100  Provincials  under  Arms.  The 
command"  officer  commanded  them  to  disperse.  But  they  not  com- 
plying immediately,  the  advanced  Guard  made  two  Fires  upon 
them,  killed  three  upon  the  spot,  6c  wounded  six,  who  died  the 
same  day  of  their  Wounds.  Upon  which  they  dispensed.  The 
regulars  marched  on  to  Concord,  destroyed  Flour  Canon  &c  &  cut 
down  Liberty  Pole  erected  there.  A  Number  of  Provincials  by  this 
Time  collected  there,  upon  which  the  Detatchm'  began  their  Retreat. 
Exasperated  to  the  highest  degree  by  the  merciless  Massacre  of  their 
Brethren  at  Lexington,  they  pursued  &  fired  upon  the  Regulars  in 
their  Retreat.  The  Provincials  still  collect-  took  the  field  &  from 
thence,  &  the  sides  of  the  hills,  galled  the  Regulars  severely  on 
their  Retreat,  &  did  not  desist  the  pursuit  till  they  reached  Chariest'' 
where  the  Regulars  encamped  on  Bunkers  Hill.  In  the  Afternoon 
of  the  same  day  by  order  of  Gen.  Gage,  a  proclani''  was  read  to  the 
Inhabitants  of  Chariest",  purport-  that  he  would  la}-  that  Town  in 
Ashes  if  they  obstructed  the  Kings  Troops.  The  next  day  the 
Troops  took  Boat  &  landed  in  Boston.  On  Thursday  Eveng.  near 
5000  Provincials  were  assembled  at  Cambridge,  a  large  part>'  at 
Roxb-'  and  another  large  Bod}-  at  Mystic. 

Gen.  Gage  sent  2  Transports  on  We.sd^'  last  to  takeoff  the  Troops 
at  Marshfield.  And  it  is  said  that  the}'  embarked  on  friday  Noon. 
We  hear  the  Post  was  taken  &  carried  to  Concord.  Our  Assembh' 
is  called  &  is  now  sitting  at  Providence.  Two  of  the  Members  M"" 
Cranston  &  M''  Bours'  left  the  Assembly  &  this  da}-  returned  to 
Newport  fearing  to  jo}-n  in  the  Measures  the  Assembly  may  adopt. 

25.  Gov'^  Ward  yesterday  wrote  a  letter  to  Mess"  Malbones  received 
to  day  ;  advising  the  Merchants  to  get  their  Vessels  to  sea  or  out  of 
N"  Engld  with  all  speed  ;  &  recommend*^  to  the  pple  at  Newport  to 
remove  themselves  &  Effects  speedily,  as  their  was  certain  Danger 
of  immediate  vSeizure,  in  Consequence  of  Measures  adopting  by  the 
Assembly.  This  has  thrown  the  Town  into  great  Consternation  & 
Panic  ;  &  many  are  all  day  putting  up  their  P^ffects  &  prepar-  for 
Removal.     To  heighten  the  Terror,  the  Men  o'  War  give  out  that 

'  John  Bours  was  the  vSeiiior  Warden,  and  Thomas  Cranston  a  Vestryman,  of 
Trinity  Church  ;  neither  took  any  further  part  in  pubHc  life. 


540  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiI.EvS 

if  Newport  lakes  part  with  Pro\-idence  &  New  Engld  they  will  lay 
the  Town  in  Ashes.  This  day  came  here  M'"^  Gordon  from  Roxb-' 
remov-  to  Philadelphia  for  safety.  M'  Gordon'  tarrying  behind  & 
determining  to  share  the  fate  of  War.  There  may  30  or  40  families 
remove,  but  they  must  leave  1500  behind. 

26.  Two  Vessels  full  of  Passengers  sailed  this  Alonr  for  Phila- 
delphia. The  Town  in  great  panic.  The  Assembly  proceed  with 
A'igor,  tho'  the  upper  House  hesitate.  The  Tories  elated.  Great 
Dejection  on  most  Countenances — but  some  revive  their  spirits. 
This  Afternoon  the  two  Providence  Packets  loaded  with  4  or  500 
Bbs  flour  here  to  day,  sailed  for  Providence,  but  were  immed^'  stopt 
by  the  Man  o'  War  Cap'  Wallace,  who  seized  them,  &  intend  to 
send  them  to  Boston.  They  have  dismissed  all  the  pple,  except 
M""  Jn"  Brown  of  Providence,  whom  they  retain  as  a  prisoner,  in 
Revenge  as  is  supposed  for  his  being  concerned  in  Burning  the  Gas- 
pee  Schooner  a  year  or  two  ago.  There  were  great  Quantities  of 
goods  in  the  Packets  remov^  to  Providence. 

Ju.st  at  Night  a  Vessel  from  N  York  advises  that  the  pple  at  N 
York  have  risen  and  seized  the  P'ort  and  turned  out  the  Kings  Troops 
&  took  possession  of  it,  last  Week  on  Thursday.  What  a  wonderful 
Coincidence  of  the  Bursting  forth  of  the  public  Spirit.  The  Affair  of 
Lexington  on  Wednesday — of  New  York  on  Thursday — &  by  Friday 
an  American  Army  of  20,000  Men  actually  raised  &  assembled  ! 

About  sun.set  Ezra  arrived  from  Yale  College,  wdiich  broke  up 
last  Saturda}-.'  The  news  of  Lexington  reached  New  Haven  on 
Friday  Night — &  on  Ldsday  Morn-  the  Comp^  of  Cadets  marched 
from  New  Haven  \'ia  Hartfd  for  Boston.  They  are  unhapply 
divided  on  [Mjlitics  at  N  Haven. 

27.  [Harriot  packet  sailed  from  N  York  for  London  or  Falm" 
with  2  of  Council  of  N.  Y.]  A  Vessel  from  N  London  confirms 
the  New's  from  N  York,  &  that  New  Jersey  are  raising  1000  Men  : 
and  that  Pensylv''  have  enrolled  30,000  Men  for  the  Protection  of 
the  Congress.  This  day  at  Noon  .sailed  the  two  Provid.  packets 
siezed  yesterday,  &  in  one  of  them  M'  Jn"  Brown  is  carried  off  for 
Boston,"  whither  also  they  have  sent  the  Flour.  A  letter  is  received 
from  Ld  Dartm"  with  an  insidious  proposal  for  accommodation. 

'  Rev.  William  (jonloii,  the  historian  of  Ur-  war. 

•  The  regular  vacation  would  have  begun  two  weeks  later  (on  May  6). 
■'  For  a  further  account  of  this  incident,   see  Elkanah  Watson's  J/en  and 
Times  of  the  Revolution,  20-23. 


APRIL    26-28,    1775  541 

Last  Night  or  this  Morn-  the  B"  Post  came  in.  He  informs  that 
Gen.  Gage  has  consented  that  if  the  Inhabitants  of  the  Town  of 
B°  deHver  in  their  Arms  to  the  select  Men  of  the  T"  they  may 
remove  with  their  effects. — &  that  they  were  remo\--  out  of  Town — 
that  it  was  generally  said  our  Army  was  Twenty  Thousd  Men,  but 
he  judged  them  15,000.  The  Post  says  that  our  pple  say  the  Num- 
ber of  the  Regulars  killed  &  taken  were  about  200  or  more,  of 
which  68  killed,  &  that  we  lo.st  about  35  <>i'  between  30  &  40. — M' 
Wheeler  tells  me  he  had  a  Letter  from  Boston,  in  w"=  the  Officers 
Ace"  is  that  they  had  about  one  hundred  men  killed  &  as  many 
more  wounded  ;  but  that  it  was  judged  in  B"  that  the  number 
killed  was  larger.  The  Post  says  the  Regulars  in  B"  say  the}-  were 
attacked  by  about  400  of  our  Men  at  a  Time.  M"'  Wheeler  says 
the  first  Detachment  of  the  Regulars  \vas  1200  and  Ld  Piercys 
Reinforcement  was  900  So  the  Total  on  the  March  2100.  Of  the 
first  may  be  supposed  400  or  near  one  Qu'  were  disabled.  The 
Gen.  Assembly  of  Connecticutt  is  sitting  ;  &  our  Assembl}-  have 
sent  2  Delegates  there.  Our  Assembly  have  appointed  the  11"'  of 
May  for  a  day  of  Fasting  &  Prayer.  A  Vessel  is  arrived  at  PhiP 
&  brings  News  from  Engld  to  5^''  March  that  11  Reg'""  about  6000 
in  90  Transports  with  13  ]\Ien  of  War  were  coming  over  to  Boston. 
The  Yorkers  have  seized  an  Arsenal  at  some  distance  from  the 
City  with  Powder  &  other  Military  stores,  2000  [3500]  stand  of 
Arms. 

28.  At  Noon  rec''  a  Letter  from  New  York  dated  Monday  24"' 
Inst,  informg.  that  that  iVfternoon  the  Packet  from  Engld  arrived 
there  with  Dispatches  for  Gen.  Gage.  It  was  forwarded  by  Land 
to  Canterbur}"  where  M""  Cleaveland  the  Preacher  took  it,  rode  all 
night  &c  :  it  was  directed  to — and  designed  for  a  particular  pur- 
pose. This  Eveng  I  rec'^  a  Letter  of  24th  Inst  from  Uncle  Taylor 
of  Westfield  beyond  Springfield.  He  says — "The  Country  is  in 
the  utmost  Confusion,  all  travelL'  toward  Boston.  Our  pple  are  so 
warmly  engaged  in  Defence  of  our  Rights  that  we  are  scarcely  able 
to  prevent  almost  all  the  pple  from  going  forward  to  battle  if  need 
be  ;  but  I  hope  the  Great  Governour  of  the  Universe  will  prevent 
any  more  Effusion  of  human  Blood. — My  son  Jedidiah  is  gon  on 
forward  &  my  Grandson  Eldad  Taylor  is  in  the  Army." 

The  York  Letter  above  said — "The  late  melancholy  Accounts 
from  Boston  have  had  a  most  Excellent  Iiffect  in  uniting  the  Inhab- 
itants of  this  Citv,  insomuch  that  we  have  been  able  to  s/op  all  Sup- 


542  "  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

plies  from  the  Ar))iv  and  got  possession  of  the  City  .Inus  and  are  now 
guanP  t/ie  poic'der  &  t/iemf 

Business  this  daj-  is  almost  intirely  stagnated  in  Newport,  as 
much  as  if  the  expected  Act  of  Pari'  had  arrived  and  took  place. 
Mechanics  &  Laborers  are  standing  in  Companies  in  the  streets, 
melancholly  &  having  nothing  to  do. 

29.  The  Western  Post  came  in  this  day  about  noon.  I  saw  a  N 
York  paper  (Gains)  of  24"'  Ins^  IMonday  last.  It  mentions  not  a 
word  of  the  Affair  in  that  City.  It  says  they  had  the  B"  News  on 
Ldsdy  Morning  the  23,  I  suppose  by  Water  from  hence.  But  the 
News  b\-  Land  did  not  reach  them  till  Ldsdy  Noon  ;  when  the  Cit}- 
took  arms,  tho  this  is  not  noticed  in  the  paper.  The  sei/Aire  of  the 
Fort  it  is  said  was  on  Monday  24^''. 

M''  Trevett  left  the  camp  at  Roxbury  yesterday-  Morn"-'  IX  o' Clock. 
By  him  I  have  a  Letter  of  28"'  from  M'"  Hall  at  Medford  inclosing 
his  Salem  Gazette  of  last  Mondy,  in  w'  is  a  particular  Ace"  of  the 
action  of  19*''.  This  Eveng.  I  read  a  Letter  from  D'  Church  dated 
yesterday  at  the  camp  at  Roxbur}',  which  he  mentions  as  consisting 
of  30,000.  He  says  in  the  action  of  19^''  we  lost  but  41  &  had  not 
above  Ten  wounded,  &  that  the  Regulars  lost  near  300  killed 
wounded  &  missing. 

30.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Isai.  xi,  10.  P.M.  on  2  Cor. 
ix,  15,  and  acbnitted  into  full  Communion  Judith  a  Negro  servant 
of  M'  All,  and  baptized  her  and  her  two  Children  :  also  notified  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lords  vSupper  next  Ldsdy  &  a  prepar^'  Lect.  on 
frida}'  IV'  P  M.  Last  Friday  I  baptized  an  Orphan  Richard  an 
adopted  Son  of  W*  Trevett  by  the  Name  of  Rich''  Trevett — the 
Adoption  &  Baptism  being  in  a  private  House,  tho'  in  the  presence 
of  Two  Members  of  my  Church.  I  first  addressed  myself  thus  to 
M'''  Trivett — "  you  Sarah  Trevett  do  adopt  this  Child  by  the  name 
of  Richard  Trevett  for  your  vSon  ;  and  you  do  promise  &  covenant 
to  educate  him  in  the  Christian  Religion,  as  God  shall  give  you 
Opportunity." — M'  Trevett  consented  to  the  Transaction.  Then  I 
prayed,  then  baptized  the  Child,  pra\ed  again  cS:  closed  with  the 
Blessing. 

May. 

I.  In  Gaines  N.  York  Gazetteer  of  24th  April —"  Yesterday 
Morn-  we  had  Reports  in  this  City  from  Rhode  Isld.  &  N.  Lon- 
don that  an  Action  had  happened  Ijetween  the  Kings  Troops  &  the 


APRIL    29-MAV    3,     1775  543 

luhab.    of  Boston,    which    was    not    credited  ;    bnt    alxnit    Twelve 

o'clock  an  Express  arrived  with  the  following  Acconnt vSo 

the  News  passed  from  Watertown  to  N.  York  in  4  days. 

Last  Eveninj;-  I  was  told  that  the  Officers  of  the  two  Men  o'War 
here  had  b>-  them  a  List  of  27  Persons  in  Newport  wliom  the>- 
intended  to  take  n])  ;  &  that  I  myself  was  in  the  List.  This  Eveng. 
M'  Updike  came  here  from  Providence,  who  says  that  an  Express 
from  the  Camp  to  Prov.  yesterday  bro't  ace"  that  a  ship  arrived  at 
Salem  from  Engld  &  brot  account  that  Disturbances  in  Ireld  were 
likely  to  detain  the  Troops. 

2.  This  Afternoon  was  a  Funeral  here  of  a  Lieutenant  of  the 
Marines  of  one  of  the  Ships  here.'  They  obtained  Leave  of  the 
Governor  to  land,  and  about  25  Marines  landed  at  IV'  this  After- 
noon, &  buried  their  Officer  under  Arms  in  the  Chhyard  discharg- 
ing three  Vollies,  &  then  retired  on  board  without  Molestation. 

This  Aft.  Cap'  Hatheway  arrived  here.  He  left  New- York  last 
Thursda}' — tS:  tells  me  that  the  pple  there  were  in  i\rms,  but  had 
not  taken  possession  of  the  Fort.  They  had  only  seized  the  Mag- 
azine of  Powder  &  Arms. 

The  Express  from  the  Camp  at  Roxb-  brings  News  that  they 
had  intercepted  a  packet  from  Gov.  Carleton  of  Quebec  ;  in  which 
he  informed  Gen.  Gage  that  he  could  send  him  Officers  indeed,  but 
not  Men,  the  Canadians  not  only  refusing  to  take  part  against,  but 
were  ready  to  joyn  the  Colonies.  An  Officer  at  Boston  being  asked 
by  a  Lady  with  whom  he  w^as  drinking  Tea,  the  number  lost  in  the 
late  Yankey  March  of  19"'  ult. — replied  that  it  was  difficult  to  ascer- 
tain the  matter — but  this  he  could  assert  that  there  were  then  1500 
off  of  Duty  &  disabled.  The  Ami}'  doubtless  suffered  greatly.  We 
had  a  flying  Report  to  da}',  that  the  Connect,  pple  had  seized  the 
Custom  House  Chest  at  New  London.     Incredible. 

3.  This  Day  is  the  annual  General  Election  for  this  Colony, 
which  was  ordered  to  be  held  not  in  Newport  as  b}-  Charter,  but  at 
Providence,  agreeable  to  the  Resolve  of  the  Assembly  25  April. 

' '  Inasmuch  as  there  is  a  most  apparent  &  urgent  Occasion  that 
the  Gen.  Assembly  shd  be  held  in  some  place  other  than  the  T"  of 
Newport  at  the  approach"  annuall  Election  for  the  year  1775  : 
Therefore  it  is  resolved,  that  the  Gen.  Assembly  for  the  Election  of 
General  Officers,  &  for  transacting  such  Business  as  may  be  laid 

'  James  Conway,  aged  45,  Lieutenant  on  the  Rose  man-of-war. 


544  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

before  them,  on  the  first  Wednesday  of    Ma}'  next,   be  held  at  the 
Colony  House  in  Providence." 

Gov''  Wantoii  affects  to  be  ill  &  stays  at  home  here  in  Newport ; 
and  so  do  all  or  most  of  the  Deputies  of  this  &  the  Towns  on  this 
Isld  &  Conanicott — intimidated  l^y  the  Threats  of  the  Men  o'War. 
This  is  the  first  Election  held  out  of  Newport  since  the  Found-'  of 
the  Colony,  &  especially  since  the  Grant  of  the  Charter  in  1663. 
The  Da}'  has  been  melancholly.  However  the  Light  Infantry  above 
40  of  them  appeared  in  their  Uniform,  made  a  very  fine  Appear- 
ance, &  marched  all  over  the  Town  ;  &  in  the  Afternoon  a  con- 
siderable large  Body  of  pple  appeared  at  the  Courthouse  &  on  the 
Parade. 

4.  A  Vessel  from  N  York  this  Morning  confirms  the  Rising  of 
the  pple  there — tho'  they  have  not  actually  seized  the  Fort — yet 
they  are  arming  &  fortifying  at  Kings  Bridge — they  have  shut  up 
the  Customhouse  there.  It  is  said  that  the  Mass.  Prov.  Congress 
have  sent  to  Col.  Washington  of  Virginia  to  be  Generalissimo  of  the 
American  army,  &  Gen.  Lee  to  be  second  in  Command  :  perhaps  it 
may  be  true.  A  little  before  Sunset  M'  Russel  of  Providence  came 
to  Town  &  informs  that  M'  Jn"  Brown  was  dismissed  &  came  home 
to  Providence  last  night  about  XI''  at  night.  That  he  was  first  put 
on  board  Adm.  Graves,  then  brot  before  Gen.  Gage.  Cap*  Wallace's 
pretence  for  apprehend^  him  was  that  he  was  concerned  in  burning 
the  Gaspee  Schooner.  Applic''  was  made  to  Judge  Oliver  of  the 
Commissioners  that  sat  on  that  Affair  at  Newport  &  he  testified 
that  no  Accusation  was  exhibited  against  M'  Brown,  upon  which 
Gen.  Gage  dismissed  him,  paid  him  for  his  flour,  order  the  Packets 
to  be  returned  to  Providence  &  to  be  paid  Demorage,  and  has  sent 
off  a  Reprimand  to  Cap'  Wallace  of  the  Rose  Man  o'War  here.  A 
humbling  stroke  to  the  Tories  !  The  General  &  Admiral  treated 
M""  Brown  politely  &  dismissed  him  with  Honor.  An  Army  of  30 
Thousd  speaks  Terror.  Divine  Providence  can  easily  disappoint 
the  Malice  of  Men  in  a  bad  Cause. 

This  Afternoon  in  Comp^  with  two  Gentlemen  just  from  Georgia, 
who  give  me  the  Georgia  Politics.  The  Parish  of  S'  Johns  an 
inland  Parish  cordially  come  into  the  Union  for  Liberty.  Inde- 
fatiguable  Pains  were  taken  at  Savanna  by  the  Crown  Connexions  to 
prevent  the  Sp*^  of  Lib-'  from  taking  place  in  Georgia  ;  to  this  End 
the  Min-'  sent  over  promises  of  any  cS:  almost  every  Thing  which 
were  addressed  to  the  Planters  with  Assiduity  &  Openness,   and 


MAY    4,    1775  545 

with  great  Success  especially  among  the  Scots  Planters.  They 
could  not  however  obstruct  a  proposal  for  a  provincial  Congress. 
Their  next  Stratagem  was  to  get  Hypocrites  or  false  Brethren  i,  e 
Friends  to  Governmait  as  they  affect  to  stile  themselves,  elected 
Members  of  the  Prov.  Congress.  They  put  on  the  Mask  &  suc- 
ceeded. At  the  Provincial  Congress  they  proved  a  Majority,  did 
indeed  appoint  Delegates  to  the  Continental  Congress,  but  passed 
Resolves  insidious  &  derogatory  of  the  plan  proposed  by  the  Conti- 
nental Congress  —  they  adopted  the  Philad'  Congress  Resoh'es 
respect^  a  suspension  of  Trade  in  such  an  insidious  Manner  as  made 
them  of  no  Effect — part>"  they  agreed  to  import  no  Goods  but  such  as 
were  necessary  for  the  Indian  Trade  Et  Ccetcra — this  Et  csetera  was 
leaving  a  back  Door  for  universal  Importation.  The  Delegates  of 
gt  jj-^os  Parish  refused  to  joyn  in  Congress  except  the  Delegates  of 
each  parish  would  first,  as  their  parish  had  done,  recognize  the 
PhiP  Congress  in  full  without  Exemption  of  Ind.  Trade  or 
Etcjeteras.  This  they  refused  to  do  &  the  S'  Jn"  Delegates  refused 
to  joyn  &  so  held  themselves  separate.  The  Prov.  Cong,  proceeded 
without  them,  chose  Delegates  under  those  restricted  Resolves. 
The  Parish  of  S*^  Johns  then  applied  to  Chariest"  for  Advice,  have 
elected  D'  Hall  separateh^  as  a  Delegate  to  the  Continental  Congress. 
The  Gentlemen  at  Chariest"  advised  them  to  send  D''  Hall,  tho'  it 
was  doubtful  whether  he  would  be  admitted  to  act  as  represent*'' 
only  a  part  of  the  Province  :  but  they  were  clearly  of  Opinion  that 
the  other  restricted  Delegates  would  not  be  admitted.  Upon  this  the 
restricted  Delegates  have  lost  their  Resolves  Restrictions  &  Powers, 
no  Papers  of  the  Doings  of  the  Provincial  Congress  being  to  be 
found,  &  so  they  stay  at  home  &  dont  go  to  Congress — which  is 
effectually  answering  the  Designs  of  the  Min-'  &  defeating  the 
Cause  of  Liberty  as  to  Georgia.  However  D""  Lyman  Hall  as 
Delegate  for  one  Parish  in  Georgia  is  set  out  for  the  Congress. 
My  Friend  the  Rev*^  D''  Zubly  has  been  a  very  warm  Friend  for 
American  Liberty.  Respecting  a  Meet^  of  the  pple  on  the  choice 
for  Delegates  for  the  Prov.  Congress,  he  expressed  himself  as  the 
Merchants  nieet^  with  the  common  pple,  that  "  if  he  was  a  Merchant 
he  would  not  meet  with  them  :  " — Also  he  fell  in  with  the  Minis- 
terial proposal  of  -3,  separate  Colony  ^^Q.\^^^o\\  to  the  King,  &  draughted 
such  a  Petition  &  was  assiduous  in  recommend*-'  it,  tho'  he  knew 
this  tended  to  annihilate  the  Weight  of  the  Grand  Congress  ;  and 
when  the  Friends  of  Lib^'  observed  it  to  him,  he  justified  it  only  by 
35 


546  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

alledging  that  thus  he  should  bring  the  Coiindl  to  acknowledge  that 
the  Americans  had  real  Grievances,  which  they  could  not  be  bro't 
to  any  other  Way.  T/iis  is  no  Reason.  I  fear  my  Friend,  who  is 
rather  avaricious,  has  drank  the  Cup  of  Lethe  and  is  overcome  wdth 
some  of  the  tempting  Offers  of  the  Court.  Tho'  this  is  not  yet 
known.'  He  undertook  to  vindicate  himself  to  .several  Friends, 
whom  he  left  imsatisfied — he  al.so  promi.sed  at  another  time  to  give 
Satisfaction  to  S'  Johns  Parish  with  whom  he  is  in  the  highest 
Reput''  before  this  late  Mutation. 

5.  An  A.ssociation  has  been  preparing  for  several  da^-s,  &  great 
pains  taken  by  the  Friends  of  Gov*  to  prepare  the  principal  people 
in  Town  for  .signing  it — purporting  their  Adherence  to  the  King  & 
Pari',  that  they  put  them.selves  under  the  Protection  of  the  Men- 
o'War  &  Gen.  Gage  or  the  Kings  Troops,  that  they  will  not  take 
part  with  the  provincial  Ami}-  &c  &c  &c.  This  is  enforced  by  an 
Intimidation  of  Confiscation  of  Estates  on  being  declared  Rebels. 
But  an  insuperable  Objection  ai'i.ses  which  the  Tories  have  not  j-et 
solved,  viz,  that  if  we  withdraw  from  the  Colony  Union,  they  wall 
withdraw  all  Comnuuiication — nor  bring  us  Wood  Flour  &  Provi- 
sion. The  Tories  say  the  Men  o'War  will  send  their  Cutters  & 
oblige  others  to  bring  us  these  Things  ;  but  the  pple  know^  it  is  out 
of  the  Nav}''  s  power.  And  so  the  matter  rests  at  present.  A  Neutral- 
ity &  Stilness  is  the  most  they  can  effect  by  all  Arts  of  Intimidation. 
Last  Tuesday  Rev"  Mr.  John  Usher  of  Bristol  was  buried  ;  he 
died  Ldsdy  Inst.  set.  He  was  an  Episcopal  Missionar5\  This 
Afternoon  at  IV'  my  Sacramental  Lecture,  I  preached  on  i  Jno.  i,  3. 

6 The  Boston  Post  came  in   to  day.     He  left  Boston 

the  day  before  j'esterday.  Gen.  Gage  has  agreed  that  the  Inhab- 
itants may  renio\'e  with  their  Effects,  They  are  com^'  out  of  Town, 
but  he  suffers  it  to  be  but  slowly.  The  Post  tells  me  he  judges  the 
Army  may  be  about  8000.  He  is  a  Tory.  M''  Collins  (one  of  our 
Assistants)  came  from  the  Army  this  w^eek  :  he  tells  me  he  judges 
they  may  be  15,000.  So  different  are  the  Estimates.  Connecticutt 
Assembly  have  voted  5000  Men  to  be  raised,  &  sent  2  Delegates 
M'  Wolcott  &  D""  Johnson  two  of  the  Assistants,  to  wait  on  Gen. 
Gage  to  know  wherefore  he  suffered  Hostilities.  They  waited  on 
the  General  &  came  out  of  B"  with  the  Post.  Gage  wrote  a  Letter 
to  Gov.  Wanton  this  Week  giving  an  Ace"  of  the  Action  of  19'" 

'  These    forebodings    were    justified    by    the    event.       See    Sabine'.s   Amer. 
Loyalists,  ii,  466-68. 


t 


MAY    5-7,    1775  547 

ult.  ill  which  he  makes  the  Number  of  the  Regiihirs  killed  "  above 
fifty  "  but  don't  sa}'-  they  were  no  more.  He  alledges  that  the  Pro- 
vincials fired  first,  &  represents  most  untruly  that  our  pple  begin- 
ning the  fire,  his  officers  could  not  restrain  their  Men  from  return- 
ing the  fire  tho'  they  ordered  them  not  to  fire.  Hence  we  have  an 
Idea  of  the  Represenf"  which  he  has  made  of  the  Affair  home. 
However  it  is  now  become  not  very  material  who  fired  first — since 
Hostilities  are  actually  begun.  Cap"^  Lide  lately  arrived  from  Lon- 
don. I  saw  a  Letter  of  4"'  March  from  M"  Grant  in  London  :  she 
says  many  Mouths  there  breath  Fire  &  Flame,  &  that  nothing  will 
satisfy  but  the  Destruction  of  Boston  or  its  surrend^'  into  their 
Hands.  A  Gentleman  in  N  York  writes  that  Rivington  &  his 
Patron  President  Cooper  are  fled  &  embarked  for  Engld  with  other 
Tories.  Letters  are  returned  which  were  sent  by  sundry  persons  at 
N  York  &  Philad""  to  London,  shew"'  their  Engagm'  in  the  iniquit- 
ous Enterprize  of  selling  their  Country.  The  DeLancey  Family  at 
N  York,  &  M""  Galloway  of  Philad^'  appear  to  have  been  bo't  up  by 
the  Ministry.  Administration  made  the  largest  Offers  possible  to 
secure  the  Province  of  N  York  in  their  Interest,  designing  3000  of 
the  Troops  coming  over  to  be  stationed  at  N  York,  to  cut  off  any 
Supplies  or  Assist^  to  N  Engld  from  Virginia  &  Maryland.  Thus 
intend^  to  have  New  Engld  only  to  combat.  But  the  Min-'  must 
be  greatly  disappointed  in  their  Expectations  from  N  York,  by  the 
late  Alteration  there.  This  day  another  Man  o'War  Cap*  Lindsey 
came  here,  so  we  have  now  three  Ships  here — tho  it  is  said  that  the 
Rose  Man  o'War  Cap'  Wallace  is  called  away.  It  is  said  M""  Gallo- 
w^ay  is  fled  from  Philadelphia.  But  the  Post  is  so  irregular,  the 
New^s  so  intercepted  &  the  Prints  so  few,  &  the  Coasters  so  much 
obstructed  that  we  have  no  authentic  News.  M'"  Quinc)^  the  emi- 
nent Patriot,  wdio  went  to  Engld  last  fall,  returned  the  Week  before 
last,  but  died  just  before  the  Ship  arrived  at  Cape  Ann.  A  great 
Loss  !  especially  as  he  was  entrusted  with  the  whole  secret  System 
of  the  Ministry,  so  obtained  as  not  to  be  safely  committed  to  Writ- 
ing. It  is  said  that  Gen.  Gage  proposes  an  Armistice  or  Cessation 
of  Hostilities  till  further  Orders  from  home. 

7.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  all  day  on  Heb.  xiii,  20,  21,  and  admin- 
istered the  Sacrament  of  the  Lords  Supper  to  63  Communicants. 
Notified  Catechising  to  morrow  at  V"  P.M.  and  Fast  next  Thurs- 
day. The  General  Assembly  of  this  Colony  appointed  next  Thurs- 
day a  Fast,  but  I  had  no  Proclamation. 


54S  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLEvS 

8.  Cap'  Collins  at  Roxbury  was  told  that  Gen.  Haldiman  of  the 
Regulars  lateh'  declared  that  they  had  no  Orders  to  take  up  anj'  of 
the  Americans.  By  M''  Brown,  Gen.  Gage  recommended  that  Rd. 
Isld.  Assembly  slid  send  Delegates  to  him  to  negotiate  on  the  pres- 
ent Crisis.  This  passed  in  the  L^ower  Hou.se  but  negatived  in  the 
upper — who  refu.sed  to  have  any  Negotiations  with  him  of  this 
Nature. — News  from  Pliilad''  that  Sooo  of  that  City  had  lately 
associated  for  Liberty. — Maryld  &  Virginia  were  raising  Forces — a 
Ship  from  Holld  laden  with  powder  &c  arrived  at  N  York  & 
unladed  in  sight  of  the  Man  o'War  unmolested — another  Vessel 
loaded  with  powder  arrived  at  Stoningtow^i. 

On  15"'  Feb.  last  was  proclaimed  at  Rome  the  Election  of  a  Pope, 
viz,  Cardinal  Braschi.  to  the  great  Disgust  of  the  Cit}',  as  he  is  con- 
sidered friendly  to  the  Interests  of  the  Jesuits. 

At  V"  P.M.  I  catechised  the  Children  of  my  Congregation  13 
Boys  33  Girls  g  Negroes,  Tot.  55.  Reading  D''  Benson  on  the 
Epistles  part-'  the  second  of  Peter. 

9.  Reading  Benson  : — and  also  London  Magazine  »&  the  English 
prints.  It  seems  we  have  some  Enemies  among  ourselves.  Some 
of  their  Letters  are  returned.  In  the  London  Advertiser  of  Janr}-, 
27,  1775  is  a  Copy  of  a  Letter  written  b}-  Oliver  DeLancey  Esq 
one  of  the  Council  of  New  York  to  a  person  high  in  Administration. 

"The  Resolutions  of  the  Congress  will  never  be  observed,  the  Delegates  them- 
selves are  ashamed  of  them,  &  many  are  studying  Ways  to  elude  them  :  the 
people  attatchcd  to  Government,  Sir,  in  this  City,  ]au<jh  at  their  Resolutions, 
and  the  most  flaming  Zealots  dispise  themselves  for  passing  them  :  on  Occa- 
sion of  the  Stamp  Act  Confederacies  were  formed  which  treacherj-  among  them- 
selves soon  put  an  End  to.  There  cannot  be  a  doubt.  Sir,  but  a  similar  Defec- 
tion will  soon  show  how  little  may  be  depended  on  from  the  Resolutions  of  the 
Congress :  In  such  Defection  this  City  will  take  the  Lead,  and  in  which  my 
hifluence  shall  be  exerted,  and  may  be  relied  on.  Five  of  the  Provinces  are 
already  preparing  to  violate  their  Resolutions.  I  beg  Leave  to  say  that  Gov' 
are  extremely  mistaken,  if  they  are  alarmed  at  a  Congress  like  that  at  Phila- 
delphia. I  was  born  in  this  City,  &  am  well  acquainted  with  the  other  Colonies, 
from  luhose  Opposition  Gov'  has  nothing  to  fear,  except  from  N.  Engld ;  and 
as  a  dutiful  Subject  to  the  Crown,  I  hope  that  they  ruill  meet  a  punishm'  suita- 
ble to  their  Rebellion.  This  Province  of  N  York  and  Pensylvania  are  most 
attached  to  the  Crown  &  Pari' ;  and  to  the  keep^  them  so,  I  hope  I  have  some 
Merit,  together  with  my  Relations  &  Connexions,  of  whom  many  are  in  the 
Assembly  &  Council,  but  notwithstand>-'  I  would  advise  the  keep*-'  two  Reg" 
here.  I  was  not  in  Town  when  the  Packet  arrived.  Your  favor  I  shall  have 
the  honor  to  answer  per  next  Opportunit}'.  The  Deputies  from  this  City  in  the 
Congress  were  some  of  the  'meanest  of  the  People.  ^^ 


MAY    8-IO,    1775  549 

Infamous  Parricide  !     [Oliver  DeL,ancey  denies  this  Letter.] 
Extracted  from  the  Pensylv'  Mercur}-,  whose  first  N"  was  pub. 

the  7'"  of  April  last :  printed  with  Types  of  American  Manufacture. 

The  first  Work  with  Amer.  Types  :  tho'    Types  were  made  at  N 

Haven         years  ago.' 

In  the  Pens3'lv-'  Mercury  of  Apr  28  are  a  number  of  intercepted 

Letters  from  the  Kings  Troops  and  others  in  N.  Engld.  giving  an 

Ace"  of  the  Action  of  igtli  .   .   A  Letter  from  Hartfd  tells  the  story 

well  and  contains  some  other  particulars  : — 

"Hartfd.,  Apr.  23,  1775. 
"landed  at  Cambridt^e  that  night  &  early  Wedn'y  niorn'g.  by  day- 
break they  marchd  up  to  LexiugtoTi,  &c.  .  .  .  the  Regulars  fired  without  the 
least  provocation  about  fifteen  minutes,  without  a  single  shot  from  our  men  ; 
who  retreated — in  which  fire  thej-  killed  six  of  our  men  &  wounded  several, 
from  thence  they  proceeded  to  Concord  :  on  the  Road  thither,  they  fired  at  & 
killed  a  Man  on  Horseback,  went  to  the  House  where  Mr.  Hancock  lodged, 
who  with  Samuel  Adams  luckily  got  out  of  their  way  by  secret  &  speedy 
Intelligence  from  Paul  Revere — when  they  searched  the  house  for  Mr.  Han- 
cock &  Adams,  &  not  find"  them  there,  killed  the  Woman  of  the  house  &  all 
the  children  &  set  fire  to  the  house  ;  from  thence  they  proceeded  on  their  Way 
to  Concord,  firing  at  &  kill'g.  hogs,  geese,  cattle  &  every  Thing  that  came  in 
their  Way,  &  burning  houses.  When  they  came  to  Concord  &c.  .  .  .  After 
which  they  marched  back  towds.  B",  but  before  they  marched  far  they  were 
met  by  three  hundred  Provincials,  who  received  two  Fires  from  the  Regulars 
before  the}'  returned  it.  On  the  second  fire  of  the  Provincials  the  Troops 
began  to  Retreat,  &  kept  regular  firing.  They  retreated  thence  until  they  came 
to  Cambridge  Plains,  by  which  Time  the  Provincials  had  increased  to  5  or  600 
men,  when  the  Troops  took  to  their  Heels  &  ran  helter  skelter,  they  running 
&  our  men  pursuing  &  kill-  them  till  thev  came  to  a  place  called  Bunkers 
hill  in  Charlestown.  Gen.  Gage  know'g.  they  were  attacked  sent  out  a  Rein- 
forcem'  of  about  900  men,  &c.  Made  eight  prisoners.  Ten  more  clubbed 
their  firelocks  &  came  over  to  us,  many  were  killed  on  both  sides,  &c — There 
is  supposed  to  be  about  150  of  the  Troops  killed,  amongst  whom  they  say  are 
Ld.  Piercy  &  Gen.  Haldiman,  the  Truth  of  which  we  are  not  sure  of— Of  our 
men  30  or  40,  they  think  probably  more.  This  Colony  is  all  alarmed,  every 
Town  is  preparing  for  a  March,  many  Companies  have  alread}'  marched. — The 
Country  being  instantly  alarmed,  the  Provincials  poured  in  in  great  numbers. 
When  Adams  came  away,  he  says,  there  were  30  or  40000  of  our  Men  under 
Arms."     N.B.  This  Adams  is  the  Post. 

10.  This  day  the  Continental  Congress  begins  sitting  at  Phila- 
delphia. May  they  have  the  Presence  &  Guidance  of  the  Most 
High '. 

'  By  Abel  Buell  in  1769.     vSee  this  Diary,  April  15,  1795. 


550  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STiLEvS 

This  day  I  waited  on  Gov.  Wanton  &  he  shewed  me  Gen.  Gage's 
Letter,  with  his  Ace"  of  the  Action  of  19"'  ult.  He  says  that  the 
Troops  found  about  200  Men  in  Arms  at  Lexington,  &  came  up 
within  about  100  yds  of  them.  That  Col  Smith  or  the  command^ 
Officer  ordered  the  Kings  Troops  not  to  fire — that  our  pple  scat- 
tered &  got  over  fences  &  began  the  fire — that  then  a  promiscuous 
fire  began  from  the  Troops — that  they  then  proceeded  for  Concord, 
whither  he  had  ordered  them  to  destroy  our  Magazine — that  some 
of  the  Troops  being  placed  at  a  Bridge  in  Concord,  where  &  from 
a  height  near  by  our  pple  I  think  he  says  about  300  began  again  a 
fire  on  the  Troops,  which  they  returned  &  began  their  Retreat — 
that  soon  after  they  set  out  on  their  Return,  our  pple  began  &  fol- 
knved  them  with  a  brisk  fire  to  Lexington  where  the  Troops  were 
joyned  by  Ld  Piercy,  with  a  Brigade  which  he  had  dispatched 
about  8  o'clock,  having  rec'^  News  of  the  first  fire  between  7  &  8 
in  the  Morning.  At  one  of  the  Fires  at  Lexington  the  Gen.  .says 
we  killed  three  of  the  Kings  Troops  &  wounded  Nine  more,  two  of 
which  were  Officers.  He  represents  the  whole  killed  ' '  above 
fifty."      He  dont  say  how  many  of  our  pple  were  killed  &c 

This  day  they  are  beginning  to  enlist  Men  in  Newport.  One 
officer  told  me  at  Noon  he  had  15  enlisted.  Our  Assembly  passed  an 
Act  disabling  Gov.  Wanton  from  all  acts  of  Government— because 
he  refused  signing  the  Proclam^  for  a  Fast,  &  refu.sed  signing  the 
Commissions  for  the  Officers  in  the  new  Levy  of  1500  Men  &c — & 
appointed  the  Naval  Officer  &  appropriated  the  profits  for  the 
public.  The  Charter  says  notli^'  about  naval  Office — it  was  made 
or  erected  by  the  Assembly  which  empowered  the  Governor  for 
Time  being  to  appoint  the  Officer.  Gov''  Wanton  is  seeking  2 
Councillors  to  administer  to  him  the  Oath  of  Office  as  Governor  ; 
but  they  refuse.  He  would  then  take  the  Naval  Office.  The  Cus- 
tomhouse is  shut  up  the  Collector  mak^'  Difficulty  about  clearances 
unless  pa.ssing  the  Governors  (&  not  Colony's)  Naval  Office.  The 
Customhouses  at  Philadelphia   &  N.  York  have  also  been  shut  up. 

The  Post  Master  Gen .  W  Foxcroft  at  N  York  has  dismissed  all 
the  Post  Riders  this  Way — and  a  \A'a\\  is  meditating  for  a  new  Po.st 
Office  in  &  thro'  America. 

1 1 .  This  is  a  day  of  public  P'^asting  &  Prayer  for  the  Times, 
appointed  by  the  Provincial  Congress  of  Mas.sa.  and  the  Gen. 
Assembly  of  this  Colony.  Tho'  there  was  no  Proclam''  issued  by 
our  Governor.     I  preached  A  M  on  Jer.   vii,   3-7.     P.M.  2  Chron. 


MAY    II-I2,    1775  551 

XV,  2.  Very  crondcd  Audiences.  The  Ivpisc"  Chh  of  Kngld 
refused  to  observe  the  day  at  Chh.  Tlie  other  Societies  I  beheve 
all  observed  it.     Shops  generally  shut  &  Town  very  still. 

12.  This  morning  came  in  a  Newbury  man  who  a  few  days  ago 
came  from  the  Army.  He  went  over  from  Chariest'  into  B"  &:  got 
Leave  to  pass  the  Gate.  He  .says  Gen.  Gage  dont  fulfill  his  promise 
but  makes  delays,  &  that  the  pple  within  the  T"  are  about  demand^' 
their  Arms  again,  as  the  Conditions  of  deliv^'  them  up  are  not  ful- 
filled— that  the  Bostonians  were  not  dispirited  but  held  out  wonder- 
fully— that  the  Army  were  in  high  Spirits,  had  cast  up  a  P^ortress 
at  Dorchester  P'  &  another  at  Phipps  Farm  in  Cambridge,  had 
placed  Canon  some  of  Eighteen  pounders — that  they  had  Canon 
Mortars  Bombs  Chain  vShot  &c  (in  Abund''  [Query]  as  much  as 
they  wanted  ;) — that  they  meditated  a  great  linterprize  as  soon  as 
Boston  w^as  evacuated — that  they  w^ere  .screwing  Salt  Hay  for  mak- 
ing a  moveable  Fortification  to  pa.ss  by  Land  or  Water  or  Ijoth. 

Rev'^  M''  Wheeler  of  this  T"  was  born  at  Concord'  &  has  two 
Brothers  living  there.  He  lately  rode  a  Journey  that  way  tho  not 
so  far  as  Concord.  He  tells  me  he  saw^  a  Man  of  good  Intelligence 
who  w^as  in  the  whole  Action  of  the  19  from  Concord  to  Charles- 
town,  &  gave  him  a  particular  Account  of  it.  While  the  body  of 
Troops  sat  down  about  the  Courthouse  &c  in  the  middle  of  Con- 
cord, they  sent  off  2  Detatchm'^  to  search  for  Stores  supposed  to 
have  been  removed  ;  one  N  W  to  a  Bridge  three  quarters  of  a  Mile 
or  more — nearl}-  a  Mile  from  the  Courthouse,  to  search  the  houses 
thereabouts  ;  the  other  N.W.  three  Miles  to  one  Col.  House 

to  destroy  the  Guns,  Carriages  there  mak-  &c.  A  Body  of  pple 
some  armed  &  some  unarmed  attended  &  watched  the  Detatchment 
at  some  distance  but  without  any  firing.  After  the  Party  had  been 
to  Col.  &  destroyed  the  Carriages  &c  they  returned  2  M.  to  a 

Bridge  about  a  mile  from  the  body.  Our  pple  following  on  but 
offering  no  Injury.  But  so  soon  as  the  Troops  had  crossed  the 
Bridge  they  began  to  pull  it  up  &  pulled  up  two  planks.  Upon 
w'hich  our  pple  ran  determining  to  cross  it  ;  and  when  the>-  had 
come  to  the  foot  of  the  Bridge  oppo.site  the  Regulars,  the  Regulars 
fired  upon  the  Provincials  &  killed  two  Men  viz  Cap'  Davis  & 
M'  Ho.smer  both  of  Acton.  Upon  which  our  pple  returned  the  fire 
&  killed  two  of  the  Regulars  &  mortally  wounded  one  ofiicer.     The 

1  On  December  24,  1734,  the  son  of  William  and  Mercy  (Willard)  Wheeler. 
See  IVillard  Memoir,  377. 


552  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILP:S 

regular  Party  then  retreated  precipitately  &  confusedly  ran  back  a 
mile  to  the  main  bod}^  not  even  staying  to  carry  off  the  2  dead 
soldiers.  The  wounded  Officer  walked  a  little  ways  &  gave  out  ; 
upon  which  they  carried  him  into  Town  ;  he  asked  his  Surgeon 
whether  his  Wound  was  mortal  ?  yes  :  is  there  a  Clergyman  near  ? 
no.  Upon  this  they  took  3  Chaise,  put  him  in  one — &  the  whole 
Body  immed-'  departed  &  left  Concord.  The  Provincials  followed 
on  &  dispersed  themselves  on  the  Height  or  Hill  before  the  Town 
&  along  to  the  Extrem^'  of  it,  where  the  Regulars  at  com'''  round 
should  be  exposed.  There  accordingly  the  Provincials  were  ready 
&  poured  a  heavy  Fire  on  them  as  they  came  round  :  and  thus  con- 
tinued to  fire  upon  the  Troops  from  behind  Walls  &  Trees  &  hills, 
&  to  harrass  them  all  the  Way  back  to  Charlestown.  Hav^' 
retreated  six  miles  back  to  Lexington,  they  were  joyned  by  the  2d 
Detatchm'  Ld  Percy  ;  who  encompassed  the  Troops  thus  fatigued, 
&  guarded  them  while  refreshing.  In  the  mean  Time  he  applied 
his  Field  Pieces  but  found  them  of  no  use  the  fire  being  lost  on  a 
dispersed  tho'  adhering  Enemy.  M""  Wheeler  says  that  there  were 
killed  63  Regulars  &  49  Marines,  Total  112  killed  :  that  Gen.  Gage 
owns  that  the  Army  is  damaged  foiir/acndred  Men  :  and  that  the 
Man  who  was  in  the  Action  told  him,  that  the  whole  Number  of 
Men  that  attacked  the  Troops  during  the  whole  Retreat,  did  not 
exceed  0?ie  hundred  &  fifty  of  which  46  were  killed.  Major  Pitcarn 
headed  the  advanced  Guard  that  fired  at  Lexington  in  the  Morn-, 
drew  up  the  Ace"  which  Gen.  Gage  sent  here  — &  the  greatest 
Number  of  Provincials  he  mentions  \^fiive  hundred,  which  they  only 
heard  were  asseml)ling  but  never  saw.  Pitcairn  indeed  says  those 
at  Lexington  were  two  hundred,  but  M'  Wheeler  .says  they  were  but 
seventy.  I  cannot  doubt  but  the  Provincials  (rather  Colonists)  were 
above  150  assembled  &  accompanying  the  Retreat  of  the  Troops. 
In  the  Towns  on  the  Line  of  this  days  March  &  nearly  adjacent,  I 
should  presume  are  15  or  20  military  Companies,  whose  Minute 
Men  at  least  to  the  Number  of  5  or  600  might  be  assembled  in  half 
a  day.  And  tlio"  tliere  was  a  Reluctance  in  man}-  &  a  Timidit}'  as 
to  committing  actual  Hostilities  ;  yet  I  slid  think  the  Men  of 
Courage  exceded  150.  However  this  little  body  of  Colonist  Hus- 
sars did  Wonders  :  if  even  magnified  to  what  the  Regulars  estimated 
them,  500  Colonists  drove  before  them  2000  Regulars  &  did  more 
Execution  upon  them,  than  the  P^^nglish  Army  suffered  at  Quebec 
in  the  memorable  Action  in  w"  Gen.  Wolfe  fell. 


MAY    13-16,    1775  553 

This  Eveng.  a  Packet  from  N.  York.  A  Vessel  arrived  there  in 
30  days  from  Europe — brings  the  I^ords  Protest  against  tlie  restrain^ 
Bill,  which  has  passed  both  Houses  &  remains  for  the  Kings  Assent 
— &  that  the  Troops  were  saild  &  on  their  Passage.  The  celebrated 
D""  B.  Franklin  is  returned  to  Philadelphia  from  London  :  &  so  will 
be  able  to  open  to  the  Congress  the  Designs  of  the  Ministry. 

13.  Cap'  Webster  of  Newport  being  at  N  York,  a  Packet,  gener- 
ously without  Reward  conveyed  the  Delegates  of  the  Grand  Congress 
on  board  his  Packet  from  N  York  to  Elizabeth  Town,  accompanied 
with  two  Companies  under  Arms  on  board.  They  sailed  with  Fifes 
playing  Yaiikey  Ttine  (the  same  the  Regulars  playd  in  the  March  to 
Concord)  directly  under  the  Man  o'  War,  with  great  vSpirit  &  Tri- 
umph. On  shore  the  Yorkers  had  loaded  and  pointed  a  number  of 
the  heaviest  Canon  against  the  Man  o'  War,  that  in  Case  she 
molested  the  Delegates  or  the  Packet,  they  might  fire  upon  her. 
They  passed  unmolested.  A  new  Governor  arrived  at  Charlestown 
lately  for  vSo"  Carolina — but  the  Carolineans  repelled  him  &  would 
not  suffer  him  to  land.  Things  grow  higher  &  higher  !  The  N 
Yorkers  have  called  a  Colony  Congress  to  meet  22''  Ins'  &  have 
resolved  on  raising  4000  Men  &  levying  Taxes  for  the  same  pur- 
pose.    The  pple  have  generalh-  signed  the  Association. 

14.  Lordsday.     A.M.   I  preached  on  Prov.  xvi,  25.     P.M.  on  2 

Thess.  i,  12.     This  day  ni}'  honored  father has  been  dead 

fifteen  years.  This  day  20  years  agone,  that  is  the  2"  Ld.sdy.  in 
May,  1755,  I  first  began  to  preach  to  my  Flock,  and  by  the  Grace  of 
God,  have  continued  ministering  in  holy  Things  to  them  ever  since. 

15.  It  is  said  that  2  Tenders  were  plundering  or  intended  stealing 
Sheep  at  Nomans  Land  &c — &  that  the  Dartm"  pple  man'd  out  & 
took  both  &  bro't  them  in  to  Dartm" — some  of  the  Man  o'  Wars 
men  w^ere  wounded  but  none  killed  on  either  side. 

The  5"'  Ins'  the  celebrated  D'  Ben.  Franklin  arrived  at  Phil-'  from 
London,  &  was  immediately  elected  a  Member  of  the  Continental 
Congress,  now  sitting  there.  He  was  in  the  first  Amer.  Congress 
in  1754.  Yesterday  a  sloop  arrived  here  with  about  80  Refugees 
from  Boston  removing  to  Connecticutt.  The  Committee  &  others 
treated  them  in  a  hospitable  &  fraternal  Manner.  They  sailed  for 
New  Haven  this  Evening. 

16.  A  London  paper  Feb.  2  the  Morning  Chronicle — a  sagacious 
malevolent  Ministerial  Writer  Liicidus  Ordo,  employs  his  pen  in 
abusing  the  Americans  :  sometimes  represent-  them  as  rebels — then 


554  •  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

of  little  Consequence,  &  that  the  Non  Consump.  Agreement  could 
damage  Brittain  little,  the  American  Commerce  being  of  small 
account.  But  he  suffers  it  to  escape  him  that  "the  Moment  the 
Americans  become  an  Indep*^  pple.  they  open  their  Trade  unth  all  the 
World,  a7id  Engla^id  is  lindane. " 

17.  News  from  the  Army  on  Monday  last —They  are  12,000 — 
have  Ministers  plenty,  among  the  rest  Rev.  M""  Gordon^ — have 
preaching  not  only  in  the  Meef^houses  but  Fields — a  general  Seri- 
ousness &  sense  of  religion,  &  much  singing  of  Psalms  &  Anthems 
thro'  the  Army — especially  Morn^  and  Eveng.  Prayers — have  above 
fourty  Stockbridge  Indians  painted  &c. — Had  an  Alarm  last  Wednes- 
day— intend  taking  the  Castle  &  Shipping. 

Yesterday  a  A^essel  from  Monseratt  in  15  days,  says  a  ship  from 
Engld  in  25  days  inform*^  Tumults  in  Engld  so  that  the  Troops 
disembarked.  This  agrees  with  Salem  News  which  brings  Letters 
from  Engld  down  to  9  April  inform^  the  same  Thing.  The  old 
Postrider  Mumford'  came  in  last  Eveng.  from  Boston — no  Prints — 
he  says  that  two  Transports  are  arrived  &  are  part  of  seven,  the 
others  close  behind — bringing  about  700  Marines  to  recruit  Gen. 
Gage. — Gentleman  left  the  Camp  on  Mondaj^,  says  they  have 
searched  Gov'"  Hutchinsons  Country  Seat  at  Milton  &  carried  off 
two  Trunks  of  his  Letters  &  papers  throw^'  much  Light  or  Dark- 
ness on  public  Affairs  : — he  saw  the  Trunks. — D'  Franklin  has  bro't 
a  more  authentic  Copy  of  Ld  Chatham's  speech,  wherein  his  Ldship 
in  Pari'  addressing  himself  to  Ld  North  told  him — " yoji  say  the  Acts 
shall  not  be  repealed,  I  say  that  they  will  &  shall  be  repealed,  &  that 
you  shall  ansiver  for  them  with  your  head."  It  is  the  Susurrus  of 
the  day  that  the  Virginians  have  boldly  told  Gov.  Ld  Dunmore 
"  We  will  have,  Sir,  the  Pozuder,  or  yoiir  Head,  Sir.'' — and  that  he 
had  fled  to  the  Man  o'  War.  Ld  Dunmore  had  secretly  delivered 
up  &  sent  on  board  the  Man  o'  War  the  Powder  in  the  Magazine 
at  Williamsburg — this  bro't  the  pple  to  him  in  Arms — I  saw^  their 
Address  &  his  Answer,  both  high — it  is  said  matters  at  length  come 
to  a  flight.  M''  Hooper  of  Marblehd  an  oppulent  Man  &  Mandamus 
Councillor  has  held  a  Neutrality  leaning  towds  Toryism  ;  but  has 
now  lately  renounced,  &  declared  for  American  Liberty  &  prays  a 
Restoration  to  the  Esteem  of  his  Countr}'. 

'  Benjamin  IMumford,  thus  referred  to  in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Stiles  from  the  Rev. 
\Vm.  Hart  (Yale  1732),  of  Saybrook,  March,  1769  : — Mr.  Mumford  has  engaged 
to  nie  to  carry  this  free,  as  an  expression  of  his  calliolick  love. 


MAY    17-18,    1775  555 

Cap'  Collins  came  from  the  Camp  at  Roxbury  yesterday  Mornill^^ 
He  was  last  year  one  of  our  Assistants  &  in  April  last  voted  for 
raising  Troops,  tho'  a  Quaker.  He  has  been  down  to  Boston  to 
bring  off  an  aged  uncle  whom  he  brot  with  liim.  He  says  our 
Army  is  10,000,  and  in  good  Spirits  &  at  an  alarm  at  Camb.  at  T' 
3-est-  morng.  5,000  in  Arms  in  fifteen  Minutes.  But  it  is  not  known 
w^hat  Operations  are  intended  ;  this  being  kept  ver\-  mucli  a  secret 
with  the  Committee  of  Safety  at  head  Quarters.  He  says  but  few 
perhaps  30  or  40  a  da}^  are  permitted  to  come  out  of  B"  so  that  at 
this  Rate  the  Evacuation  of  the  Town  may  take  up  4  or  5  Months. 
It  is  plainly  the  Intention  of  Gen.  Gage  not  to  be  left  alone,  nor  to 
suffer  the  Body  of  the  Inhabitants  to  depart,  till  he  has  further 
News  from  home.  The  Inhab.  are  his  great  Security.  He  suffers 
none  of  the  principal  Inhab.  to  come  out.  And  part-'  he  retains  M"" 
Bodwoin,  &  the  Select  Men,  &  Committee  of  Donations.  The  pple 
live  on  salt  provisions.  The  small  pox  is  broke  out  again.  Great 
is  the  Destress  of  the  confined  Inhabitants.  There  are  5000  out  of 
16,000  so  poor  as  to  need  assistance  even  to  remove  if  permitted. 
Contests  prevail  in  the  Army  &  Navy.  Gen.  Gage  lays  the  blame 
of  the  New  York  Affair  to  Admiral  Gra\-es  for  not  send^'  some  ships 
thither.  Gov.  Colden  of  N  York,  it  is  said,  has  said  that  if  there 
had  been  a  few  ships,  they  would  have  supported  the  Friends  of 
Gov*^  but  now  all  was  irretrievably  lost  ! 

A  Letter  has  been  interrupted  written  by  Rev''  D'  Auchmuty  of 
N  York  to  M"'  Montresor  his  son-in-law  an  Engineer  at  Boston,  full 
of  Malice  &  Abuse.  I  read  it  this  Afternoon.  This  Eveng.  was  to 
have  been  the  M'^'  Meeting — but  I  omitted  it.  Enlistments  go  on 
apace  in  Town,  &  the  pple  begin  a  little  to  recover  from  their 
Fright.     They  are  quiet  &  peaceable. 

18.  Yesterda}-  I  finished  &  this  day  I  begin  again  to  read  the 
Bible  in  Course  in  my  Study.  My  daily  manner  is,  first  in  the 
Morning  to  offer  up  secret  Prayer  to  God — then  calling  my  family 
together,  read  a  Chapter  in  the  Bible  in  Course  and  perform  Family 
Prayer — then  read  by  myself  one  to  3  or  4  Chapters  in  Course, 
wdth  frequent  References  to  the  Original  Hebrew  &  Greek,  and  the 
Commentators  antient  &  modern  ;  lately  I  have  made  much  use  of 
the  Zohar  in  which  wath  the  Syriac  I  now  daily  read  a  portion. 
This  usually  brings  me  to  X  or  XI  o' Clock  before  noon.  Then  I 
w^alk  abroad  &  visit.  After  dinner  I  read  an  hour  or  two  some- 
times one  Thing  &  sometimes  another  &  then  visit.     In  the  Eveng. 


556  DIARY    OF   EZRA    vSTlLEvS 

read  an  hour  or  two.  Between  IX  &  X  attend  family  Prayer. 
About  XI  retire  to  bed  «&  commit  myself  &  all  to  Gd  in  secret 
Prayer. 

I  have  long  been  displeased  with  the  Manner  of  writ*^'  Commen- 
taries or  Expositions  upon  the  Scriptures.  Most  Expositors  seem 
to  take  it  for  granted  that  the  Bible  needs  a  conthnicd  Exposition, 
that  ever}-  Verse  needs  a  Comment,  as  much  as  a  Translation. 
Hence  the  numerous  continued  Commentaries  both  Rabbinical  & 
Christian,  as  Aben  Ezra,  Jarchi,  the  Kimchi's  among  the  one,  and 
Patrick,  Eoutli,  ^\'hitby,  Henry,  Pool,  Zanch}^  among  the  latter. 
The  christian  Expositors  since  the  X"'  Century  especially  in  the 
Western  Chhs  (much  more  than  in  the  Oriental  Chlis)  have  taken 
occasion  to  insert  into  their  Scripture  Comment^'*  whole  Systems  & 
Treatises  deduced  from  &  palmed  upon  Scripture  by  Imagination 
&  by  pontificial  Authorit}'.  The  Spirit  or  enthusiastic  Custom  of 
making  the  Scripture  speak  what  man  pleased,  has  prevailed  so  that 
instead  of  Illustration  of  Scripture,  Commentary  is  become  little 
more  than  a  Vehicle  to  put  off  human  Systems  upon  Mankind  for 
the  Scripture  Verity.  Thus  the  great  D''  Sam'  Clark  translated  & 
wrote  Notes  on  Rohault's  Philosophy  (then  a  philosophic  Bible  in 
the  Universities)  not  so  much  to  illustrate  Rohalt  as  to  make  him 
the  \>hicle  of  conveying  the  peculiarities  of  the  sublimer  New- 
tonian Philosophy.  What  Clark  did  for  Rohalt  Commentators  seem 
to  do  for  the  Bible  but  not  with  Success. 

The  Great  M""  Locke  saw  that  it  was  onh-  here  &  there  a  place  or 
Text  that  needed  Illustration  or  Notes  ;  but  that  the  Idioms,  or  pecu- 
liar manner  of  Expressions,  in  different  Languages,  could  not  be 
understood  in  a  literal  Translation  &  therefore  required  a  paraphrase. 
Accordingly  he  invented  a  new  Mode  of  Scripture  Commentary,  by 
Paraphrase  &  Notes.  This  Mode  received  great  Applause  ever  since 
even  from  those  who  differed  from  M'  Lock  as  to  Doctrines  &  relig- 
ious principles  :  but  as  his  Arian  &  Arminian  principles  have  had  a 
general  spread  &  Reception  among  the  Chh  of  luigld  &  Dissenters 
the  half  Century  past,  so  INI''  Lockes  Reputation  as  a  Scripture  Com- 
mentator has  been  exceeding  high  with  the  public.  But  a  continued 
Paraphrase\^  as  absurd  as  a  eontinued  A^otation  or  Comments  because 
it  implies  that,  the  whole  Hebrew  &  Greek  Language  is  Idiom  ; 
whereas  it  is  certain  that  by  far  the  greater  Part  of  all  the  Oriental 
Languages  &  the  English  Tongue  is  not  Idiom,  but  common  familiar 
&  intelligible  in  a  litteral  Translation.     It  «is  a  Truth   that  three 


MAY    l8,    1775  557 

Quarters  or  more  of  the  Scripture  is  so  intelligible  in  a  literal  Trans- 
lation, that  Paraphrase  spoils  it  of  its  Perspicuity  tS:  Beauty.  Let  us 
try  the  Experim'  on  Plato,  Cicero,  Longinus — make  a  Paraphrase  & 
Notes — make  a  literal  Transl-'  with  a  few  Notes — &  let  an>'  man  see 
which  he  would  chuse.  INIau}-  are  disposed  to  consider  our  present 
English  Translation  of  the  Bible,  as  that  of  W'ickliffs,  obsolete  & 
so  unintelligible.  I  am  intirely  of  a  different  Opinion.  I  have 
compared  it  with  the  original  Hebrew  &  Greek,  examin"-'  &  corn- 
par*-'  every  Chapter  wdth  the  Original,  &  find  it  a  good  an  excellent 
good  &  intelligible  Translation.  So  just  an  one,  that  I  could  not 
expect  so  good  an  one  if  attempted  in  this  age.  Indeed  I  believe  a 
peculiar  providential  Guidance  in  bringing  this  Transl''  to  a  singular 
perfection,  from  the  first  Rudiments  of  it  b)-  Wickliff,  &  especially 
Tindal,  Matthew^s  &  the  Bps,  &  thro'  a  Series  of  Correction  for  60 
3'ears,  till  it  received  the  last  Touch  in  K.  James'  Time  1606. 
Heaven  foresaw  it  w^as  likely  to  become  the  Bible  of  America  & 
perhaps  of  the  greatest  Body  of  pple  speaking  one  language  & 
familiarized  to  read^  the  Scriptures,  to  be  found  on  Earth.  Luther's 
Translation  was  made  at  once.  None  of  the  Translations  of  Gds 
Word  into  any  Language  whatever  in  East  or  West,  have  had  the 
Care  &  Correction  expended  about  them,  as  the  English  Bible  has. 
Perhaps  500  j-ears  hence  it  may  need  a  Glossary  for  some  words 
growing  into  Disuse.  But  at  present  it  is  too  intelligible  to  need 
the  Paraphrase  of  even  a  Locke.  As  the  Chaldee  Targums  or 
Paraphrases  cast  Light  on  the  O.  T.  so  I  suppose  Locke  took  thence 
his  Idea  of  the  Utility  of  Paraphrases.  But  the  Targums  are  as 
much  transP  from  the  Hebrew,  as  the  English  Bible — &  for  the 
most  part  literal  :  sometimes  the  Targummists  take  Liberty  to  add 
or  insert  their  owai  Interpretations,  &  some  of  them  valuable.  So 
that  Locks  Method  &  that  of  the  Targum  are  quite  different. 
Lock  should  have  considered  what  a  Commentary  Malachi  would 
have  written  in  hebrew  upon  the  hebrew  Bible  ;  to  discern  what  the 
mode  of  Comment  proper  to  be  written  in  the  English  Language 
upon  the  English  Bible.  He  would  have  then  perceived.  Para- 
phrase to  be  absurd :  &  that  would  have  left  him  his  Notes  or  Expo- 
sitions of  different  Passages  &  Idioms,  which  is  the  most  Excellent 
&  useful  part  of  his  Writ-  on  the  Scripture,  &  indeed  the  only  true 
Way  of  Commentary. 

The   Dissenting   Divines   were  captivated   with    Locks    Manner. 
Hence  the  Paraphrases  &  Notes  by,  Benson,  Pierce,  Hallet,  Low- 


558  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

man,  Taylor,  Guyse  &  Doddridge — saving  that  the  latter  has 
added  Reflexions  adapted  for  a  practical  Applic^  &  Impro\-enient,  & 
so  united  ParapJirase,  N'otes  &  religious  System  or  Deduction. 

Now  I  wish  to  see  these  kept  separate,  &  to  have  the  pure  word 
of  Gd  by  itself.  This  is  done  in  the  English  Bible.  The  whole  of 
this  does  not  want  Illustration — however  some  part  of  it  does  ;  & 
particularly  may  receive  I^ight  from  Scripture  Geography  &c. 
And  may  be  done  by  any  Men  of  Learning  &  Leisure  of  any 
Denomination.  Therefore  I  could  wish  to  see,  not  a  continued 
Comment-',  but  critical  Notes  &  Illustrations  on  all  the  difficult 
Texts,  begining  with  the  Penteteuch  &  end*^  with  the  Apocah'pse. 
The  Notes  should  be  so  plain,  as  that  few  or  none  should  differ  on 
them — because  not  to  be  in  the  manner  of  Deduction  &  Inference  & 
System  Building  ;  but  as  we  write  Notes  on  Tacitus  or  Longinus  to 
develope  the  Meaning.  I  have  no  Tho'ts  of  doing  this  myself,  as  I 
have  other  Matters  in  hand.  However  I  think  to  note  the  Texts  & 
Passages,  which  require  such  a  Commentary,  as  I  read  the  Bible  in 
Course. 

19.  The  Pensylv^  print  came  in  to  day The  beginning  of 

this  Month  Gov.  Penn  convened  the  Assembly  of  Pens^dv-'  and 
pressed  upon  them  the  Ministerial  proposal  of  voting  a  Sum  to  be 
raised  in  their  own  Way,  &  so  disuniting  themselves  from  the 
rest  of  the  Colonies.  They  nobly  refused.  So  Ld  North  is  up  here 
again,  as  well  as  at  N  York.  Mess"'*  Halls  Printers  have  removed 
their  Press  from  Salem  to  vStoughton  College  in  Cambridge,  at  advice 
of  sundry-  members  of  Congress  &  at  general  Desire,  that  he  might 
issue  the  News  from  Head  Quarters  during  this  important  Period. 
I  read  his  first  print  issued  thence  :  he  saj^s  that  a  small  Number  of 
Recruits  are  arrived  to  Gen.  Gage  from  Hallifax — but  nothing  of 
the  Arrival  of  Transports  from  Europe,  as  our  Torj'-  Postrider 
reported. 

The  New  Engl"*  &  York  Delegates  were  received  with  great 
Honor  &  Magnificence  at  Philadelphia.  Several  Thousand  Men 
in  Arms  marched  out  of  the  Cit}'  to  meet  &  guard  them  into  the 
City.  Men  in  Arms  convened  from  every  part  of  the  Province, 
fame  saj's,  to  the  amount  of  30,000 — perhaps  3000. 

The  Fort  at  Crownpoint  was  slighted  some  j^ears  ago,  but  the 
Canon  left  there.  Two  Parties  lately,  without  Concert  or  Knowl- 
edge of  one  anothers  Designs,  set  out  the  one  from  Connecticutt 
the  other  from  Massachusetts,  &  met  on  the  Road  thither,  &  pro- 


MAY    19-23,    1775  559 

ceeded  &  seized  the  Artillery  there,  &  it  is  said  anionj;  the  rest 
some  Brass  Field  Pieces. 

Some  of  the  Tories  in  Newport,  amon<^  other  hi<;h  Hxpressions 
respecting  the  higher  Powers  «&  the  absolute  submission  due  to 
them,  suffer  this  blasphemous  Assertion  to  escape  them,  viz,  "  that 
the  King  I^ords  &  Commons  are  the  same  upon  I^arth  as  God 
Almighty  is  in  Heaven." — I  heard  another  add,  "  the  Parhament 
made  a  Trinity  on  Earth."      Blasphemy  ! 

20.  A  Packet  came  here  this  Morning  from  Boston,  sent  by  Gen. 
Gage  to  the  Men  o'  War  here.  She  sailed  from  Nantasket  IV 
oClock  Thursday  morning.  She  bro't  one  or  more  Officers  of 
Gages  Army  to  sail  for  London  by  a  ship  here  ready  to  sail.  The 
Tories  have  Letters  from  Boston,  giving  Account  that  the  Rebels 
set  fire  to  the  Kings  Stores  to  destroy  the  Provision  &  Magazine — 
that  30  Stores  were  burnt — but  luckily  most  of  the  Provisions  had 
been  removed  on  board  the  Man  o'  War  a  little  before — that  they 
had  had  no  fresh  Provisions  for  3  Weeks. 

Rev''  M''  Hopkins  just  returned  from  a  Vi.sit  to  Preston,  tells  me 
that  Capt.  Motte  of  Preston  raised  &  led  forward  a  body  of  Volun- 
teers from  Connecticutt,  who  went  Via  Albany,  and  lately  took 
Ticonderoga  with  a  Garrison  of  Regulars  about  90  Men  and  300 
Canon.  Upon  slighting  the  fort  at  Crownp*  the  Canon  were 
removed  &  lodged  at  Ticonderoga  :  and  Gen.  Gage  lately  sent  off 
a  Detatchm'  to  keep  poss'ion  of  them.  It  is  said  a  part}'  from 
Massachusetts  joyned  the  Connect,  pple  &  formed  a  body  of  500 
Men.  Cap*  Mott  immediateh'  .set  off  to  inform  Connecticutt  Gen. 
Assembly  at  Hartford.  The  Assembly'  sent  him  to  the  Congress  at 
Philadelphia  &  he  is  now  gone  thither.  This  Expedition  &  seizure 
was  done  without  Direction  or  Order  from  any  Assembly  or  Con- 
gress. 

21.  Edsday  A  M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  119,  132,  &  published  two 
Couples.  P  M.  Jn"  v,  28,  29.  Reading  in  Perkins  and  Dionysius 
Areopagita. 

22.  This  Morn»  News  that  the  Kings  Troops  had  last  made 
another  Excursion  and  burned  sundry-  houses  &  done  damage  at 
Weymouth.  The  3  Conip''  raised  on  this  Isld  are  sent  for  &  fitting 
an  immediate  March — and  the  Man  o  War  &  Marines  are  about  to 
stop  their  passing  off  this  Island 

23.  East  Eveng.  the  Story  of  the  Burning  of  Weymouth  was  con- 
tradicted.    Gen.  Gage  it  seems  sent  some  armed  Schooners  to  steal 


560  DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 

Hav  in  Stacks  at  Weym" — the  pple  opposed  their  Landing  &  fired 
upon  &  beat  them  off,  and  set  fire  to  the  Stacks  of  Ha}'. 

The  week  before  last  Cap'  Lindzee  of  the  Falcon  sloop  of  War, 
took  two  sloops  near  the  Vinyd  without  an}'  Reason.  The  pple  of 
the  Eastwd  man'd  out  2  Vessels,  retook  the  sloops  &  carried  them 
into  Fairhaven  in  Dartm"  13"'  Ins'  with  14  of  Cap'  Lindzees  hands, 
3  of  whom  wounded  w""  w'"  a  Doctors  mate  they  kept  there  &  sent 
off  the  rest  to  Taunton. 

Intercepted  Letter  from  Rev.  D''  Auchmuty  an  Episc"  Rector  at 

N  York  to  his  Son-in-Law  Cap'  Montresor  Engineer  among  the 

Troops  in  Boston. 

"New  York  April  19,  1775. 
Mv  Dear  Sir 

Yesterday  Cap"  Coupar  arrived  fr.  London  ;  Rivington  I  conclude  will  have 
all  the  news  in  his  paper,  but  for  fear  you  slid  not  get  his  paper  in  Time,  I  send 
you  some  Extracts  fr.  a  Letter  I  reC*  fr.  undoubted  Auth>',  w'=  may  be  depended 
upon.     It  is  dated  London  March  4,  1775. 

"I  congratulate  you  heartily  on  the  spirited  &  prudent  Conduct  of  your 
Assembly.  Their  proceed"^  are  universally  applauded  by  the  pple  of  this 
Country.  Envy  dares  not  lisp  against  them  &  faction  hides  its  face  with 
shameful  Disappointment.  Pursue  the  same  path,  &  your  Province  will  be 
honored  with  every  Mark  of  Distinction  from  this  Country.  His  Majesty  is 
already  disposed  to  grant  you  every  honorable  Favor  that  can  be  proposed. 
I  am  happy  that  the  Clergy  under  your  Direction  have  conducted  themselves 
so  prudently  &  successfully,  &  hope  that  the  Church,  for  the  Labor  of  her 
sons,  will  not  be  forgotten.  The  Resolu.  suggested  by  Ld  North,  will  I  flatter 
myself  have  a  happy  Effect  on  N.  York.  It  proposes  to  the  Colonies  all  thej^ 
can  reasonably  ask.  They  desired  to  be  taxed  by  their  own  Representatives, 
it  will  be  granted  them.  Leave  it  to  our  Assemblies  (they  said)  &  we  will  suf- 
ficiently tax  ourselves  &  contribute  to  the  common  Expences.  The  Pari'  accepts 
the  Promises  &  invites  them  by  this  Resolu.  to  propose  what  they  will  give  & 
grant  for  the  necessary'  Contingencies  of  the  state,  «S:  their  own  civil  Establish- 
ment, while  the}^  fulfil  their  Engag'%  the  Pari'  will  not  interfere  to  tax  them  ; 
when  they  refuse  to  bear  a  part  in  supporting  the  common  Burden,  the  suprevie 
Legislature  will  compel  the  delinquent  Colony  to  its  Duty.  Thus  every  reason- 
able Indulgence  is  offered  to  you,  &  every  necessar}^  Power  reserved  to  Parlia- 
ment. If  you  reject  this  Proposition  of  Peace  &  Reconciliation,  the  nation  will 
be  convinced  that  you  are  determined  to  agree  on  no  Terms  of  accommodation. 
The  Armam'  w"^  will  speedily  embark  for  B"  will  convince  the  refractor}'  among 
you,  that  this  nation  will  not  be  trifled  with.  It  is  uncertain  who  will  be  your 
Governor,  the  King  being  resolved  to  appoint  one  himself.  Gov''  Martin  of  N" 
Car"  is  talked  of." — 

Thus  I  have  given  you  all  the  News  that  I  at  present  know,  w*"  may  be 
depended  on.  Cap'  Coupar  says  that  thirty  odd  Sail  of  Transports  sailed  from 
Ireld  the  same  day  with  him,  &  that  many  more  transports  were  taken  up  daily. 
This  is  terrible  News  for  my  poor,  distressed,  oppressed,  injured.  Countrymen. 


MAY    23,    1775  561 

/  vmst  own  I  was  born  among  the  Saifiis  &  Rebels,  but  it  was  my  Misfortune. 
Where  are  your  Congresses  now  ?  What  say  Hancock,  Adams,  &  alt  their 
rebellious  Followers  ?    Are  they  still  bold  ?    I  trow  not. 

We  have  been  plagued  with  a  rascally  Whig  Mob  here,  but  they  effected 
Nothing,  only  vSears  the  King,  was  rescued  at  the  Goal  Door.  He  was  ordered 
there  by  the  Magistrates  upon  his  Refusing  to  give  Bail  for  being  guilty  of  Mis- 
demeanors &c.  Our  Magistrates  have  not  the  spirit  of  a  Louse  ;  however  I 
prognosticate  it  will  not  be  long  before  he  is  handled  by  Authority. 

I  am  &c 

Samvkl  Avchmvtv." 

An  infamous  Parricide  !  An  unholy  Cluirchinan  I 
This  Afternoon  a  Train  of  above  90  Soldiers  headed  by  Cap* 
Topham  &  Cap'  Tew  marched  from  the  Courthou.se  down  the 
Parade  &  then  thro'  the  mainstreet  &c  beating  up  for  \'olun- 
teers  for  the  American  Army.  This  is  their  first  public  Appear- 
ance— Cap'  Wallace  &  other  Officers  of  the  Man  o'W'ar  dined  on 
shore  where  the  Train  passed.  The  Tories  were  greatly  mortified 
to  see  the  daring  Boldness  of  the  Rebels  as  they  called  them.  The 
Tories  had  said  that  the  Men  o'War  would  fire  the  T"  if  au)^  Sol- 
diers were  raised  in  it.  But  there  was  no  Molestation. 
Another  intercepted  Letter  from  Boston. 

"  Dear  Parents  April  30,  1775. 

Before  this  reaches  you,  you  may  hear  that  our  Reg'  has  been  engaged  with 
the  Provincials.  The  Grenadiers  &  Light  Infantry  marched  about  9  at  Night. 
At  6  next  Morning  423  Soldiers  &  47  Marines,  in  all  1500,  marched  to  reinforce 
the  Granadiers  &  Light  Infantry  ;  joyned  about  i  o'Clock,  &  found  them  not 
engaged,  which  they  had  been  8  hours  before  ;  for  we  had  two  pieces  of  Canon 
w"^  made  us  march  very  slow. — As  soon  as  we  came  up  we  fired  the  Canon,  w'' 
bro't  them  from  behind  the  Trees,  for  we  did  not  fight  as  you  did  in  Germany 
for  we  could  not  sec  above  Ten  in  a  Body,  for  they  were  behind  Trees  &  Walls 
&  fired  at  us,  &  then  loaded  on  their  Bellies.  We  had  but-  36  Rounds,  w<= 
obliged  us  to  go  home  that  Night,  &  as  we  came  along  they  got  before  us  and 
fired  at  us  out  of  the  Houses,  &  killed  &  wounded  a  great  many  of  us,  but  we 
levelled  their  houses  as  we  came  along.  It  was  thought  there  were  about  six 
Thousd  at  first,  &  at  night  double  that  Number.  The  Kings  Troops  lost  in 
killed  &  wounded  150,  and  the  Americans  500  Men,  Women  &  Children,  for 
there  was  a  Number  of  Women  &  Children  burnt  in  their  Houses.  Our  Reg' 
has  five  killed  &  thirty  one  wounded,  part>'  Col°  Bernard,  in  the  Thigh,  w"^  all 
the  Reg'  is  sorry  for.  The  shot  flew  thick.  I  got  a  wounded  man's  Gun,  & 
killed  two  of  them,  as  I  am  sure  of. — We  have  been  busy  in  fortifying  the  T" 
ever  since  we  engaged,  &  in  a  few  days  we  expect  a  good  many  more  Troops 
from  England,  &  then  we  shall  stirely  burn  the  luhole  Country  before  us,  if 
they  dont  submit,  which  I  dont  imagine  they  will  do,  for  they  are  an  obstinate 
set  ofpple.  Tell  Bill  if  he  comes  to  B"  he  may  have  a  Wife  in  every  house  he 
36 


562  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

comes  to,  for  the  Women  are  left  at  home  while  the  Men  goes  to  fight  the 
Soldiers  ;  they  have  formed  an  Army  &  keeps  Guards  close  to  our  Works,  so 
that  our  Gentries  can  talk  together  at  Ease.  We  engaged  from  6  to  6.  The 
whole  Country  is  in  Arms  ag»  us,  &  they  are  headed  by  2  of  the  Generals  that 
headed  our  Army  last  War,  their  Names  are  Black  &  Putnam.  Have  a  great 
deal  of  Shipping  but  they  are  of  little  Service  only  to  cover  the  Town  Canon 
&  Troops  except  the  small  Schooners  that  goes  up  in  Creeks  &  destroys  them, 
wdiich  thev  have  done  many  of  them.  There  is  no  Market  in  B"  the  Inhab.  all 
starving,  the  soldiers  live  on  salt  provisions,  &  the  officers  are  supplied  by  the 
3fen  of  War  Cutters  who  goes  up  the  Creeks  &  takes  live  Cattle  &  Sheep 
wherever  they  find  them.  We  vex  the  Americans  very  much,  by  cutting  down 
their  Liberty  Poles  &  Alarm  Posts.  We  have  had  a  great  many  died  in  our 
Reg'  last  Winter,  so  that  what  with  wounded  Men  &  what  has  deserted,  we 
have  not  three  hundred  Men,  &  Duty  is  so  hard  that  we  come  off  Guard  in 
the  Morn'"'  &  mount  Pickets  at  Night." 

25.  At  a  quarter  after  Eleven  this  forenoon  Cap'  Jn"  Topham 
marched  with  Comp-'  of  60  Men  completeh'  equipt  from  this  Town 
for  the  Army  at  Roxbury.  A  number  of  the  Light  Infantry  & 
others  armed  marched  out  with  them  :  so  that  the  whole  Train  con- 
sisted of  about  100  armed  Men.  They  marched  together  wdth  a 
great  Retinue  some  on  foot,  .some  on  horses,  some  in  Chaises  which 
accom])anied  them  to  Bristol  Ferr}-.  It  was  given  out  by  the  Tories 
that  the  Men  o"  War  had  sent  off  a  Packet  with  Marines  to  obstruct 
their  pa.s.sing  off  the  Isld  at  the  Ferr^^ — in  which  Case  it  was  deter- 
mined to  repel  force  with  force.  But  Major  Sherburn  &  Cap'  Top- 
ham  with  the  Compan}'  passed  the  Ferry  safely  without  Molesta- 
tion &  encamped  at  Bristol — to  proceed  to  morrow  to  Providence  & 
thence  to  the  Army.  A  Comp-'  of  30  or  40  went  off  the  Isld 
the  day  before  5'esterday  on  their  Way  to  the  Arm3\  The  other 
Comp-'  not  yet  full.  This  Eveng.  at  IX  o' Clock  the  Eight  Infantry 
returned. 

26.  My  pious  and  good  Wife  has  been  this  day  setting  her  house 
in  order,  &  giving  her  Children  her  dying  Coinisel  &  Advice.  God 
grant  it  may  make  a  deep  &  lasting  Impression  on  their  tender 
Minds — may  they  never  forget  her  tender  &  affectionate  Concern, 
especially  for  their  .spiritual  &  eternal  Welfare.  Her  Disorders  & 
Weaknesses  prevail  upon  her  so  as  to  leave  no  pro.spect  of  her  Con- 
tinuance in  this  Vale  of  Tears.  The  good  Lord  grant  her  his 
divine  Presence,  give  her  a  humble  vSubmission  to  his  holy  Will, 
increase  &  strengthen  her  Faith  &  Trust  in  the  divine  Righteousness 
of  the   glorious  Emmanuel.     vShe  loves  &   adores   her    Redeemer, 


MAY    25-29,    1775  563 

she  has  loved  &  practiced  &  delighted  herself  in  his  lioly  Relig- 
ion. Has  lived  a  Life  of  rational,  steady  &  substantial  Virtue, 
made  conscience  of  obeying  the  Commands  &  walking  exemplarily 
in  all  the  Ordinances  &  Commands  of  the  Most  High.  May  God 
prepare  us  all  for  the  Dispensations  of  his  holy  Providence,  & 
quicken  us  to  Duty  &  to  live  to  his  Glory  &  prepare  for  a  blessed 
&  glorious  Immortality. 

•  The  City  &  County  of  N  York  applied  to  the  Continental  Con- 
gress, asking  Counsel  of  them,  whether  they  should  admit  the 
Kings  Troops  expected  there  ?  The  Congress  advised  them  to 
suffer  the  Troops  to  rest  in  the  Barracks ;  but  in  Case  they 
attempted  to  fortify  or  disturb  the  pple,  then  to  resist  &  repel  force 
with  force.  It  appears  that  the  Congress  were  at  some  Difficulty 
among  themselves.  Some  are  dissatisfied  with  this  Advice,  as 
arguing  Timidity  &  Want  of  Firmness,  if  not  Corruption.  Let  us 
hope  for  the  best. 

27.  Read  M''  Perry's  Sermon  at  the  Election  at  Hartfd  ii"* 
Instant.     A  judicious  Liberty  Sermon  upon  Neh.  ii,  17,  18,  19.  .  .  . 

28.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Rom.  v,  4,  5,  &  published  two 
Couple.  P.M.  Ps.  ciii,  20,  21.  Reading  D''  Ow-en  on  the  Divinit}^ 
&  Satisfaction  of  Christ.  My  Wife  past  all  Hopes  of  Recover3% 
The  good  Lord  prepare  her  for  an  Admission  into  Paradise. 

29.  Early  this  morning  at  IV'  50'  my  Dear  Wife  Elizabeth  Stiles 
departed  this  Life  setat.  44.  It  is  a  day  of  great  Grief  &  Distress, 
such  I  never  before  knew.     Merciful  God  support  me  by  thy  Grace. 

My  Wife  Elizabeth  Stiles  was  the  oldest  Daughter  of  Col.  John 
Hubbard  of  New^  Haven  &  Elizabeth  his  first  Wife,  where  she  w^as 
born  July  3,  1731,  O.  S.  Her  Mother  was  a  Woman  of  Ten  Thou- 
sand for  Sense,  Discretion,  Resolution  &  true  Greatness  :  and  died 
1744  Aug''  25,  set.  42.  Her  Father  was  an  ingenious  sensible  Man, 
of  a  fine  Taste  for  Poetry  &  polite  Writings,  and  an  eminent  Phy- 
sician. She  inherited  the  Quintessence  of  both  Parents — the  Dis- 
cernment Sagacity  &  Sensibility  (but  not  the  scientific  Taste)  of 
her  Father,  with  the  Nobleness  &  true  Greatness  of  Spirit  the 
Resolution,  Discretion,  Prudence,  Economy  &  Judg'  of  her  Mother. 
She  was  thro'  some  Hardships  in  youth  bro't  up  to  Industry,  spin- 
ning &  all  parts  of  female  Industry.  From  her  Infancy  to  her 
Mothers  death  she  was  educated  delicately,  kept  to  School  for  Sew- 
ing &  Needle  Work  :  afterwards  from  set.  14  to  her  Marriage  she 
was  accustomed  to  all  the  Variety  of  Business  in  female  Life,  which 


564  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

qualified  lier  for  tlie  Scene  of  usefulness  she  exhibited  at  Newport. 
Directed  by  the  supreme  Lord  of  the  Universe  I  was  bro't  to  make 
Choice  of  her  for  a  Wife.  We  were  married  Febry.  10,  1757.  It 
pleased  Gd  to  gi\-e  us  Eight  Children,  of  whom  seven  are  now 
living.  In  1753  aet.  2i}4  she  gave  up  herself  to  Jesus  in  the  Pro- 
fession of  the  Faith  &  came  to  the  Lords  Table.  And  ever  since 
has  continued  a  steady  Christian,  walking  before  Gd  with  fear, 
Conscientiousness,  Integrity  &  Reverence.  She  had  an  Aversion 
to  Fraud  &  Dishonesty  &  never  could  bear  Hypocrisy  in  any.  She 
was  perhaps  unexampled  for  her  Love  of  Integrity.  She  had  the 
highest  the  sublimest  Conceptions  of  the  personal  Excellency  of  the 
divine  Emanuel,  whom  she  accounted  the  chief  among  10  Thousds 
&  altogether  lovely.  She  had  a  sacred  Reverence  for  the  Laws 
of  Gd,  &  thot  all  religion  vain,  unless  attended  with  a  Life  of  moral 
Virtue.  Her  Hopes  for  Pardon  &  Justific''  were  intirely  founded 
on  the  Sacrifice  &  Atonem'  &  Merits  of  Jesus  Christ.  She  loved 
her  Savior  with  the  greatest  Affection — if  ever  she  was  warm  & 
rapturous  it  was  in  his  Praises.  However  she  had  not  a  clear 
Evidence  of  her  good  Estate,  but  was  in  considerable  Darkness  as 
to  her  prospects  into  Eternity.  She  had  a  high  &  loft}'  Taste  in 
the  Things  of  a  worldly  nature  :  but  had  an  irreconcileable  Aversion 
to  Pomp  &  Shew  in  the  Matters  of  Religion  &  Death.  She  thought 
all  men  ought  to  be  nothing  but  Humility  &  the  most  profound 
Submission  before  the  Omnipotent  &  holy  Sovereign  of  the  Uni- 
verse, however  they  might  maintain  Distinctions  &  Subordinations 
in  civil  Life.  She  desired  to  be  buried  in  a  plain  Cofiin,  to  be  laid 
out  plain,  &  that  her  friends  shd  put  on  no  Mourning — -that  noth- 
ing slid  be  said  of  her  in  any  Newspaper  or  Sermon — but  that  her 
Character  should  be  left  till  the  Decisions  of  Jesus  shd  be  known. 

She  was  exemplary  for  steady  Religion  without  Talk,  Noise  or 
Shew.  vShe  was  constant  &  conscientious  in  secret  prayer,  as  I 
have  Reason  to  know,  &  daih-  reading  the  scriptures  which  for 
many  years  past  she  read  thro  every  i  %  or  2  years  sometimes  once 
in  9  or  10  months.    The  last  4  years  she  read  the  Bible  thro'  5  Times. 

She  was  careful  in  educating  her  Children  in  Industry  &  Religion, 
particularly  in  daily  hearing  them  read,  &  catechiz^'  them  on  Sat-' 
&  Ldsday  Evengs.,  &  seeing  that  they  attended  at  Family  Devotion. 
She  delighted  in  the  Ldsdy  Services  &  was  a  diligent  Attend'  on 
public  Worship  ;  the  Lds  vSupper  was  indeed  a  Feast  of  fat  Things 
to  her,  for  she  delighted  in  Communion  with  Christ  &  his  Chh  in 


MAY    30-31,    1775  565 

that  holy  Ordinance.  vShe  was  li))eral  to  the  poor  to  the  ICxtent  of 
her  Abihty— and  indeed  she  had  a  native  Generosity  &  Nobleness 
of  Mind  equal  to  the  judicious  Distribut.  of  Thousds  per  ann.  for  the 
Relief  of  the  poor  &  Distressed.  She  had  considerable  medical  & 
chiricrgical  Skill  by  which  she  was  enabled  to  do  much  good. 
Indeed  when  she  went  among  the  sick  she  relied  more  on  her  Skill 
than  on  many  of  the  Physicians — for  the  latter  might  be  interested, 
she  not.  She  ordered  her  Affairs  with  Wisdom.  vShe  took  the 
whole  Care  of  the  Family  off  of  me  upon  herself  :  and  did  every 
Thing  well.  The  last  7  years  she  has  been  in  Declining  Health, 
which  has  bro't  her  to  live  under  the  near  Views  of  Eternity. 
A  disorder  or  peripneumony  seized  her  last  Janr}-.,  &  tho'  she 
seemed  to  mend  after  the  Crisis,  yet  it  terminated  at  length  in  an 
obstinate  Tabes  pulmonalis  which  ended  her  mortal  Life  this  day. 
She  has  left  an  amiable  an  honorable  a  noble  Example  for  the  Imit'"' 
of  her  Children.  She  has  honored  her  Family  and  it  will  be  an 
honor  to  her  Posterity  to  have  descended  from  such  an  excellent 
Person.  She  was  greatly  concerned  for  her  Children,  especially  that 
the}'  might  be  truly  religious,  live  virtuously  &  obtain  Heaven  at  last. 

30.  A  day  of  solitary  Contemplation  &  Mourning. 

31.  This  day  the  Remains  of  my  dear  Wife  were  committed  to 
the  silent  Grave,  there  to  rest  till  the  Morning  of  the  Resurrection 
of  the  just.  Agreeable  to  her  Desire  neither  I  nor  my  family  wore 
any  Mourning — -tho'  my  kind  pple  cloathed  m>'  whole  family,  & 
were  at  the  whole  Expence  of  the  funeral.  There  was  a  great  con- 
course of  the  people.  I  desired  M''  Hopkins  to  make  a  prayer  at 
my  house  before  the  Corps  were  carried  out.  M""  Burt  &  M*" 
Hopkins  walked  as  mourners,  as  did  the  Chh  &  Congregation  in 
general.  At  my  Wifes  Desire  I  chose  the  6  Bearers,  3  of  the  Chh 
viz  M''  Stevens,  Major  Otis  &  D'"  Bartlet,  3  of  the  Congregation  viz 
M'  W"  Vernon,  Jn"  Pitman  Esqr  &  M'  Benj.  Ellery.  The  funeral 
procession  went  from  the  house  a  little  after  V  P.M.  A  very  long 
procession  of,  it  was  said,  about  160  Couples — a  very  silent,  decent, 
solemn,  mournful  Procession — all  testifying  their  friendship  & 
Respect  to  the  Memory  of  my  dear  Wife.  It  is  a  mournful  day — 
such  a  day  of  Sorrow  I  never  knew.  May  the  Ld  support  me  & 
grant  me  his  Grace  &  divine  Consolations,  &  enable  me  to  behave 
under  this  sore  Bereavement  as  becomes  a  Christian.  I  desire  hum- 
bly to  commit  myself  &  my  Children  to  the  protection  of  Gods  holy 
Providence.     In  God  is  all  my  Trust  &  Hope. 


^66  DIARY   OF    EZRA    STILES 

June. 

1.  Still  in  Grief  &  Sorrow!  a  great  Emptiness  thro'  out  my 
house.     Every  Thing  reminds  me  of  my  dear  departed  absent  Wife. 

2.  This  Morn-  at  VIIIi^''  my  Son  Ezra  sailed  for  Connecticutt, 
returning  to  his  studies  at  Yale  College.  This  Afternoon  M''  More 
&  M''  Chesebro'  put  up  a  Trunk  &  Chest  full  of  my  Wife's  Appa- 
rel &  other  Things  which  she  requested  might  be  reserved  to  be 
divided  among  my  Daughters  as  they  shall  arrive  at  Eighteen  3-ears 
of  Age.     A  Renewal  of  Grief  ! 

3 This  Afternoon   a  great  Commotion  happened  in 

this  Town  the  occasion  of  which  was  thus.  Several  Cargoes  of 
Flour  had  been  seized  by  the  Men  o'  War.  Also  one  M'  Room  had 
been  emplo^-ed  by  the  Men  o'  ^\^ar  to  bu>'  up  several  other  Cargoes. 
A  day  or  two  ago  Cap*  Wightman  of  this  T "  arrived  from  Philad'* 
with  Flour,  of  which  he  had  imprudently  sold  about  8o  Bbs  to  M"" 
Rome.  The  Patience  of  the  pple  was  exhausted.  A  Body  arose  & 
demanded  the  Flour.  Rome  at  first  promised  to  deliver  it  up  ;  but 
Cap'  Wallace  soon  landed  about  loo  Marines  and  Sailors  armed  & 
stationed  them  around  Roraes  House  &  Stores  to  protect  him.  Upon 
w^hich  the  pple  beat  to  arms,  &  about  90  Resolute  Men  appeared 
under  Arms.  There  was  the  utmost  Danger  of  Hostilities  &  a 
blood}-  Scene.  However  all  was  at  length  settled — the  Flour  deliv- 
ered up  &  instantly  removed  «&  lodged  in  the  Grainery — the 
Marines  retired  on  board — ■&  so  the  Tumult  subsided. 

4.  Ldsda}'.  AflQiction  &  mournful  Sorrow  have  unfitted  me  for 
the  holy  Ministrations  of  the  Sanctuary  this  da}-.  And  M'  William 
Bliss'  preached  &  carried  on  the  whole  Service  both  parts  of  the 
day — A  M.  2  Tim"  i,  10.  P  M.  Jn"  vi,  45.  I  communicated  to  him 
my  dear  Wifes  Desire  &  earnest  Request  that  nothing  should  be  said 
concerning  her  Character.  M'  Bliss  always  worked  on  a  farm  ;  had 
no  liberal  Education  ;  has  a  natural  good  Sagacit}- ;  was  from  his 
youth  addicted  to  Books  ;  was  connected  with  deistical  Acquaint- 
ance, read  the  deistical  Authors,  &  was  deeply  plunged  in  their 
System  for  many  years.  He  may  be  set.  45.  It  pleased  Gd  about 
ten  years  ago  to  give  him  other  Views,  not  only  to  bring  him  to  a 
full  Belief  of  Revelation  in  general  but  to  an  Experience  of  the  sav- 
ing power  of  evangelical  Truth.  And  thereupon  he  has  become  an 
earnest  Advocate  for  Religion  ;  he  made  profession  of  it  &  was  bap- 

'  Son  of  Josiah  Bliss,  of  Middletown,  R.  I.,   bora   1728,  died  1S08  ;  pastor  of 
the  Third  (Sabbatarian)  Baptist  Church,  Newport,  1780-1808. 


JUNE    1-5,    1775  567 

tized  &  became  a  Member  of  the  Sabbatarian  Baptist  Chh  in  this 
Town  1765  :  and  continues  to  walk  exemplarily  &  piously.  His 
pious  instructive  &  savoury  Convers''  with  Gifts  manifested  in 
Prayer  and  Exhort^  at  private  religious  Meetings,  excited  some  of 
his  Acquaint^  to  urge  him  to  go  to  preaching,  which  he  did  about 
2  years  ago.  His  public  Attempts  proved  happy  &  acceptable. 
Going  a  Journey  last  year  I  asked  him  to  supply  my  pulpit,  which 
he  did  to  Acceptance,  as  he  has  also  on  this  day.  I  presume  he 
surpasses  three  Qu^"*  of  the  Protestant  Clergy  educated  in  Universi- 
ties— not  for  Accuracy  of  Language,  but  for  Knowledge  of  the 
•  Scriptures,  Gift  of  Praj-er,  &  Talent  at  public  Instruction.  He  is 
really  edifying  &  entertaining.  He  is  also  considerably  read  in 
polite  Authors,  &  can  cite  from  them  to  good  Advantage. 

5.  Saturda}-  27"'  May  began  &  continued  on  Ldsdy  following  a 
considerable  Action  on  the  Islds  near  Chelsea  between  the  Regular 
Troops  &  a  Detachm*  from  the  American  Army  with  Success.  We 
heard  of  it  on  Monday  Eveng.  last.  But  the  particulars  are  not 
ascertained. 

About  of  May^  at  Crownpoint  "  Major  Arnold  dispatched  M' 
Oswell  &  35  men  in  a  Schooner  &  some  Battoes  to  take  Possession 
of  a  Sloop  that  lay  at  S'  Johns  ;  at  the  same  Time  Cap'  Ethan  Allen 
set  out  with  80  men  to  facilitate  the  undertakg,  &  stopped  on  the 
Way  for  a  Reenforcement  of  20  more  :  but  M'  Oswell  pursued  his 
Scheme,  &  took  possession  of  the  Vessel  that  lay  at  S'  Johns  with 
all  the  Battoes  &  made  fotirteen  soldiers  &  six  Seamen  prisoners  of 
War,  before  Cap'  Allen  came  up  ;  but  the  latter  contrar)-  to  Advice, 
proceeded  to  S'  Johns  where  he  unluckily  fell  in  with  250  Regulars 
that  were  dispatched  to  the  Succor  of  Crownpoint  &  Ticonderoga 
&  after  exchang"  a  few  shot,  made  a  good  Retreat  with  the  Loss  of 
three  Men  onh-." 

Major  General  Wooster  was  to  march  from  X  Haven  to  Green- 
wich adjoining  the  Colony  of  N  York,  with  Two  Thousd  500  Con- 
necticutt  Forces  ;  to  encamp  there  the  summer  season  in  order  to  be 
nigh  at  hand  to  support  the  City  of  N  York. 

The  Synod  of  N  York  &  Philad^'  met  at  N  York  last  month  & 
' '  appointed  the  last  Thursdy  in  June  to  be  observed  by  all  the 
Congreg''  under  their  Care,  as  a  day  of  Fasting  &  Prayer,  on  ace" 
of  the  alarm-  State  of  our  public  Affairs.  Should  the  Continental 
Congress  appoint  a  Fast,  the  Synod  have  decreed  that  to  be  observed 
in  preference  to  the  day  appointed  by  themselves,  provided  it  is  not 


568  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

more  than  four  weeks  distant  from  the  last  Thursday  of  June  ;  if  at 
a  greater  distance  they  have  ordered  both  days  to  be  kept. "  "  They 
also  recommend  to  all  the  Congregations  in  their  Charge,  to  spend 
the  Afternoon  of  the  last  Thursday  in  every  month  in  public  prayer, 
during  the  Continuance  of  our  present  Troubles." 

6.  Connecticutt  Assembly  voted  six  thousd  under  Gen.  Wooster, 
Gen.  Putnam,  Gen.  Spencer, — Wooster  with  2,500  to  be  stationed 
at  Greenwich  in  the  Confines  of  N  York — Putnam  with  2500  at 
Roxbury,  Spencer  with  1000  at  Crownp'  &  Ticonderoga.  Some 
companies  Enlistm'*  exceeded  by  20  «&c — they  applied  to  the  Assem- 
blv  for  leave  to  retain  all  as  none  chose  to  be  released,  such  was  the 
Ardor  for  going.  The  Assembly  granted  some  at  first  ;  others 
applied — at  length  they  found  that  instead  of  6000  there  had  8000 
actually  enlisted  :  so  they  reduced  all  to  6000.  By  a  Letter  from 
Gen.  Green  at  Roxb-  4^''  Ins'  informed  that  our  pple  had  taken  a 
Schooner  con;-  in  from  Engld  with  Dispatches  from  the  Ministry  to 
Gen.  Gage.  A  Vessel  arrived  to  day  from  Chariest"  S"  Car"  says 
they  have  news  from  London  that  there  are  great  Tumults  there. 

8.  I  preached  Mr.  Hopkins's  Lecture,  he  being  absent. 

10.  Read*^'    March  Magazines  &  other  English  papers 

The  Continental  Congress  at  Philad-'  have  withdrawn  Commerce 
from  Quebec,  Nova  vScotia,  Georgia  except  the  Parish  of  St  Johns, 
and  the  Floridas.  The  2  Murrays  of  N  York  applied  to  the  Cont. 
Congress  to  be  reinstated  in  their  Countrys  favor — but  the  Congress 
in  a  reprehensory  Manner  dismissed  them  to  N  York  to  settle  the 
matter  there  by  Contrition  &  Humiliation.  These  2  articles  are  in 
the  Western  prints.  It  is  said  that  the  Continental  Congress  are 
determined  on  2  great  Resolves— one  that  the  American  Arnij'  be 
seventy  Thousand  Men— the  other  that  Bills  of  Credit  be  emitted  to 
the  Amount  of  Three  Million  for  carrying  on  the  War.  If  so,  the 
Matter  is  settled. 

11.  Ldsday  A  M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  119,  75-77.  P.M.  on  i  Pet. 
i.  8.  Reading  D'  Watts's  Lyric  Poems.  In  the  Eveng.  I  married 
Tho'  Borden  l\:  Hannah  Topham. 

12.  Wednesday  31  May  was  according  to  Charter  in  the  Anni- 
versary Election  of  Councillors  in  Massachusetts.  But  the  Act  of 
Pari'  having  taken  the  Appointment  of  Councillors  out  of  the 
Hands  of  the  People,  the  observ'  of  that  Day  is  in  effect  abolished. 
However  to  keep  Uj)  some  appearance  &  to  prevent  the  pple  from 
running  into  or  originating  a   new    Police,   Gov.   Gage   called  an 


JUNE   6-14,    1775  569 

Assembly  to  meet  at  on day.      lUil  his  Writs  for 

chusing  Representatives  were  totally  disregarded.  The  Provincial 
Congress  which  has  been  sitting  at  Watert"  ever  since  the  Battle  of 
Concord,  issued  their  Notification  to  all  the  Towns  to  elect  Repre- 
sentatives to  convene  &  open  a  new  Congress  at  Watert"  31  May. 
This  was  done.  The  Kings  Governors  have  long  been  tired  out 
with  Election  Sermons  &  intended  to  have  put  an  end  to  them. 
The  new  Provincial  Congress  met  at  the  Meef^hou.se  in  Watertown 
on  Election  day  "before  whom  &  a  numerous  Audience  the  Rev. 
D'  Eangdon  President  of  the  College  preached  a  Sermon  well 
adapted  to  the  Occasion  from  these  words  in  Isai.  i,  26.  A?id  I 
will  restore  thy  Judges  as  at  the  firsts  &  thy  Councillors  as  at  the 
Begin'' .  Afterwards  thou  shall  be  called  the  City  of  Righteousness  the 
faithful  Cityy 

Joseph  Warren  Esq.  was  chosen  President  &  M'  Samuel  Freeman 
jun.  Secretary  of  the  Provincial  Congress.  They  did  not  Chuse 
Councillors — they  are  useless 

13.  In  the  last  N  London  paper  is  the  Copy  of  an  intercepted  Letter 
of  the  Rev"  M''  Peters  the  infamous  Chhman  of  Hebron,  who  last 
fall  absconded  from  thence  to  B°  thence  to  Piscataqua  from  whence 
he  saild  for  Engld.  This  letter  is  dated  in  London  about  12  or  13 
Febry.  last  to  Rev.  D''  Auchmuty  of  New  York.  It  betrays  his 
Folly  more  &  more  :  besides  shewing  the  distressed  &  mortifying 
Condition  his  Toryisnl  has  involved  him  in. 

14.  On  May  10'"  last  died  that  venerable  Man  of  Gd  the  Rev" 
Nathaniel  Rogers'  Pastor  of  the  first  Chh  of  Ipswitch  set.  74.  He 
was  the  fourth  M''  Rogers  that  preached  the  Gospel  steadily  to  that 
Chh.  His  Great  Grandfather  M''  Nathan'  Rogers  was  one  of  their 
first  pastors  (Colleague  with  M'  Norton)  his  Grandfather  M'  John 
Rogers  was  for  sometime  preacher  of  a  weekly  Lecture  there  :  he 
was  afterwd  President  of  Harvard  College.  His  Father  M''Jn"  Rogers 
was  pastor  of  that  Chh  many  years.  This  Nathan'  was  for  some 
Time   his   Collegue    &   since   his   Death    the   only  Pastor   of   the 

Church His  Preach^  was  Calvinistic  practical  &  very  solemn, 

&  in  Prayer  he  was  specially  devout. 

"  Hopkinton  (R.  Isl'd.)  May  31,  1775.  This  day  Ebenezer 
David,  A.  B.,' received  Ministerial  Ordination  here.     The  Solemnity 

'  Harvard  Coll.  1721.  See  N.  E.  Historical  and  Genealogical  Register, 
V,  321-23. 

'  Brown  University  1772  ;  died  in  177S,  a  Chaplain  in  the  army. 


570  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlI.ES 

was  performed  bj'   Elder  Jiio.  Maxson  of  Newport Elder 

Joshua   Clarke  of  this  T"  gave  the  Charge,  &  Elder  Jno.   Burdick 
the  right  Hand  of  Fellowship. 

On  the  30th  May  abot  30  or  40  Men  from  the  Scarboro'  landed 
at  F^  W"  at  Portsm"  &  damaged  it :  hav*-'  also  the  day  before  took 
2  provision  Vessels.  On  31'"'  between  500  &  600  Men  assembled 
there  in  Arms,  seized  &  carried  off  Eight  Canon  24  &  32  pounders 
being  the  whole  that  were  there,  weighing  4800'^  each  &  bro't 
them  up  to  Town.  The  next  day  the  T"  was  full  of  Men  from  the 
Country  in  Arms.  They  petitioned  the  Gov.  Wentworth,  & 
he  went  on  board  the  vScarborough,  but  could  not  get  the  Vessels 
released  ;  For  while  the  pple  were  remov-  the  Canon  the  Can.seau 
&  a  Tender  sailed  with  the  2  provision  Vessels  for  Boston. 

"  Adm.  Graves  &  the  General  had  forwarded  orders  to  take 
every  provision  Vessel  that  shd  be  met  with  on  every  Station  & 
send  them  forthwith  to  Boston  for  the  Supply  of  the  Army  and 
Navy."  Cap^  Barclay  of  the  Scarboro'  added  "that  his  Orders 
were  such  that  he  must  even  take  all  vessels  with  salt  or  molasses, 
they  being  a  species  of  provision  &  send  them  to  Boston."  Rem. 
I.  Hence  the  Men  o'War  have  no  orders  nor  power  to  fire  on  Land, 
Towns  or  Forts — else  they  would  have  prevented  the  removal  of 
the  Guns.  2.  Even  seizing  provision  &c  raised  a  large  &  cour- 
ageius  Body.  3.  The  next  Adventure  maj^  be  to  turn  these  heavy 
Canon  on  the  Shipping. 

On  6th  Ins*^  was  Exch''  of  Prisoners  at  the  Army  nine  for  nine. 
D""  Warren  President  of  the  Congress  &  now  at  the  Head  of  Civil 
Government  and  Brigadier  General  Putnam  in  a  Phaeton — with 
the  Prisoners  Major  Dimbar  &  D  Hamilton  of  64"'  on  Horsback, 
E^  Potter  of  the  Marines  in  a  Chaise,  &  six  privates  wounded  in  2 
Carts-^escorted  by  the  Wethersfield  Comp^  under  Cap'  Chester, 
marched  slowly  to  Chariest"  Ferry.  Major  Moncrief  landed  from 
the  Lively  to  receive  the  Prisoners  &  see  his  old  friend  Gen.  Put- 
nam— Their  Meets  was  cordial  &  affectionate.  Major  Moncrief 
returned  Mess"  Jn°  Peck,  James  Hewes,  James  Brewer,  &  Dan'  Pres- 
ton of  B",  Mess-"^  Sam'  Frost  &  Seth  Rnssel  of  Cambridge  :  M""  Jos 
Bell  oi  Danvers,  M'  Elijah  Sever  o'i  ^oyih^'  &  Ccesar  Aug.  a  Negro. 
— The  whole  was  conducted  with  the  utmost  Decency  &  good 
Humor. 

15.  An  armed  Packet  of  the  Men  o'War  with  15  Men  this  after- 
noon went    toward  the  N"  End  of  Conanicott  Isld  to  look  for  a 


JUNE    15,    1775  571 

Providence  Vessel  return-  from  N  York  with  Provision.  An  armed 
Sloop  of  our  pple  with  50  Men  8  Carriage  Guns  &  a  dozen  Swivels 
met  her.  An  Engag'  ensued  about  an  hour  before  sunset  the  Fireing 
tho'  for  near  an  Hour  was  at  a  Distance  &  without  Execution. 
There  soon  came  up  another  small  armed  Vessel  of  our  people  with 
50  Men.  Upon  this  the  Packet  run  ashore  at  Conanicutt  &  the 
Men  o'War's  Men  fled.  The  last  small  vessel  soon  got  her  off"  & 
carried  her  off"  in  Triumph,  the  3  Vessels  all  sailing  off"  northward 
together.  The  Firing  was  heard  at  Newport  &  a  great  Concourse 
of  people  met  &  gathered  on  the  Wharves.  The  2  Men  of  War, 
(which  lye  near  to  shore)  discovered  great  Perturbation.  About 
Sunset  they  sent  off"  another  armed  Vessel  loaded  with  Marines, 
which  proceeded  so  far  as  to  find  their  Mate  carried  off"  &  then 
returned  without  attempting  any  Thing  further. 

The  Western  Post  came  in  this  Evening,,  &  brings  a  piece  of 
important  News  if  true,  for  it  is  only  by  Word  of  Mouth.  He  .saw 
Cap^  Chester  at  Groton,  who  came  from  Philad^  last  Saturday,  & 
told  the  Post,  that — A  Ship  was  arrived  there  from  London  with 
Major  Skeene  who  came  over  Governor  of  a  new  erected  Province 
of  w^hich  Ticonderoga  was  the  Capital,  &  had  bro't  with  him  70 
Chests  of  Arms.  That  the  Ship  was  bound  for  Quebec,  but  on  the 
Banks  of  Newfoundld  they  received  Intelligence  that  Ticonderoga 
&  Crownp'  were  taken  ccTtainly,  &  without  dovibt  all  Canada  also. 
Upon  this.  Gov.  Skeenes  Wisdom  deserted  him — instead  of  putting 
in  at  Newfoundld,  S'  Johns,  &  even  Nova  Scotia  which  Prudence 
would  have  suggested,  he  took  the  Tho't  that  he  shd  be  most 
secure  among  the  Quakers  of  Philadelphia.  Accord^'  he  went 
thither.  The  Committee  of  Inspection  soon  found  out  the  matter 
&  went  on  board  &  seized  the  Arms — and  took  Gov.  Skeene  before 
them  &  afterwards  he  was  carried  before  the  Continental  Congress 
now  sitting  there,  «&  was  there  under  Exaniin''  on  Saturday  last 
when  Cap'  Chester  in  haste  (just  arrived  from  Eustatia)  came  off 
in  a  Wagon  for  N  York,  &  thence  by  Water  to  N  London.  Cap* 
Chester  said  he  saw  Gov.  Skeene,  &  was  in  the  midst  of  these 
Transactions  ;  &  that  he  saw  Col  Hankock  of  Boston  President  of 
the  Congress  on  board  the  ship  elevated  into  a  mere  Extasy  of  Joy 
on  the  Occasion.  If  this  or  the  substance  of  it  shall  prove  true,  it 
is  a  most  singular  &  wonderful  Providence  ! 

[N.B.  Gov.  Skeene  came  designedly  to  Philad'  with  ^25,000 
ster.  to  corrupt  the  Congress.] 


572  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

1 6.  Most  of  the  Men  o'  War's  Men  have  got  back  on  board  ship 
again.  P'ive  of  them  left  the  rest  &  last  night  stole  a  boat  &  crossed 
to  Xarraganset — came  down  to  the  ferry — said  they  were  fishermen 
coming  over  to  Newp' — set  out  to  cross  the  ferry,  but  after  sail^ 
some  Dist-*  seized  the  ferryman  took  helme  &  came  round  the  S" 
End  of  Conanicot  to  the  Men  o'  War.  The  rest  wandered  in  the 
fields  near  shoar — today  the  Men  o'  War  sent  an  armed  Tender 
which  went  &  pickt  them  up  &  bro't  'em  home.  [This  night  all 
the  Canon  were  removed  back  from  the  W^harves  into  T"  by  the 
Inhabitants.] 

17.  Last  Tuesday  M''  Wanton  the  Governor  Elect  went  up  to 
Greenwich  &  offered  himself  to  the  Assembly  there  to  be  sworn 
into  Office — which  the}-  by  Vote  refused — &  so  he  returned  next 
da}-,  in  Infamy.  By  order  of  Assembly  D.  Gov.  Cook  sent  a  Letter 
yesterday  to  Cap'  Wallace  of  the  Rose  Man  o'  War  demand^  by 
what  Auth-'  he  interrupted  the  Trade,  demand*^  the  Surrender}-  of 
all  the  Vessels  &  Provisions  he  had  seized,  &  declaring  in  Case  of 
Refusal  that  the  whole  Force  of  the  Colony  should  be  employed 
against  him.  We  have  no  Men  o'  War,  but  half  a  Dozen  Privateers 
full  of  Desparadoes  might  prove  troublesome  to  a  20  GunShip. 
Wallace  treated  the  Letter  with  Insolence  &  Contempt.  He  had 
six  provision  Vessels  about  him  seized  besides  2  more  which  affected 
to  be  under  his  protection  as  belonging  to  Tories.  Wallace  & 
Ayscough  in  their  2  Men  o'  War  &  all  their  Tenders  this  day  come 
to  sail  &  went  to  the  S"  End  of  Conanicott  then  to  the  N"  End  & 
so  look't  round.  In  their  Absence  five  of  the  seized  Provision 
Vessels  were  brouglit  safe  to  the  Wharves  by  a  Number  of  pple 
who  went  off  to  them.  Indeed  it  was  evident  Wallace  intended  they 
shd  escape,  for  he  took  his  own  men  out  of  the  Captures  leaving 
only  two  Marines  on  board  one  of  them.  The  sixth  was  a  Nan- 
tucket Man.  Our  pple  offered  to  bring  off  her  also.  But  the  Cap*^ 
refused — as  the  Quakers  of  Nantucket  are  favored  b}-  Parliament. ' 

18.  Ldsday  A  M.  I  preached  on  Hosea  xiv,  1,2.  P  M.  Ps.  xvii, 
15,  and  baptized  a  negro  Infant  of  Sister  Jennys.  Also  propounded 
Cap'  Jn"  Toman  for  owning  the  covenant.  At  noon  I  received  a 
Letter  of  16'"  Ins'  from  Major  Sherburn  at  the  Camp,  informing 
that  in  the  20  Transports  lately  arrived  there  came  1500  Troops  & 
200  Horse  at  most — that  a  Detatchm'  of  about  600  of  our  Troops 

'  In  anotlier  place  Dr.  Stiles  has  written,  referring  to  this  day:  At  Newport 
Beach,  I  heard  the  Cannonade  of  Bunker  Hill  Battle  at  XII  cSc  I''  P.M. 


JUNE    16-20,    1775  573 

were  then  going  to  take  possession  of  Dorchester  1 1  ill.  The  Express 
left  the  Camp  yesterday  Morn^'  &  says  that  the  s''  Detatchm'  took 
possession  of  the  Hill  at  IX  o'clock  Fridy  Eveng.  (S:  by  Sun  an 
hour  high  yesterdy  Morng.  had  dug  an  Intrench'  150  feet  long  20 
feet  wide  &  6  feet  deep,  &  came  ofT  leav^'  300  Men  in  the. Trenches. 
At  IX  o'clock  this  Eveng.  a  Gentleman  came  to  Town  from  the 
Camp  which  he  left  this  Morn'''  &  informs  that  the  Troops  came 
over  to  Chariest"  yesterday  morn*-',  set  fire  to  Town  by  Canonade 
which  began  at  XI  A  M  &  continued  till  IX  at  Night — that 
Chariest"  is  in  Ashes — that  Col.  Putnam  is  encamped  at  Chariest" 
on  Bunkers  Hill  &  has  lost  one  of  his  ])est  Captains,  but  is  deter- 
mined to  stand  his  Ground  having  Men  enough — that  our  pple  had 
begun  a  Canonade  from  Dorchester  Hill — that  the  Fire  was  renewed 
this  Morn*"  before  he  came  away.  So  that  it  is  doubtless  a  bloody 
Scene  :  tho'  I  believe  the  Regulars  will  not  venture  further  out 
than  Charlestown. 

19.  Ever}-  one  filled  with  the  greatest  Sollicitude  &  Anxiety  for 
the  Event  of  Things  at  the  Army  as  a  Battle  is  certainly  begun. 
The  Town  of  Chariest"  is  in  Ashes — it  might  consist  of  about  250 
Dwellinghouses — the  Inhabitants  had  removed  with  their  Effects 
some  Weeks  ago.  We  have  various  Acco'* — -some  that  Gen.  Putnam 
is  surrounded  &  taken  by  the  Kings  Troops — some  that  he  repulsed 
them  &  had  by  assistance  of  others  coming  up,  placed  the  Regulars 
between  2  fires.  At  X  ©'Clock  at  Night  the  news  was  that  Gen. 
Putnam  was  forced  from  his  Trenches  on  Bunkers  Hill  cS:  obliged 
to  retreat  with  the  loss  oi  foiniy  ^Icii  killed  &  an  hundred  ivonnded, 
&  that  D'  llarren  President  of  the  Congress  was  among  the  slain. 

20.  M''  W"'  Eller}-  came  in  last  Eveng.  from  Providence  &  shewed 
me  a  Copy  of  his  Excellency  Gen.  Wards  Eetter  of  vSaturday  Morng. 
last  to  the  Congress  inform^'  the  Landing  of  the  Kings  Troops — 
also  of  a  Letter  from  the  Chamber  of  Supplies  &  another  from  Gen. 
Green  to  Lieut  Gov.  Cook  dated  on  Ldsdy  giving  an  Account  of 
the  Battle.  Gen.  Green  says  Gen.  Putnam  with  three  hundred  Men 
took  possession  &  entrenched  on  Bunkers  Hill  on  friday  Night 
16"'  Inst.  The  Chamber  of  Supplies  says  that  Saturday  Morng. 
early  the  Kings  Troops  land  on  the  back  of  that  Hill  under  Dis- 
charge of  Canon  from  3  Ships  of  the  Line  drawn  up  before 
Chariest"  &  from  the  Battery  on  Copps  Hill  in  Boston.  That  after- 
wards they  attacked  Gen.  Putnam  who  defended  himself  with 
Bravery  till  overpowered  &   obliged  to  retreat — that  the   Loss  was 


574  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

not  ascertained  but  that  more  of  the  Kiiemy  was  killed  than 
of  us. 

Gen.  Green  says  that  Gen.  Ward  had  published  from  Head  Quar- 
ters that  our  Loss  was  about  (40)  fourty  killed  and  100  wounded  & 
that  the  Enemys  Loss  was  judo^ed  three  Times  as  much.  Green 
seemed  to  doubt  this  at  first,  but  from  after  Inquiry  &  consid"  that 
Putnam  fired  from  the  Trenches  &  that  it  was  said  the  dead  of  the 
Enemy  covered  an  Acre  of  Ground,  Gen.  Green  seemed  rather  to 
credit  the  Estimate  of  the  superior  Loss  of  the  Regulars. 

Upon  the  News  of  the  Action  or  Land"  the  Congress  instantly 
broke  up  &  those  who  had  arms  repaired  to  the  Field  of  Action — 
hence  D''  Warren's  being  in  the  Action  where  he  fell  dying  glori- 
ously : — others  went  off  each  way  into  the  Towns  to  rail}-  &  con- 
vene the  Militia  which  poured  in  in  vast  Multitudes  to  sustain  the 
Army  if  necessary.  A  Canonade  was  also  begun  from  the  Neck 
firing  red  hot  Balls  &c  upon  Roxbur}-.  And  this  Fireing  was  con- 
tinued all  Saturdaj-  Ldsdy  &  ^-esterda}-  &  was  heard  at  Dighton, 
Warren  &c.  M*"  Cook  of  Tiverton  came  from  the  Camp,  where  he 
yesterday  Morn"  was  on  Winter  Hill  &  there  saw  Gen.  Putnam 
entrenching  &  in  good  Spirits  being  fulh'  reinforced.  All  are 
expecting  another  Action. 

Yesterday  Deacon  Mason'  of  B"  (who  came  from  Norwich  last 
W^eek)  told  me  he  had  very  lately  seen  an  anonymous  letter  from 
London  for  M"^  Quincy  dec''  informing  that  Major  Skeene  was  sent 
out  with  Arms  for  the  Canadians  &  to  be  Gov""  at  Ticonderoga — 
and  also  with  ^25,000  sterl-  Cash  to  go  to  Philadelphia  to  corrupt 
&  bu}'  up  the  Congress — that  Gen.  Gage  had  positive  Orders  to  leave 
Boston  &  take  the  Field  at  all  Events — and  that  the  most  rigorous 
Execution  of  the  ministerial  plan  was  determined  upon  :  it  was 
added,  after  Orders  to  take  the  Field — for — the  Pari'  are  assured 
that  you  daj'e  not  fight.      [This  Lett,  is  sent  to  the  Congress.] 

A  Vessel  in  from  Virginia.  The  Assembly  there  are  sitting. 
But  Gov^  Ld  Dunmore  has  fled  on  board  the  Fowey  Man  o'War — 
but  tells  the  assembly  to  go  on  &  do  business  as  usual  &  that  he 
will  act  with  them,  only  that  the  Communic^  between  him  &  them 
be  Vjy  no  more  than  two  of  their  Number  at  a  Time.  Every  Mem- 
l>er  of  the  House  of  Burgesses  has  cloathed  himself  in  Homespun 
&:  has  each  on  the  breast  of  his  Coat  these  words  wrote  with  Needle- 
work or  painting  LIBERTY  OR  DEATH  ;    &  with  this  on  his 

'  Jonathan  Mason,  elected  Deacon  of  the  Old  South  Church  in  1770. 


JUNE    21-22,    1775  575 

Breast  each  Member  sits  in  the  House  of  Asseniiilx-.  They  are 
building  a  20  Gun  Shi]).  There  is  a  grand  ^:  noblr  Spirit  in 
Virginia  ! 

21.  On  Tuesday  last  Week  Gen.  Gage  published  a  Proclani' of 
Rebellion  dated  at  Boston  12^''  Ins'.  He  excepts  out  of  the  offer 
of  pardon  only  "  Samuel  Adams  &  John  Hancock,  whose  offences 
are  of  too  flagitious  a  Nature  to  admit  of  any  other  Consider^'  than 
that  of  condign  Punishment."  Pie  promises  his  Majestys  pardon 
' '  to  all  persons  who  shall  forthwith  lay  down  their  Arms. ' '  And 
after  except^'  Mess''*  Hancock  &  Adams — "I  by  these  presents 
proclaim  not  only  the  persons  above  named  &  excepted,  but  also 
all  their  Adherents,  Associates  &  Abettors,  mean^  to  comprehend 
in  those  Terms  all  &  every  person  &  persons  of  what  Class 
Denomin^  or  Description  soever  who  have  appeared  in  Arms  against 
the  Kings  Government  &  shall  not  lay  dowai  the  same  as  aforemen- 
tioned ;  and  likewise  all  such  as  shall  so  take  Arms  after  the  Date 
hereof,  or  who  shall  in  any  wise  protect  or  conceal  such  Offenders, 
or  assist  them  with  Money,  Provision,  Cattle,  Arms,  Ammunition, 
Carriages  or  any  other  Necessary  for  subsistence  or  Offence  ;  or 
shall  hold  secret  Correspondence  wntli  them  by  L,etter,  Message, 
Signal  or  otherwise,  to  be  Rebels  and  Tray  tors  and  as  such  to  be 
treated."  Also  proclaimed  the  Laza-Jlfartial  thro'  the  Province  of 
the  Massachusetts.  The  2000  N  Hamp.  Men  voted  by  their  Con- 
gress are  all  enlisted  &  joyning  the  Army.  They  are  commanded 
by  General  Nathaniel  Folsom. 

22 In   a  Carol.  Print  of  12^''  May  is  an  Extract  of  a 

Letter  from  an  Officer  in  the  59"'  Reg'  at  Boston  as  follows,  viz — 
"The  Vessel  that  brings  you  this  will  no  doubt  carrj^  the  alarm- 
Acc"  of  a  Skirmish,  or  in  fact  rather  an  Engagem',  which  happened 
between  his  Majestys  Troops  &  the  Provincials  on  the  19'"  Instant. 
Our  first  Detatchment  consisted  of  six  hundred  Men  including  Officers  ; 
they  were  first  met,  &  their  march  opposed  by  about  T^iv  Thousd 
Provincials,  who  dispersed  at  the  first  Fire.  Soon  after  the  Troops 
received  a  Reinforcement  commanded  by  Ld  Piercy,  consisting  of 
near  Oyie  Thousd  Men,  but  were  vigorously  opposed  by  several 
Thousd  of  the  Provincials.  On  the  whole  the  Provincials  behaved 
with  icnexpected  Bravery.  The  killed  wounded  &  missing  of  our 
Troops  are  Two  Hundred  &  sixty  six.  What  the  Provincials  lost  I 
can  give  you  no  true  Ace"  of,  as  they  keep  it  a  profound  secret  to 
us,   nor    an  exact   Ace"  of  the    number    they   had    in   the   field." 


576  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Rem.  I.  We  have  here  ascertained  the  Number  of  Regulars  in 
all  about  1600.  And  2.  That  there  was  unexpected  Bravery. 
3.  The  Number  disabled  to  the  Regulars  at  least  266  ;  which 
implies  near  100  killed.  4.  The  number  of  Provincials  magnified 
by  Fright  to  2000,  whereas  they  were  not  one  Quarter  so  many, 

23.  Mess""*  Ellery,  Chan^'  (S:c  returned  here  from  a  Visit  to  the 
Camp  which  they  left  Wednesday  last.  They  spent  an  hour  with 
Gen.  Putnam  in  his  Tent  on  Prospect  Hill  about  halfway  between 
Cambridge  &  Charlestown.  The  General  gave  them  an  ace"  of  the 
Battle  last  Saturday,  said  the  Number  lost  on  our  Side  was  not 
ascertained,  but  the  nearest  Account  was  that  we  had  about  fifty 
(not  sixty)  killed  &  about  20  wounded  ;  We  lost  few  till  the 
Retreat  :  We  repulsed  the  Regulars  three  Times,  fought  four 
hours,  the  small  Arms  &  six  Field  pieces  made  great  Havock 
among  the  Regulars  till  our  Powder  failed.  Gen.  Putnam  said  by 
Acco''*  from  within  Bo"  the  regulars  confes.sed  their  Loss  of  killed 
wounded  &  missing  was  about  one  Thousd.  Our  Bodj^  on  Bunkers 
Hill  where  was  the  Action  was  fifteen  hundred  at  first  &  700  after- 
wards. Putnam  says  he  judged  the  Regulars  were  Three  Thou- 
sand. There  was  a  Reinforce'  within  perhaps  half  a  Mile  «&  ought 
to  have  come  up  to  their  Assist''  but  the}-  must  pass  an  open  Caus*^^' 
where  the  Regulars  kept  up  a  heavy  Fire  from  floating  Batteries. 
Putnam  was  not  at  Bunkers  hill  at  the  begins  but  soon  repaired 
thither  &  was  in  the  heat  of  the  Action,  till  towards  Night  when 
he  went  away  to  fetch  across  this  Reinforcement  which  ought  to 
have  come  before.  Soon  after  &  before  he  could  return,  our  JSIen 
began  to  retreat.  For  .some  imprudentlj^  call""  out  the  Powder  is 
gone — the  Regulars  heard  it,  &  rallied  again  &  came  on  with  Fury 
&  forced  the  Trenches  &  then  our  pple  retreated,  leav^'  the  Heroic 
General  Warren  mortally  wounded  in  the  Trenches.  D""  Warren 
was  made  a  General  but  the  thursdy  before  by  the  Prov.  Congress — 
he  was  buried  in  Boston.  It  is  s''  the  Regulars  had  Eighty  Officers 
killed.  The  Army  are  in  high  Spirits.  They  consider  this  scarcely 
a  Repulse  consider"^  the  Damage  they  did  to  the  Enemy  : — &  indeed 
if  with  the  Loss  of  50  or  60  killed  our  pple  killed  &  damaged  the 
Regulars  near  one  thousd  it  is  wonderful  Providence.  The  Troops 
landed  under  fire  of  the  shipp-,  then  .set  fire  to  Chariest"  in  which 
were  three  hundred  Hou.ses,  all  which  but  perhaps  two  or  three  were 
reduced  to  Ashes  &  Ruins — then  about  one  or  Two  o'clock  PM.  they 
marched  for  the  Attack  &  continued  it  four  hours  till  near  night. 


JUNE    23-29,    1775  577 

25.  I^dsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Col.  iii,  14.  P.M.  Gen. 
xxviii,  20,  21. 

26 The  Printers  are  publish- Gov.  HiUchin.son.s  Letters 

in  the  several  News  papers.  They  di.scover  a  most  cruel  iniquitous 
&  bloody  System  meditated  for  his  Country — urged  &  recommended 
by  himself.     Molly  sat  for  her  Picture. 

27.  Newport  in  Terrors  least  they  .should  suffer  a  Conflagration 
as  Charlestown.     Several  Families  removing. 

28.  I  received  from  the  Continental  Congress  in  a  printed  Rec- 
ommendation or  Resolve  their  Appointment  of  a  P'ast  thro'  the 
Colonies  on  20"'  July  to  supplicate  &  implore  the  Interposition  of 
the  Most  High  in  removing  the  public  Calamities  &  establishing 
our  Liberties.  Rev.  M'  Rogers  of  Philadelphia  a  Baptist  young 
Minister,  is  just  arrived  here.  He  tells  me  that  the  Continental 
Congress  have  appointed  four  GeneraLs — M''  Wasliiiigton  Generalis- 
simo, and  the  Generals  Ward,  Lee  &  Putnam  : — that  General 
Washington  &  Gen.  Lee  were  at  N  York  last  Sabbath  on  their 
Rode  to  the  Arm}-  : — that  Gov.  Tryon  arrived  from  London  to 
N  York  last  Sabbath  &  was  to  be  received  in  a  respectful  Manner, 
but  was  to  be  dealt  plainly  with.  There  are  Lieu'  Governors  come 
over  for  Detroit,  and  Mishilimakenac 

A  very  seasonable  Rain  this  Day.     Mr.  More  &  Fam^'  sail'd  &c. 

29.  Major  Otis  &  his  Family  of  my  Congreg^  are  removing  to 
settle  at  Middletown  in  Connecticutt.  They  sailed  this  day,  &  my 
Daughter  Kezia  saild  with  them,  going  to  spend  the  Summer  at 
Meriden  with  her  Uncle  Hubbard.'  M'  Rogers  passed  last  Week 
by  Land  from  Philad'^  to  N  York — he  tells  me  it  is  a  remarkably 
fruitful  &  forward  Season  in  those  parts.  The  same  Remark  has 
been  made  of  New  Engld  and  that  notwithstand-  so  many  Laborers 
are  taken  off  by  the  War,  all  farming  Business  seems  to  be  as  com- 

'  The  accompanying  letter  to  Mr.  Hnbbard  has  been  preserved,  and  is  in  part 
as  follows  : 

When  I  received  your  sympathizing  kind  Letter,  I  little  tlio't  of  giving  j-ou 
the  Trouble  of  one  of  my  children  ;  while  at  the  same  Time  I  felt  a  sensible 
Gratitude  to  yourself  &  sister  for  your  generous  Offer.  However  the  gloomy 
&  dangerous  Prospect  of  Things  &  the  events  foreseen  by  many  as  coming  upon 
Newport  (tho'  I  dont  so  clearly  foresee  them)  have  determined  me  to  send 
Kezia  &  commit  her  to  your  Care.  ...  I  should  like  she  might  be  kept  to 
business.  Spinning,  INIilking,  Dairy  &c,  so  as  to  lay  a  found"  of  a  notable 
Woman.  Pray  counsel  her  on  the  great  Things  of  Religion  &  Virtue  and 
Sobriety,  &  call  upon  her  daily  to  read  her  Bible. 
37 


578  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

pletely  done  as  ever — nothing  suffers  for  want  of  Hands.  But  in 
Rh.  Isld  Colony  a  Dearth  has  begun.  It  pleased  God  to  send  us 
yesterday  a  Rain  moderate  &  gentle  at  first  but  plentiful  at  last. 
Praised  be  his  holy  Name. 

The  united  Synods  appointed  this  Day  for  Fasting  &  Prayer  in 
Case  the  Congress  did  not  appoint  one  within  4  Weeks  of  it,  other- 
wise this  to  be  omitted.  So  I  suppose  it  was  omitted.  The  Con- 
greg^  Chh  at  Little  Compton  sat  apart  this  day  for  Fasting  on 
Ace"  of  the  pub.  Calamities  &  for  imploring  Rain  :  the}-  with  their 
Pastor  sent  to  M"'  Hopkins  &  myself  to  assist  in  keeping  it.  Gd 
sent  them  Rain  in  Abundance  yesterday.  Our  Gen.  Assembly  are 
sitting  at  Providence.  This  day  I  visited  Rabbi  Samuel  Cohen, 
who  came  from  Jerusalem  3^4  j^ears  ago. 

30.  Rev**  M'  Martin  visited  me,  &  gave  me  an  Ace"  of  the  Battle 
at  Chariest"  17"'  Inst  which  he  was  in. 

M""  Martin  was  in  the  whole  affair  from  the  first  taking  possession 
of  Bunkers  Hill  to  the  End  of  the  Battle,  as  Chaplain.  From  his 
Draughts  &  Convers"^  I  collect  the  following  Account.  He  says 
that  about  1500  went  on  frida}^  Night  &  took  Possession  of  Bunkers 
Hill  under  the  Command  of  Col.  Prescot. — The  Engineer  M"" 
Gridlc}',  plan'd  a  square  about  100  yds  more  or  less  [ten  Rods  long 
&  Eight  Rods  wide],  in  each  Corner  were  Canon.  The  Entrenchm* 
around  this  square  was  on  one  side  extended  into  a  long  Line. 
The  Men  dug  in  the  Trenches  one  hour  &  then  mounted  Guard  & 
were  relieved  by  others.  That  about  one  thousd  wrot  in  the 
Trenches  all  night.  A  little  after  dailight  the  Ships  began  to  fire 
upon  them — distant  about  three  [two]  quarters  of  a  Mile.  Then  a 
Cessation,  &  preparation  for  a  Debark-'  in  Boats.  Col.  Gridly 
taken  ill  &  left  the  Works  in  the  Morning,  committing  the  over- 
sight of  the  finish'-'  the  Trenches  to  M''  Martin.  Thus  about  1000 
Men  were  commanded  by  him  while  at  Labor,  &  commanded  by 
Col  Prescott  when  on  Guard  &  military  Dut}'.  A  fire  from  Corps 
Hill  on  Boston  side  }i  Mile  distant.  M''  Martin  ventured  down  to 
Chariest"  Ferry  &  with  a  spy  Glass  viewed  the  Shipping  and 
observed  their  preparations  of  floating  Batteries  &  Boats  filling 
with  Soldiers.  There  were  now  in  Chariest"  a  consider'^  number 
of  pple  M'  Martin  judges  100  or  200  or  more.  Men  &  Women,  not 
yet  removed,  tho'  the  Body  of  the  pple  &  Effects  were  gone.  While 
he  called  in  at  a  hou.se  for  a  Drink  of  Water,  a  Canon  Ball  from 
the  vSliipping  past  thro'  the   Hou.se — he  persuaded  the  Inhab.  to 


JUNE   30,    1775 


579 


depart  but  they  seemed  reluctai:t.  He  assured  them  it  would  be 
warm  Work  that  day.  Return-  to  the  Hill,  he  persuaded  Col. 
Prescott  to  send  for  Reinforcem'  of  Men  &  Artillery  assuring  him 
their  would  be  warm  Work,  &  that  the  Hill  was  not  tenable  with- 
out more  Force.  Col.  Prescott  &  he  differed  even  to  Quarrel. 
About  Noon  or  before  M""  Martin  went  down  into  T "  a  2''  Time. 
M'  Cary  &  sou  still  at  their  own  house  urged  him  to  take  some 
Refresh'  &  Rest  as  he  had  been  fatigued  all  night.  He  lay  down 
at  M""  Cary's  about  Ten  Minutes  when  a  Ball  came  thro'  the  house. 


[Copy  of  a  Sketch  bj^  Dr.  Stiles.] 


He  rose  &  returned,  &  then  the  T°  evacuated  with  all  hast.  He 
still  urged  Col.  Prescot  to  send  for  Gen.  Putnam  &  a  Reinforc*^ 
but  without  Effect.  He  then  ordered  one  of  the  men  off  himself 
&  dispatched  him  to  General  Ward  at  head  Quarters  at  Cambridge. 
This  bro't  Col.  Putnam  &  a  large  Reinforcem*^  about  Noon  a  little 
before  or  after. 

The  Troops  landed  between  I  &  II  nearly  II  P  M.  of  17*''  Ins'  & 
drew  up  at  D  in  a  Battalion  12  deep  &  M'  Martin  then  estimated 
them  four  thousd,  tho'  he  since  learns  they  were  5000.  Thej-  began 
the  attack  about  II''  and  the  whole  affair  lasted  till  between  V  & 
VI.  between  3  &  4  hours,  tho'  the  hottest  of  the  Action  was  from 


580  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

about  III''  o  Clock  for  one  hour  &  an  half  [fourty  Minutes].  Their 
first  fire  was  at  a  Distance,  &  upon  receiv^'  our  Fire  they  affected  a 
Retreat — but  this  was  discerned  ^S:  the  word  Policy  went  thro'  our 
Army,  &  they  were  not  drawn  forth  of  their  Trenches.  Gen. 
Putnam  was  now  at  A  and  soone  after  Gen.  Warren  was  at  C  where 
he  fell.  The  Connecticutt  forces  were  towds  &  at  the  End  of  the 
Line  B.  The  Regulars  then  cast  themselves  into  an  extended  Line 
from  D  towds  B  with  a  view  of  coming  round  B.  At  length  a 
heavy  fire  <S:  Action  took  place  from  C  to  B  on  one  side  &  D  to  B 
on  the  other,  so  that  the  Regulars  being  below  the  hill  were 
repulsed  or  stopt. 

A  few  of  our  Men  being  slain  M'  Martin  undertook  the  kind 
ofiice  of  taking  care  of  &  carrying  off  the  killed  and  wounded.  He 
was  ol)liged  to  leave  the  Trenches  &  pass  the  Causey  thro'  the  fire 
of  the  P^nemys  float*-'  Battery  and  go  2  M.  to  Head  Quarters  at 
Cambridge — w^here  he  received  Orders  from  Gen  Ward  to  press  & 
employ  what  Waggons  &  Men  he  needed.  He  returned  &  spent 
the  rest  of  his  Time  in  the  heat  of  Action  in  passing  along  the 
Lines  &  pick*-'  up  &  carrying  off  the  killed  &  wounded.  I  think 
he  carried  off  about  dead.     After  the  fire  became  verj-  heavy 

a  consider'  body  of  the  Mass.  Troops  retired  &  went  off  in  shoals, 
but  others  came  up.  At  length  the  Welch  fuzileers  (perhaps  300) 
march^'  from  D  round  behind  the  Troops  came  furiously  round  to 
B  to  enter  there,  &  at  the  same  Time  a  Column  advanced  up  to  A. 
The  Action  at  both  Ends  of  the  Lines  was  obstinate  &  furious  : 
it  was  longest  at  B  chiefly  between  the  Welch  fusileers  &  some 
Irish  Troops  on  one  side — &  the  Connect.  Troops  and  Irish  inter- 
mixd  on  the  other.  All  the  Welch  were  slain  but  six  Men.  Our 
Men  repulsed  them  Vigorously  &  drove  them  (the  Irish),  &  pur- 
sued round  B  till  the  Range  of  their  Fire  came  to  our  Lines, 
when  ^P  ^Lartin  (an  Irish  Gent)  called  to  his  Countr3'men  in  Irish 
to  return.  The  Connect.  Men  tho't  the  unknown  Tongue  betrayed 
Treachery,  but  it  was  .soon  rectified.  They  fought  on.  The  Column 
had  penetrated  the  sq""  A  &  Putnam  &  Warren  were  deeply  engaged 
with  them — orders  being  given  to  a  bodj'  to  go  to  B  and  relieve  the 
Connect,  men  &  for  them  to  retreat — the  word  Retreat  all  at  once 
went  thro'  the  Army,  a  Retreat  began  &  could  not  be  recovered. 
At  this  moment  the  Troops  rushed  round  at  B  where  M""  Martin 
happened  to  be.  They  damned  him  for  a  clerical  dog  &  fired  at 
him  &  said  they  would  have  his  Life.     The  soldier  after  fir'''  rushed 


JUNE    30,    1775  581 

on  him  with  his  Bayonet.  M''  Martin  drew  his  Irisli  lon^  sword 
&  defended  himself,  thrnst  and  killed  liis  Advers-  by  letting  out 
his  Bowels.  Another  fired  and  attacked  him  with  the  broad  Sword. 
M'  Martin  learned  the  Sword — defended  himself  (S:  killed  his  Adv^ 
by  a  stroke  on  the  neck.  He  brot  off  his  wounded.  And  between 
V  «&  VI  the  Retreat  was  finished — the  Knemy  captivat-  between  20 
&  30.  M'  Martin  had  hitherto  received  no  Wound,  tho'  the  sword 
came  so  near  his  Bowels  as  to  take  off  a  Coat  Button — but  hav" 
got  to  F.  they  stopt,  &  he  was  kindly  endeav'-'  by  Lint  and  band- 
ages to  stop  the  Effusion  of  Blood  of  one  of  the  Wounded,  when  a 
Canon  Ball  came  bj^  his  Breast  ( but  without  Toutch-)  he  fell 
instantly  &  was  senseless,  the  Force  so  great.  They  let  him  blood 
&  he  recovered,  tho'  he  vomited  or  raised  much  Blood  &  is  still  in 
pain  at  his  Breast. 

Gen.  Putnam  immed-'  encampt  at  E  on  Prospect  hill  &  the  Hamp- 
shire Forces  at  G.  During  the  whole  or  most  of  the  Action  Col. 
Gerrish  with  1000  Men  was  at  the  Bottom  of  Bunker  hill  &  ought 
to  have  come  up  but  did  not.  I  asked  jSP  Martin  how  many  of  our 
Forces  were  at  any  and  all  Times  that  day  on  Bunkers  hill  ? — he  sd 
between  2  &  3000  nearly  three  thousd — how  man)'  the  most  there 
at  any  one  Time  ?  about  Two  Thousd,  of  which  about  fifteen  hun- 
dred fought  well,  the  rest  were  Cowards.  Col.  Prescott  fought 
bravel3^  There  was  great  Havock  among  the  Regulars.  M''  Martin 
says  there  are  now^  about  six  Thousd  encampt  at  Cambridge  &  so 
along  towds  Charlestown.  One  Connect,  man  killed  above  twenty 
of  the  Welch  fusileers.  Col.  Gridly  the  Engineer  served  one  of  the 
Canon  himself  well.  Gen.  W^ard  was  in  ill  health.  I  askt  M' 
Martin  whether  he  appeared  timid  &  testified,  whether  he  w^as  a 
Coward  ? — he  said  no.  Much  other  Convers^'  passed — he  told  the 
Number  bro't  off  dead  &  wounded,  died  of  wounds,  captived  by 
the  Enemy  :  That  the  Total  Loss  was  .  .  .  say  .  .  .  about  170  or 
180  which  was  about  20  more  than  they  could  account  for  as  killed, 
ztmmded,  captives — these  20  he  supposed  have  deserted.  I  think 
the  killed  were  abot  40  or  50,  wounded  of  w"  5  or  6  died  of 
their  Wounds,  Captivated  &  carried  to  B"  about  26. 

At  V  o'clock  P.M.  I  preached  my  sacramental  Lecture  on  Gal. 
ii,  20,  without  Notes. 

At  VI''  I  attended  at  the  Baptist  Meet-  where  W  Martin  was 
pre-engaged,  &  heard  him  preach  a  high  Liberty  Sermon  on  Neh. 
iv,  14. 


582  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STILES 

July. 

I .  This  da}^  the  Act  of  ParP  takes  place  for  stopping  all  Navig^ 
in  N.  Engld  &c. 

Regular  Troops  in  Boston 5000 

Four  Rcg'^  hourly  expected  said  to  amount  to    .         .         .  3000 

One  Reg'  of  Tories  &  Negroes 500 

Liglit  Horse  about 200 

Marines  unknown 0000 

8700 
Massach.  Forces 

Forces  at  Cambridge 7800 

Roxbury  Camp 4800 

On  Outposts 1000 

[This  Ace-  uncertain  fr.  the  Irregularit}-  of  the  Returns]  .  13600 

Connecticut  Forces 

Forces  at  Cambridge      ........  1400 

At  Roxburv             1600 


New  Hampshire  Forces 
Forces  at  Medford  &  Cambridge 
R.  Isld  Forces  at  Jamaica  Plain 

Total         .... 


3000 

1800 

1390 

19,790 


The  Gen.  Assembl}-  of  this  Colony  sat  at  Providence  this  Week 
to  consider  an  Applic''  from  Mass.  Congress  for  Augment-'-  of  the 
Army  which  was  granted  :  and  Gen.  Green  sent  up  this  Estimate 
of  the  Armies,  &  I  received  it  from  the  Clerk  of  the  lower  House. 
But  since  this  was  taken  have  arrived  large  Additions  from  Connec- 
ticutt  &c  :  so  that  our  Army  is  now  said  to  be  Tw^enty  four  Thousd 
— I  Judge  22000. 

[X.B.  There  are  1000  Connect,  forces  at  Ticonderoga  &  2000  with 
Gen  Wooster.] 

This  Eveng.  I  received  a  long  Letter  from  Rev.  D''  Chauncy  who 
after  ten  days  Imprisonm*  in  Boston  got  out  &  has  taken  a  house 
at  Medford.      He  therein  gives  me  a  large  Account  of  Things. 

2.  Edsday.     A.M.  I  preached  on  i  Cor.  x,  16  and  administered 
the  Eds.  Supper  to  52  Communicants.     P.M.  on  Ps.  xxxii,  10,  11. 

3.  At  V'  P.M.  I  catechised  40  children. 

4.  Gen.  Washington  arrived  at  the   American  Army  at   Cam- 
bridge last  Eords  day.     Our  Rh.  Isld  Assembly  last  week  voted  an 


JULY    1-7,    1775  583 

Addition  of  360  Men  or  6  Companies  to  be  forthwith  raised  <S:  sent 
to  Roxbury  ;  &  that  one  Qnarter  of  the  Militia  be  enlisted  as  Min- 
ute Men.  There  is  an  incessant  Fire  kept  up  from  Boston  to  Rox- 
bury—they  have  fired  two  Houses  in  Roxbury.  The  Accounts  of 
the  Loss  in  the  Action  at  Chariest'^  17'"  Ins'  are  greatly  increased. 
The  Post  brings  up  the  following  Minute. 

Return  of  the  Regulars  killed 
92  Commission  Officers  ;  including  ;,  JNIajors,  2  Colonels 
102  Sergeants 
100  Corporals 
700  Privates 

994  Total  killed.     1047  killed  &  died  of  Wounds 

Provincl\ls 
138  Killed  &  missing  ;  28  of  which  are  in  Prison  in  Boston  and  20  more 

were  Cowards  &  Rvmaways. 
292  Wounded 

430 

It  is  reported  that  Gen.  Burgoyne  is  killed  ;  [but  this  is  a  Mistake.] 
It  is  remark''  that  Col.  Smith  and  Major  Pitcairn  are  among  the 
slain,  as  they  were  the  first  that  fired  &  began  Hostilities  at  Lex- 
ington 19'''  April  last.  The  Battle  was  more  heavy  on  both  sides 
than  was  judged  at  first.  Six  of  the  28  Captives  died  &  some 
others  died  of  the  Wounds — so  that  of  the  above  138  Provincials, 
the  killed  may  be  called  one  hundred,  or  about  one  Tenth  as  many 
as  the  killed  of  the  Regulars. 

As  96  Prov.  killed  to  292  wounded  so  994  Regulars  killed  to  3022 
wounded.  If  3000  Regulars  are  wounded  &  1000  killed  :  it  is  a 
Detriment  to  4000  out  of  the  5000  that  landed.     A  Battle  indeed  ! 

5.  Gen.  Washington  &  Gen.  Lee  arrived  at  the  Camp  at  Cam- 
bridge last  Lords  day. 

6.  In  a  Car"  Print  there  is  a  list  of  the  killed  &c  of  the  Kings 
Troops  in  the  Battle  of  Lexington    19  April   taken  from  a  Major 

Brigades  Ace"  of  the  Return,  as  follows Total  of  Officers, 

killed,  wounded  &  taken  prisoners,  seventeen. 

7.  Yesterday  arrived  here  the  Kingfisher  Man  o'War  from  N. 
York,  sprung  aleak.  She  says  that  a  Vessel  from  Engld  in  28  days 
to  N  York  informs  that  the  Packet  dispatched  by  Gen.  Gage 
arrived  in  23  days  to  Engld  with  the  Ace"  of  the  Battle  of  Lex- 
ington. 


584  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

The  Provincial  Congress  now  sitting  at  N  York  have  voted  three 
Thousd  Men  :  &  the  Gen.  Assembly  of  Connecticutt  now  also  sit- 
ting have  voted  an  Addition  of  Two  Thousand.  Gov.  Tryon 
arrived  at  X  York  Ldsda}^  before  last  &  took  Residence  aboard  the 
Asia  Man  o'War.  It  is  said  he  has  come  ashore  this  Week  ;  but 
without  Notice.  The  General  Assembly  of  Virginia  is  now  sitting 
&  are  firm  in  Liberty.  Gov.  Ld  Dunmore  is  fled  on  board  a  Man 
o'W'ar  there.  Gov.  Ld.  Campel  arrived  with  300  Troops  lately  at 
Chariest"  S"  Car.  but  was  not  suffered  to  land  ;  &  .so  went  to 
Georgia.  S"  Car"  are  associat~  for  military  Defence.  The  whole 
Continent  firmly  united. 

S.  The  Canadian  Indians  refuse  to  take  Arms  against  N.  Engld. 
The  Pensylv''  As.sembl3'  or  Congress  have  voted  to  raise  4500  Men 
&  purchase  4500  stands  of  Arms.  S"  Car.  Congress  have  voted  to 
raise  1500  Men  in  2  Reg"  for  the  general  Service.  The  Continental 
Congress  have  voted  Two  Million  of  Dollars  to  be  struck  off  in 
paper  Currency,  i,  e  Bills  for  i,  2  or  more  Dollars. 

g.  Ldsd}-.  A  M.  I  preached  on  i  Cor.  iii,  21-23.  P-M.  Prov. 
xxviii,  13,  and  propounded  Martha  Toman.     Reading  Zanchy. 

10.  Rabbi  Samuel  Cohen  visited  me  with  the  Huzan  of  the 
Synagogue.  The  Rabbi  is  aet.  34,  was  born  &  educated  in  the 
H0I3'  Land,  &  came  from  Hebron  about  3  years  ago.  He  is  a 
Priest,  being  of  the  Family  of  Aaron.  \"ery  agreeable.  His  Learn- 
ing rather  general  than  profound 

II "  None  of  the  Men  who  have  been  raised  b}-  this 

&  .several  other  Colonies,  are  in  future,  to  be  distinguished  as  the 
Troops  of  an}'  particular  Colony,  but  as  the  Forces  of  THE 
UNITED  COLONIES  OF  N°  AMERICA,  into  whose  joynt  Ser- 
vice they  have  been  taken  by  the  Continental  Congress,  and  are 
to  be  paid  &  supported  accordingly."  N.  England  Essex  Gazette — 
Cambridge  July  6,  1775.  From  this  Time  I  consider  the  Twelve 
United  Colonies  of  America  as  having  noiv  taken  the  Form  of  a 
Republic.  The  old  forms  of  provincial  Gov'  may  subsist  a  little 
longer  but  their  Efhcacy  will  diminish,  while  the  Continental  Con- 
gress will  grow  in  Authority  &  rise  into  Supreme  Dominion. 

13.  This  day  came  here  five  persons  from  Philad''  4  of  them 
officers  going  to  the  Continental  Army.  They  came  in  here  with 
their  Arms  in  a  small  Ves.sel  took  for  a  fishing  Boat.  A  Risque  ! 
especially  as  they  were  visited  by  the  people  of  the  Man  o' War 
who  not  suspecting  let  them  pass. 


JULY    8-17,    1775  585 

14.  This  day  would  have  been  ni>-  dear  Wife's  Birthday  liad  slie 
Hved.  M''  Rogers  left  the  Army  night  before  last.  Gen.  Lee 
assiduous  in  reform-  &  modeling  the  Army.  A  trumpet  came  out 
from  Gen.  Burgoyn  to  Gen.  I^ee  propos-  an  Interview.  Gen.  Lee 
rather  consented,  but  referred  it  to  the  Congress  at  Watertown, 
which  judged  it  not  expedient.  A  Detatchm'  of  our  Troops  sur- 
pri.sed  &  took  19  Mowers  Tories  on  Long  Isld  in  Ma.ss.  Bay  tS:  took 
also  a  number  of  Sheep  &  Cattle.  In  the  York  prints  is  a  sensible 
&  spirited  Letter  of  7'"  June  from  Gen.  Lee  to  Gen.  Burgo\-n  & 
Gen.  How,  declaratory  of  his  Views  of  American  Affairs,  &  his 
Resolutions.  He  says  there  are  now  150  Thousd  Americans  in 
Arms  in  Vindic''  of  their  Rights  &  Liberties. 

15.  Went  to  Synagogue.  We  have  daily  news  from  the  Camp — 
but  nothing  very  remarkable — only  that  a  few  days  past  a  party  of 
Colonists  of  the  Army  went  over  to  L.  Isld  near  Milton  &  took  off 
Men  and  Cattle. 

16.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Ezek.  ix,  4.  P.M.  i  Jn"  iii,  16. 
I  read  in  the  public  Congregation  the  Continental  Congress's  Rec- 
ommend-' of  a  public  Continental  Fast  on  the  20"'  Instant :  It  was 
printed  by  itself  in  the  Form  of  a  Proclamation  &  sent  me  from 
the  Continental  Congress.  I  also  read  Dep.  Gov.  Cook's  Proclani'' 
by  order  of  Rh.  Isld  Gen.  Assembly  for  a  public  Fast  thro'  this 
Colony  on  the  same  Da}^ 

17.  The  Continental  Congress  have  published  a  Pamphlet  en- 
titled an  "Address  of  the  Tzvelve  United  Colonics"'  to  their  Brethren 
in  G.  Britain,  in  which  they  say  they  have  again  addressed  his 
Majesty. 

Last  Winter  was  published  by  a  Ministerial  Hireling  "  the  Eng- 
lishmans  Answer  to  the  Address  of  the  Congress  to  the  people  of 
G.  Britain."  I  read  it  last  Week.  He  is  greatly  incensed  that 
Americans  shd  say  that  the  Quebec  Act  establishes  the  Romish 
Religion  in  Canada.  "  I  am  astonished  that  you  shd  conceive  that 
any  other  than  the  Chh  of  Engld,  estab.  in  the  first  y.  of  Q.  Eliz-', 
was  the  established  of  any  part  of  the  Empire — (then  reciting  the 
Act) — Does  this  estab.  the  Chh  of  Rome  ?  Nay  does  it  not  declare 
that  the  estab.  Chh  of  the  whole  Empire  is  that  of  which  the  King 
is  Supreme  Head,  which  was  estab.  in  the  first  y.  of  the  reign  of 
Q.  Elizabeth  ?  but  let  us  read  on,  ' '  and  that  the  Clergy  of  the 
s"  Chh  ma}^  hold  receive  &  enjoy,  their  accustomed  Dues  and 
Rights,  with  respect  to  such  persons  only  as  shall  profess  y"-'  s''  Re- 


586  DIARY   OF   EZRA    STiLEvS 

ligion."  Is  it  this  part  of  the  Clause  that  establishes  the  Chh  of 
Rome  ?  This  surely  not  onlj^  leaves  every  Individual  zvho  noiv  pro- 
fesses that  Religion,  at  Iiis  Lib-  to  turn  Protestant,  but  declares  that 
that  moment  the  Chh  of  Rome  shall  lose  that  part  of  her  Revenue.  .  .  . 
Rem''  I.  He  revives  the  old  exploded  notion,  that  the  Chh  of  Engld 
is  the  only  &  universal  Establishm'  thro' out  the  Empire  :  tho  Bp 
Ellis  asserted  that  it  was  not  Established  in  the  American  Colonies 
by  Act  of  Parliament.  2.  We  see  a  latent  insidious  Design  against 
the  Romish  Chh  itself  in  the  very  clause  that  ostensibly  promises 
them  Security.  That  as  fast  as  any  renounced  Romanism  they  stood 
discharged  they  and  their  Estates  from  Tiths  &  accustomed  Dues  to 
the  Chh  of  Rome.  Yet.  3.  Yet  the  Converts  are  insidiously  held  to 
render  those  Tithes  &  Chh  Dues  somewhere  :  &  where  is  this  ? — to 
such  Protestant  Ministers  or  Chhs  as  they  freely  chuse  ?  no — but 
the  Kings  Chh  exclusively.  4.  So  here  is  a  provision  for  the  Chh 
of  Engld  to  rise  on  the  Ruins  of  the  Chh  of  Rome  ;  after  the  Chh 
of  Rome  shall  have  first  done  the  drudgery  of  subduing  the  New 
Engld  Presbyterians.  6.  Hence  the  solution  of  the  seem^  Paradox 
in  the  Act — giving  all  Chh  Estate  &  Revenues  to  the  Chh  of  Rome  ; 
&  at  the  same  Time  enabling  his  Majesty  to  support  a  Protestant 
Chh  out  of  ivhat  was  left.  7.  In  Truth  the  Min^'  &  Pari'  being 
mostly  deists,  regard  no  sect  or  Establishm'  otherwise  than  as  sub- 
servient to  Policy  &  Dominion.  Was  there  a  general  Uniform-'  of 
religious  sentiment  among  the  Lait}'  howsoever  effected,  Politicians 
would  only  secure  the  Clergy  &  esp-'  the  principal  dignitaries  of 
the  Chh.  But  since  the  British  Empire  embosoms  so  many  Sects 
&  those  very  large  as  well  as  different,  the  Aim  of  Politicians  is 
for  the  present  to  make  Ballances  of  Sects,  &  taking  the  principal 
by  the  hand  to  nourish  it  with  flatter*^  Views  of  ultimate  Supremacy 
&  Universality.  To  silence  &  gain  over  the  English  Bps  in  the 
House  of  Dds,  they  insidiously  made  the  Act  to  seem  to  look  to 
the  Triumph  of  the  Chh  of  Engld  all  over  America  ;  &  they  have 
been  taken  in.  But  whether  it  answers  this  End  or  not  the  Poli- 
ticians regard  not.  P'or  if  Protestants  slid  be  discouraged  settling 
in  Canada  till  the  French  shall  be  multiplied  so  as  to  become  the 
general  Body  of  Inhabitants  on  that  Territory  in  future  Ages — & 
the  romish  Clergy  can  so  attach  their  Laity  as  to  prevent  any  great 
Forsaking  of  their  Chh — then— the  British  Politicians  would  as 
readily  exalt  the  Romish  &  depress  the  English  Chh.  But  the 
present  tS:  direct  view  of  the  Quebec  Bill  was  to  support  &  employ 


JULY    17,    1775 


587 


Romanists  to  svibdue  the  N.  Engld  Congregationalists  a  religious 
pple  abhorrd  by  Parliament.  It  is  also  designed  to  absorb  &  insid- 
iously catch  the  spread-  of  Congreg''  &  Presb.  in  a  Net,  as  they 
colonize  westward.  That  as  fast  as  they  colonize  beyond  the  Par- 
tition Line  they  shall  loose  all  Countenance  of  Law,  &  being 
addressed  with  flatter^  Court  Motives  shall  slide  into  Neglect  & 
Loss  of  the  ancestorial  Religion.  The  N  Engld  Emigrants  would 
not  become  Romanists,  but  the  Chh  of  Engld  intend  a  great  Har- 
vest in  reaping  &  gather'^  them  into  her  Bosom.  May  Gd  defeat 
these  insidious  Machiavellian  hellish  Designs  against  his  Chh  in 
New  England  !  Unto  him  we  look  &  in  him  is  all  our  Hope  & 
Dependance. 

Another  Return  of  the  Battle  at  Chariest  17  June. 


Col. 

Gen 
Col. 


Gen 
Cap' 


Regiments 

Sparke's 
Reads 

Ward's 

vScamnion's 

Bridge's 

Gerrish's 
+>  Prescott's 

Whitcomb's 
+*  Fry's 

Brewer's 
t*  Nixon's 

Little's 

Woodbridges 

Gardners 

Doolittles 

Gridleys 

Putnams 

Coits 

Chesters 


[-  N  Hamp. 


Mass. 


illed  &  missing 

Wounded 

15 

45 

I 

6 

2 

15 

29 

Regts 

3 

2 

Prescott's 

42 

28 

Fry's 

5 

8 

Nixon's 

15 

31 

went  on 

7 

II 

over  night 

3 

10 

7 

23 

I 

5 

6 

7 
-       9 

4 

Connect. 


About  30  of  the  missing  since  returned 


Tot.  Killed  Wounded  &  missing 


15 

135 
30 

105 
250 

355 


30 


250 


As  there  were  certainly  between  20  &  30  of  our  pple  taken  Cap- 
tives, say  26,  so  our  killed  were  nearest  80. 

In  a  return  of  the  Regulars  now  before  me  are  the  very  names 
of  the  Commissioned  officers  that  suffered  &  the  Reg^'  particularly. 


588 


DIARY   OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 


Another  Acc< 

Commissioned  Officers  killed 

31 

24 

Commissd  Off.  wounded 

59  ^ 

68 

90 

92 

Serjeants          ^ 
Corporals         I  Killed 

I02 

lOO 

Rank  &  file     ) 

753 
955 

31 

officers 

Total  killed 

o86 

Wounded 

504 

«+ 

1490    Extracted  fr.  Provid.  Gazette  15  July. 

Here  I  remark,  i.  That  I  take  the  Ace"  for  the  Officers  to  be 
nearly  just,  the  other  perhaps  nearly  jnst  also,  tho'  it  is  very 
remark''  that  there  shcl  be  231  Officers  of  all  sorts  to  753  privates. 
2.  At  bottom  is  added  wounded,  but  dont  saj^  Total  wounded — & 
the  number  is  but  504  in  an  open  field  fight — incredible.  But  then 
the  59  are  omitted.  So  that  here  is  designed  Concealment.  3. 
However  the  true  Number  of  Wounded  among  the  Comniission 
Ofl&cers  is  given  59  which  ma>'  help  us  in  estimating  the  proportion 
of  the  Wounded  in  the  privates.  The  proportion  may  be  stated 
both  from  that  among  the  Colonists  &  also  the  Regulars  in  the 
same  Battle.  In  round  numbers  the  killed  were  nearest  1000  Reg- 
ulars &  100  Provincials. 

Wounded 
As  100  killed  :  250  Wounded   ::   1000  :  2500. 
As    31  :     59  ::     986  :  1876. 

I  judge  from  these  Data,  which  have  escaped  Concealments, 
that  the  Kings  Troops  had  1000  Killed  &  2000  Wounded. 

Kings  Troops  3000  Total  killed  wounded  &  missing 
Colonists  355         D" 


Reg' 


Killed 

Wounded 

4.h 

0. 

4 

5- 

4. 

3 

10. 

5-  I  di 

14. 

I. 

2 

18. 

I. 

3 

35. 

3- 

2 

38. 

I. 

4 

3- 

7 

I  died  of  Wounds 


JULY    18-19,    1775 


589 


Killed 

W 

ounded 

47 

2. 

6 

52 

5- 

5 

59 

0. 

I 

62 

2. 

6 

67 

I. 

0 

ines 

6. 

13.  I  di 

29 

61 

2 

2 

31 


•59 


N.B.  In  this  Detail  the  38"^  Reg'  is  divided.  Truth  &  Error 
designedly  mixt.     Correct  the  Errors  &  find  the  Truth. 

18.  In  London  News  of  Ma^-  last  is  "  Ace"  of  American  Exports 
for  1774."     From 


Bush.  Wheat 

Bush.  Ind.  Corn. 

Bb.  Flour 

Bread 

Virginia 

600,000 

450, 000 

Maryld 

249,000 

15,000 

54,000 

6ro  Tierces 

Philad- 

200,000 

140,000 

280,000 

50,000  Bbs. 

N.  York 

357,000 

50,000 

131,500 

35,400  Tierces 

1,406,000  655,000  465,500 

From  Quebec  350,000     Bush.  Wheat 

"  Making  together  above  a  Million  Sterling." 

I  estimate  the  Wheat        ^400,000 
Flour  500,000 

Bread  100,000 

Ind.  Corn        70,000 

^1,070,000  sterls. 

This  the  English  Merch'  pays  for  in  Goods  at  Cent  per  Cent 
advance. 

The  3  Men  o'War  very  insolent  &  haughty,  drew  up  close  before 
the  T°  &  swore  they  would  fire  it.  At  IX  ©'Clock  at  Night  they 
fired  a  Canon — &  frightened  many  especially  Women  Children  & 
even  some  Tories  who  seemed  to  believe  their  Threats.  I  was  next 
day  told  by  Rev''  M""  Rogers  who  was  next  morn^'  occasionally  on 
board  the  Rose  Man  o'  War,  that  they  said  they  had  ranged  a  Canon 
for  my  Meetinghouse  which  they  determined  to  destroy. 

19.  Writing  a  Hebrew  Letter  to  Rabbi  Carigal  of  Barbadoes. 
Received  letters  from  Middlet"  in  Connecticutt  from  Rev''  M'"  Hunt- 
ington, M'  Otis  &  my  Daughter  Kezia.  A  Story  is  come  to 
Town  which  seems  incredible — it  is  this.      Cap*  Jn"  Hansen  for- 


590  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

nierly  of  N  York  now  of  S'  Crux  a  Danish  Settlem'^  where  he  has  a 
Plantation,  came  to  N  York  last  Week.  He  says  in  settling  some 
Accounts  at  Hispanola  on  a  Contract  for  supplying  the  Kings 
Timber  stores  he  was  obliged  to  go  to  Paris — where  he  became 
intimately  acquainted  with  the  Pretender's  Secretary.  Once  while 
he  was  in  his  Ofiice  the  Secr^  received  an  unsealed  packet  which 
stepping  out  he  left  on  the  Table.  Cap'  Hanson  read  &  found  it 
from  Ld  North  &  the  Earl  of  Bute — informing  that  the  Plan  was 
almost  finished  ;  that  the  Draugh't  of  Troops  for  America  would 
soon  leave  Engld  so  defenceless  that  the  Pretender  with  20  Thousd 
Troops  might  land  &  march  all  over  Engld  &c  &c  &c.  Cap* 
Hansen  instantly  escaped  &  ab.sconded  carr3'ing  off  the  Packet — 
came  to  Engld  &  informed  Ld  North  that  he  was  possessed  of  this 
secret  Correspondence.  Ed  North  offered  him  a  Pension  of  ^1000. 
for  Secrecy.  At  length  he  persuaded  him  to  take  up  with  ^^500 
per  ann.  with  a  promise  of  further  Provision  of  ;^500  more.  Hav^' 
obtained  this  Hansen  came  home  to  S'  Cruz.  But  this  Spring 
hearing  the  Battle  of  Lexington  &  find^  America  deluged  in  War 
he  says  his  Conscience  affected  him,  knowing  he  was  possessed  of 
a  secret  which  would  settle  the  whole  &  bring  the  Authors  of  all 
the  Mischief  to  Punishment.  He  accordingly  came  to  N  York  & 
opened  the  matter  to  the  Congress  there,  which  is  said  to  credit 
the  Inform^  &  and  have  sent  Cap'  Hanson  to  lay  it  before  the  Con- 
tinental Congress.  M''  Eedyard  &c  received  this  Ace"  from  the 
mouth  of  Cap'  Hanson  himself  at  N  York  last  Friday,  &  told  it  to 
Cap'  Warner  of  Newp'  yesterday.  Who  told  it  me.  The  Thing  is 
incredible.  Or  even  if  true,  it  will  come  to  Noth^ — because  Ld 
North  doubtless  retook  the  Packet  —  &  the  Ministry  will  wink  awa)' 
oral  Testimony,  as  in  the  Burn"^'  the  Dockyard,  &  in  the  Proofs  of 
the  Princess  Dowager  receiv"  a  Million,  Earl  of  Bute  half  a  Million, 
&  2  other  Cronies  a  quarter  Million  each  from  France  for  the  Peace 
of  1763.  If  Hanson  was  wise  en"  to  retain  the  Letters — he  has  it 
in  his  Power  to  convince  &  open  the  Eyes  of  the  King  &  the 
Nation,  &  restore  Tranquillit}' . 

By  a  Ship  the  Kings  Speech  at  Prorog"^  of  Pari'  is  arrived.  The 
Pari'  prorogued  before  the  News  of  Lexington  Hostilities.  But 
this  arrived  a  few  Days  after,  &  it  is  sd.  the  King  instantly  sent 
out  Messengers  to  call  his  Pari'  together  again. 

20.  This  Day  is  a  Continental  Fast  throughout  the  XII  United 
Colonies,  upon  Recommend''  of  the  Gen.  Congress  at  Philadelphia, 


JULY    20-22,    1775  591 

&  appointed  by  Proclam'*  by  the  Gen.  Assembly  of  this  Colony. 
At  X  o'clock  A  M  we  went  to  Meeting,  a  veiy  crouded  Congrega- 
tion ;  after  a  Prayer  of  three  Qnarters  of  an  hour  I  read  79"'  &  80"' 
Psalms;  then  preached  on  Amos  iii,  i,  2.  P  M.  after  the  first 
prayer  I  read  2  Chron.  xx,  and  then  preached  from  11-13  Verses 
of  the  same  Chapter — Behold  hozv  they  (G.  Britain)  rcwai'd  tcs,  to 
come  to  cast  21s  out  of  thy  Possessio7i  ivhich  thoit  has  given  us  to  inherit 
&c.  We  closed  with  singing  Watts'  Psalm  Ixxx,  5  to  8'''  Stanza. 
The  most  crouded  Assembly  that  I  ever  preached  to  in  my  Meet- 
inghouse. It  has  been  a  serious  &  solemn  &  I  hope  sincere  Fast! 
I  suppose  all  Congregations  in  T"  kept  it.  With  Reluctance  indeed 
the  Chh  of  Engld  just  read  prayers  at  XI  o' Clock,  but  without 
preach"  or  afternoon  service.  It  was  rather  policy  to  prevent  the 
Chh  from  going  to  the  Meetings — for  thej^  abominate  this  Fast. 
May  it  please  a  holy  Gd  to  hear  the  Voice  of  our  united  vSupplica- 
tions  &  avert  the  public  Calamities  &  Destresses  of  his  people.  The 
Moravian  Chh  kept  it  all  day.  Rabbi  Samuel  Cohen  of  the  holy 
L,and  preached  on  the  Occasion  in  the  Synagogue  here  on  Numb. 
XXV,  II,  12,  Phinehas  the  son  of  Eleazar  &c.  A  motion  has  been 
made  to  print  my  Sermon,  but  I  have  declined  it 

21.  This  Hven^  we  have  News  that  M''  Darby  is  returned.  He 
went  Express  from  the  Mass.  Congress  to  carry  the  News  of  I,ex- 
ington  Hostilities  to  Engld  in  a  Vessel  which  sailed  from  Salem  22 
April ;  He  reached  Engld  about  28"^  May  two  days  before  Gen. 
Gages  Express  arrived  there.  He  was  about  10  [6]  Days  in  Engld 
&  arrived  back  to  Salem  &  the  Congress  at  Watertown  this  Week  : 
&  is  proceed^  to  Phil''  to  the  Continental  Congress.'  It  is  said 
there  has  been  another  Skirmish  at  Long  Isld  in  Mass.  Ba3^^ 

22.  Sent  a  packet  by  M''  Miller  to  Rabbi  Carigal  at  Barbadoes. 
The  Men  o'  War  have  been  very  insolent  &  abusive  the  Week  past, 
stopping  the  Ferry  Boats  &  repeatedly  &  almost  daily  threatning 
to  fire  the  Town.  May  God  Protect  us  from  their  Madness.  A 
specimen  of  the  sweets  of  the  new  designed  Government  ! 

Gen.  XXV,  27.  Jacob  was  a  plain  Man  dwelling  in  Tents;  (ac- 
cording to  the  Hebrews)  a  perfect  Man,  same  as  Job.  The  Targ. 
Onk.  renders  it  Vir  perfectus.  Minister  Domus  Doctrina:;,  a  perfect 
Man  and  Master  of  a  House  of  Instruction.     Some  of  the  Rabbles 

1  See  a  fuller  account  of  Capt.  Richard  Derby's  mission  in  Proceedings  of  the 
Mass.  Historical  Society,  iv,  22-25. 

^  See  in  Proceedings  of  the  Mass.  Historical  Society,  vii,  196. 


592  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

hence  suppose  he  kept  a  School  or  Academj^  for  promiscuous 
Educ''  of  Youth.  The  pilgrim  State  of  Jacob  even  in  the  Holy 
Land  makes  me  think  otherwise.  Who  were  there  to  teach  among 
the  Canaanites?  I  judge  that  whereas  probably  not  another 
Family  in  all  Palestine  was  taught  Letters  and  instructed  by  Books 
as  a  Family,  on  the  contrary  holy  Jacob  taught  all  his  Family 
Letters,  Reading  &  the  sacred  Learning — &  sat  in  his  family 
as  Master  of  Wisdom  &  Knowledge.  God  said  of  his  grandfather, 
I  know  A])m.  that  he  will  command  his  House,  &c.  This  domestic 
Instruction  was  continued  &  became  a  great  Thing,  especially  the 
latter  End  of  Jacob's  Life — by  which  Time  he  must  have  50 
scholars  or  more — for  his  offspring  were  70  souls  at  his  going 
down  into  Egypt.     How  well  spent  &  useful  his  old  age  ? 

23.  Ldsdy.  I  preached  all  day  on  Deut.  v,  29.  And  baptized 
Ruth  the  Daughter  of  Cap'  Jn"  Toman  &  Martha  his  Wife,  she 
first  owning  the  Covenant. 

The  Beginning  of  this  M"  July  the  Inhab.  of  Boston  were  num- 
bered by  Order  of  Gen.  Gage  &  found  6573. — The  soldiers  num- 
bered Women  and  Children  13,600 — 300  Tories  patrole  the  streets 
29  of  a  night 

24.  Received  2  Letters  from  Rev''  M'  Gordon  of  Roxb-'  dated  20. 
&  22  Ins'.  He  preached  the  Election  Sermon  at  Watertown  19'^ 
Ins'  when  the  Congress  was  formed  into  an  Assembly  or  House  of 
Representatives,  &  assumed  upon  themselves  the  Legislature  of 
the  Colony  (not  Province)  of  Mass.  Bay. 

25.  It  is  very  difficult  to  ascertain  the  Loss  of  the  Kings  Troops 
at  Bunkers  Hill  17"'  last  month.  The  later  the  Lists  the  more  are 
dead  &  everyway  the  Loss  greater  than  at  first  supposed.  In  the 
Cambridge  paper  of  13"'  Ins'  tho  3  W.  after  the  Battle  we  have  a 
Return  probably  as  it  stood  imed-  after  the  Battle,  [as  it  stood 
July    II.] 

' '  Wounded 

4th  Reg'.         Captains  Balfour  &  West.     Lieut' Batron  &  Brown. 
5"'  Reg.  Major  IMitchel.      Cap"  Jackson  &  Marsden.      Lieu" 

Croker,    and    M'Clintock.     En.signs  Charolton  & 
Balaquire. 
10"'  Reg.  Cap"  Fitzgerald  &  Parsons.    Lieu"  Pettigrew,  Ham- 

ilton, &:  Vernon.      (Vernon  dead  of  Wounds) 
14"'   Reg'.         Ensign  Hasket 


JULY    23-25,    1775 


593 


igth  Reg*. 
22th  Reg. 
35''  Reg. 

38*''  Reg. 


43'  Reg. 
47''  Reg. 

52'    Reg. 

59*''  Reg. 
63'  Reg. 
65'*^  Reg. 
Marines. 

Wounded 
68 


ly*  Richardson 

Capt   Blakeney,  L'"  Cochran,  Reckwith,  &  Leiithall. 

Cap'  Drew,  V  Campbell  &  Massey   fDrew  died  of 

wounds) 
Major  Bruce.     Cap''  Boyd  &  Coker.     L'"  Christie, 

House,  Myers,  &  Swiney.     Qu'  Master  Mitchel. 

Ensign  Mitchel.     Major  Short  died  of  Wounds 
Major  Spendlove  (died).   L''  Robertson  &  Dalryinple. 
Major  Smith,  Cap'  England,  Craig  &  Alcock.     Lieu* 

England. 
Cap"   Nelson,    Thomp.son,    &    Crawford    [Higgins] 

Ensigns  Chetwynd  &  Crame     (Crame  died) 
Lieu*  Haynes 
Cap'^  Horsford  &  Foiller. 

Capt.  Sinclair.     Lieu'""  Paxton,  Smith,  «t  Hales. 
Capts.  Lemoine,  Huddleston,  Logan,   Chudleigh,   & 

Johnson.      Lieut''  Pitcairn,  Shotworth,  Campbell, 

Brisbain,    Averne,    Rag,   Dyer.      Engineer   Page. 

Lt.  Jardin,  Seer-'  to  Gen.  Howe  (died). 


Killed 
24 

92 


5**^  Reg. 
14*"  Reg. 
22''  Reg. 
39*''  Reg. 
38"'  Reg. 
43'  Reg. 
47"'  Reg. 
52^^    Reg. 

63'    Reg. 
65*h  Reg. 

Marines. 


Killed. 

Cap*  Downes. 

L*  Bruere. 

L'  Col.  Abercrombie. 

Cap*  Lyon  ;  Lieu*  Bard. 

L*  Dutton. 

Cap*  M'Kenzie. 

L*^  Gould,  Willard  &  Hilyer. 

Major  Williams,  Capt' Addison, Davison,  Smith 

and  Higgins. 
L*  Dalrymple 
Cap'  Hudson 
Cap'    Sharwin    [Shamoin],    Aid  de   Camp  to 

Gen.  Howe 
Major  Pitcairn,  Cap*  Campbell,  &  Ellis.     L*' 

Finney,  Gardner,  &  Shea. 


Major  Spendlove,  L*  Vernon,  &  L*  Jardin  Secret''  to  Gen.  Howe, 
with  many  others,  have   already   died  of  their  Wounds.     And  a 
great  part  of  those  who  are  alive  are  mortally  wounded." 
38 


594  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

In  the  B"  Gazette  of  24"'  Ins*  or  yest-'  we  have  an  account  of  the 
return  of  Cap^  Jn"  Darby  last  Tuesda5^  He  sailed  from  Salem 
Express  from  the  Congress  four  days  after  Gen.  Gages  Express  ; 
arrived  in  London  28'"  Ma}^  two  days  after  the  prorog'^  of  Pari' 
w*^  was  26"'.  He  brot  Loud,  prints  to  i  June.  On  31  May  Eveng. 
Express  from  Gage  arrived  in  London.  The  Extracts  from  the 
Eng.  prints  shew  that  the  actual  Commenc'  of  the  American  Civil 
War  makes  a  great  Impression  in  London.  However  the  Voice  of 
the  Court  Connexion  was  31  Ma)^  "  it  is  a  determined  Measure  in 
Council  that  neither  BLOOD  nor  TREASURE  shall  be  spared  to 
bring  our  American  Brethren  to  what  is  called  a  sense  of  their 
Duty." — Again  "  Government  is  in  such  Contempt  they  can  neither 
get  a  vSeaman  nor  Recruit." 

26.  R.  Samuel  visited  me  this  Afternoon.  We  conversed  on 
the  Cherubim  &  Glory  over  the  Merc}^  seat — &  how  to  reconcile 
the  erecting  of  cherubinic  Statues  in  the  Holy  of  Holies  &  dec- 
orating the  Walls  with  the  Resemblances  of  Angels,  with  the  Pro- 
hibition of  the  2"  Commandment  ?  We  examined  the  Inscriptions 
about  M''  Sinai  which  he  never  saw  nor  heard  of  before.  They 
struck  him,  he  looked  on  them  with  close  Attention  &  Wonder — 
could  not  tell  who  inscribed  them — only  s''  repeatedly  they  are 
not  Jewish.  He  said  there  were  no  Rivers,  Brooks,  or  running 
streams  within  one  Mile  of  Jerusalem  deep  eno  to  swim  in,  nor 
even  knee  deep.  Nor  was  there  any  of  this  depth  within  three 
Hoicrs  Walk  of  Jerusalem.  Where  could  the  3000  at  Pentecost  be 
baptized  b^^  Immersion  ? 

I  asked  him  whether  the  Ruins  of  the  Aqueduct  on  the  W.  of 
the  City  was  still  remainin'^'  ?  Yes.  I  asked  him  where  &  how 
far  distant  was  that  Fountain  or  Body  of  Water  which  was  con- 
veyed formerly  in  that  Aqueduct?  I  think  he  said,  it  was  the 
River  3  Hours  distant  from  Jerusalem — or  else  the  Fountains  of 
the  River  Gihon  which  Hezekiah  sealed,  &  turned  towds  the  City 
2  Chron.  xxxii,  30.  He  said  this  Gihon  &  that  of  Moses  which 
watered  Eden  was  one  &  the  same. 

27.  Reading  this  Forenoon  in  the  Talmud.  Also  read  the 
Addre.ss  of  the  people  of  G.  Brit,  to  the  Inhabitants  of  America 
written  by-a  ministerial  Pen  in  answer  to  the  Address  of  the  Con- 
gress last  year  to  the  People  of  G.  Britain.  It  is  the  best  thing 
tliat  has  been  written  on  the  Ministerial  side  of  the  American  Ques- 
tion.    It  gives  up  a  great  part  of  the  American  Claim.     It  gives 


JULY    26-27,    1775  595 

7ip  the  Pozver  of  Pari'  to  tax  America  without  the  Consent  of  our 
Assemblies. — "We  can  find  no  IJne  between  the  use  &  abuse  of 
Taxing  you  without  the  Consent  of  )'our  Assemblies."  Again 
"  Tho'  &c  warrant  us  to  retain  the  Exercise  of  the  power  of  Tax'"" 
over  3' on,  w-e  desi^^e  to  throw  it  from  us,  as  umvorthy  of  you  to  be  sub- 
ject to,  &  of  zcs  to  possess,''  p.  17.  As  to  all  other  points  he  pro- 
poses Explanations  &  Compromise. 

Read  a  I^etter  dated  Cambridge  June  28,  1775,  from  Peter  Brown 
of  Westford  to  his  Mother  in  Newport.  He  w^as  in  the  Battle  of 
Concord  :  imediately  enlisted  into  Col  Prescotts  Reg'  is  Clerk  of  a 
Comp^'  and  was  in  the  Lines  on  Bunkers  hill  in  the  Battle  of 
Chariest".     He  says  : 

"  Frydy  the  i6th  of  June  we  were  ordered  to  Parade  at  6  o'clock  with  one 
Day's  provisions  and  Blankets  ready  for  a  March  somewhere,  but  we  did  not 
know  where.     So  we  readyly  and  cheerfully  obeyd,  the  whole  that  was  called 

for,   which  was  these  three.   Col.   Prescotts,   Frys  &  Nicksons  Reg'* 

About  9  o'clock  at  night  we  marched  down  on  to  Chariest"  Hill  against  Cox 
Hill  in  B°  where  we  entrenched,  &  made  a  Fort  of  about  Ten  Rod  long  and  eight 
wide,  with  a  Breast  Work  of  about  8  more.  We  worked  there  undiscovered 
till  about  5  in  the  Morn  and  then  we  saw  our  Danger  being  against  8  Ships  of 
the  Dine  &  all  Boston  fortified  against  us. 

(The  Danger  we  were  in  made  us  think  there  was  Treacher}^,  &  that  we  were 
brot  there  to  be  all  slain,  and  I  must  &  will  venture  to  say  that  there  was 
Treachery,  Oversight  or  Presumption  in  the  Conduct  of  our  Officers.)  And 
about  half  after  5  in  the  Morn,  we  not  having  above  half  the  Fort  done,  they 
began  to  fire,  I  suppose  as  soon  as  they  had  Orders,  pretty  briskly  a  few  Min- 
utes, and  then  stopt,  and  then  again  to  the  Number  of  about  20  or  more.  They 
killed  one  of  us,  and  then  they  ceased  till  about  11  o'Clock  and  then  they  began 
pretty  brisk  again  ;  and  that  caused  some  of  our  young  Country  ppl  to  desert, 
apprehending  the  Danger  in  a  clearer  manner  than  the  rest,  who  were  more 
diligent  in  digging  &  fortify-'  ourselves  against  them.  We  began  to  be  almost 
beat  out,  being  tired  by  our  Labour  and  having  no  sleep  the  night  before,  but 
little  victuals,  no  Drink  but  Rum  .  .  .  They  fired  very  warm  from  Boston  & 
from  on  board  till  about  2  o'Clock,  when  they  began  to  fire  from  the  Ships  in 
ferry  Way,  &  from  the  Ship  that  lay  in  the  River  against  the  Neck  to  stop  our 
Reinforcem'^  w<^  they  did  in  some  Measure.  One  Cannon  cut  off  3  Men  in  two 
on  the  Neck  of  Land.  (Our  Officers  sent  time  after  Time  after  the  Cannons 
from  Cambridge  in  the  Morns  &  could  get  but  four,  the  Cap'  of  which  fired 
but  a  few  times,  and  then  swang  his  Hat  round  three  Times  to  the  Enemy, 
then  ceased  to  Fire.)  It  being  about  3  o'clock  there  was  a  little  Cessation  of  the 
Cannons  Roaring.  Come  to  look  there  was  a  matter  of  40  Barges  full  of  Reg- 
ulars coms  over  to  us  :  it  is  supposed  there  were  about  3000  of  them  and  about 
700  of  us  left  not  deserted,  besides  500  Reinforcem'  that  could  not  get  so  nigh 
to  us  as  to  do  any  good  hardly  till  they  saw  that  we  must  all  be  cut  off,  or  some 
of  them,  and  then  they  advanced.     When  our  Officers  saw  that  the  Regulars 


596  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

would  land  they  ordered  the  ArtilU'  to  go  out  of  the  fort  &  prevent  their  Lands 
if  possible,  from  which  the  Artill>'  Cap'  took  his  Pieces  &  went  right  off  home 
to  Cambridge  fast  as  he  could,  for  which  he  is  now  confined  &  we  expect 
Avill  be  shot  for  it.  But  the  Enemy  landed  &  fronted  before  us  &  formed  them- 
selves in  an  Oblong  Square,  so  as  to  surround  us  w'  they  did  in  part,  &  After 
the}'  were  well  formed  they  advanced  towds  us  in  Order  to  swallow  us  up,  but 
the)'  found  a  choaky  Mouthful  of  us,  tho'  we  could  do  noth-  with  our  small 
Arms  as  yet  for  Distance,  &  had  but  two  Cattnon  &  nary  Gunner.  And  they 
from  B"  &  from  the  ships  a  fir*-'  &  throws  Bombs  keep*-'  us  down  till  the}'  got 
almost  round  us.  But  God  in  Mercy  to  us  fought  our  Battle  for  us,  &  altho' 
we  were  but  few  &  so  were  suffered  to  be  defeated  by  them,  we  were  preserved 
in  a  most  wonderful  Manner  far  beyond  Expectation,  to  Admiration,  for  out  of 
our  Reg'  there  was  about  ^j  killed,  /f.  or  §  taken  captive,  and  about  47  wounded. 
...  If  we  should  be  called  into  Action  again  I  hope  to  have  Courage  & 
strength  to  act  ni}-  part  valiantly  in  Defence  of  our  Liberties  &  our  Country, 
trusting  in  him  who  hath  yet  kept  me  &  hath  covered  my  head  in  the  day  of 
Battle,  &  tho'  we  have  lost  4  out  of  our  Comp'''  &  our  Lieutenant's  thigh  broke 
&  he  taken  Captive  by  the  cruel  Enemies  of  America,  I  was  not  suffered  to  be 
toutched  altho'  I  was  in  the  fort  till  the  Regulars  came  in  &  I  jumped  over  the 
Walls,  &  ran  for  about  half  a  Mile  where  Balls  flew  like  Hailstones,  &  Cannons 
roared  like  Thunder. 

But  tho'  I  escaped  then  it  may  be  my  Turn  next.     So  I  must  couclude  with 
my  prayers  for  your  Welfare  &  wish?  j-ou  the  best  of  Bless"^  I  still  remain 

Your  dutiful  Son 

Peter  Brown." 

[I  .sent  a  Letter  Via  Nantticket  to  Rev.  D""  Wilton  of  London.'] 
28.  L'  Governor  Habersham  of  Georgia  is  jtist  arrived  at  Phila- 
delphia ;  informing  that  Georgia  has  acceded  to  the  grand  Confed- 
eracy of  the  United  Colonies  &  appointed  five  Delegates  who  are 
coming  to  the  Congress  :  —and  that  thirteen  TJiousd  weight  of 
Powder  lately  arrived  at  Savanna  from  the  King  to  be  distribtited 
among  the  bidians  &  Negroes,  as  a  part  of  the  hellish  plan  for 
destroying  American  Liberty.  The  Inhabitants  of  Georgia  arose 
&  seized  this  powder  12,000"'  into  their  Possession.  Wonderful 
Pro\-idence  I 

From  the  Examin^  of  Witnesses  before  ParP  Feb.  last  the  New 
Eng.  Commerce  appears. 

AD  1764.         Cod  Fishery.         ^205,920  300  Vessels  employed 

Wliale  D°  90,000  150 

Mackerel  &c  26.  90 

^'322,200  ster 

'  Rev.  Samuel  Wilton,  of  Tooting  ;  the  letter  was  in  acknowledgment  of  a 
pamphlet  by  him. 


JULY    28,    1775  597 

The  most  of  this  goes  to  Europe  except  ^96,455,  Jamaica  Fish. 
The  whole  N  Eng  Fish^'  employs  45,800  Tons  of  Shipping  &  6002 
Men  A  D  1764. 

1 100  Ton  of  Brit.  Brandy  shipt  fr  Lond.  for  Quebec  per  ann. 

M'  Eane  a  N  Eng.  Merch'  says,  Money  due  to  London  only  from 
the  4  Prov.  in  N  Eng.  near  one  Million  sterlg.  The  Remitt''  of 
Codfish^'  ^220,000,  this  half  yearly  Returns. 

Codfishery 
Oyl      . 
Pot  Ash      . 
Furs 

Whalefins 
Lumber 

Total  Am"  of  ann.  Returns  about  ^420,000.  Besides  a  constant 
stand'-'  Debt  of  One  Million  due  from  N  Engld  which  is  on  Interest. 

"We  think  ourselves  well  paid  if  we  receive  our  Money  in  two 
3'ears,  &  then  expect  Int.  on  our  principal."  "  The  Trade  is  con- 
fined in  a  few  Hands. "  "  Both  Fisheries  together  are  almost  our 
whole  Depend'^"  "  Our  Int.  is  p''  on  a  running  Ace"  &  if  we  are 
ever  paid  we  are  p''  Int.  as  well  as  principal. 

' '  Q.   Can  a  constant  loos-  Trade  be  carried  on  ? 

"A.  We  have  other  Resources  in  this  Trade;  namely  in  ships 
"  built  purposely  for  sale,  with  their  Freights  from  the  W.  Indies  : 
"  besides  Bills  of  Exch^  in  Return  for  Lumber." 

Never  give  more  than  one  3'ears  Credit. 

Cod  Fish-'  Returns  one  Third  or  near  Half.  The  Annual  Value 
of  the  Exp^''  from  G.  B.  to  N  Eng.  ^450,000. 

"  Q.  In  w*"  manner  then  is  the  Million  of  Debt  to  be  paid  off  in 
two  years. 

"  A.  I  said  it  might  be  done  in  two  or  3  years  taking  in  all  our 
Resources." 

Hence  I  collect  the  Return  fr.  N  Eng.  near  i  Mill  per  ami. 

Step.  Jenkins  of  Nantucket.  Inhab.  5  or  6000,  Men  &  Boys 
employed  in  Whale  Fish-'.  140  Vessels  belong  there.  Nine  Tenths 
pple  Quakers.  Whole  Number  of  Whale  Fish-'  Ships  from  N" 
America  309.     From 


Boston 

.         48 

Rh.  Isld. 

45 

Falin"    . 

8 

X  York 

12 

Marthas  Vinyard 

6 

Connect. 

3 

Dartm". 

55 

Nantucket    . 

•       132 

598  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

I  observe  the  Amer.  Merchants  in  G.  B.  dont  disclose  the  whole 
state  of  the  American  Commerce.  They  dont  give  the  whole  stand^ 
Debt  from  America — nor  the  whole  ann.  Remittance.  The  Debt  of 
N  Engld  is  i  IMilL— that  of  Maryld  &  Virginia  is  i  Mill.  It  cant 
be  doubted  but  that  of  N  Y.  Jersey  &  Pensylv''  is  i  Mill  esp-'  inclu- 
sive of  N"  Car.  Eng.  is  in  Debt  to  S"  Car.  The  Continental  Debt 
therefore  is  3  Mill  sterlg.  Besides  the  Constant  ann.  Returns  from 
the  Colonies  is  50  per  Cent,  more  than  the  Exports  from  G.  Britain. 
The}'  send  us  j  M.  they  receive  ^  M.  &  keep  us  in  debt  j  Million. 
While  they  send  i^  M  to  the  W.  Indies,  &  receive  inclusive  their 
Rents  about  ^%  Million  sterl". 

30.  Ldsdy.     I  preached  all  day  on  Rom.  xiii,  11,12 

31.  At  \""  P.M.  I  catechised  about  45  children. 

Augu.st. 

1 .  Last  Ldsday  Morn"  before  day  our  pple  took  2  prisoners  at  the 
Enemys  outer  Centry  at  Chariest"  &  brot  them  into.  Head  Quarters. 
A  party  of  24  came  out  to  relieve  them — a  mutual  firing  ensued  with 
no  great  Effect.  But  Mond-^'  Morn^  at  one  o  Clock  the  Enemj^  be- 
gan a  heav}'  Canonade  on  Roxbury  &  burnt  one  house.  Gen.  Gage 
sent  about  30  Men  to  rebuild  the  Eight  House  which  our  pple  burnt 
down,  and  a  Detatchm'  of  our  forces  went  &  took  them  a  few  days 
past. 

2.  ]\Iaking  a  Map  of  Boston,  &c. 

4!  Received  a  Letter  from  D'  Gale  &  from  Rev.  M'  Ross  of  Fairf^ 
informing  of  an  Insurrection  of  300  Chh  Tories  at  Waterbury  to 
protect  one  Nicols'  a  Deserter  from  the  Camp  of  the  Colonists.  But 
the  Deserter  was  rendered  up  &  all  settled. 

6.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Rom.  xiv,  19.     P. INI.  Ps.  xxxvii, 

23 

7.  Why  .should  it  be  a  Doubt  whether  Jephtah  put  his  Daughter 
to  death?  Jud.  xi,  31,  he  says  "  and  it  shall  be  the  Lords,  and  I 
will  sacrifice  it  a  Burnt  Offering. ' '  This  is  the  \'ow  : — and  verse 
39.  it  is  said,  '"  and  he  did  unto  her  his  Vow."  Notwithstand'''  nat- 
ural Affection  there  was  a  principle  in  antient  Times  which  would 
so  far  overcome  Tenderness  as  that  Parents  could  put  tlieir  Children 
to  Death.  It  was  not  singular  for  Ab'"  to  be  ready  to  offer  up 
Isaac,  tho'  an  only  Child  as  Jephtahs   Daughter  was.     It  was  the 

'  Josiah,  son  of  Captain  George  Nichols,  and  brother  of  John  Nicliols  (Yale 
1773 J-     For  niore  details,  see  Anderson's  History  of  Watrrbury,  i,  422-3. 


JULY  30-AUGusT  12,  1775  599 

Custom   of    surround^'    Nations,    to  offer  their  Children   in    l)urnt 
Offering  to  Moloch.     I  doubt  not  Jephtah  killed  his  Daughter. 

On  July  27,  the  Ship  Monimia  arrived  at  N  York  from  (jlasgow 
with  230  Passengers  ;  &  the  same  day  arrived  there  the  Brig  Nep- 
tune from  Glasgow  with  87  Passengers.  Many  of  them  were  de- 
prived of  their  Arms  after  they  embarked,  by  Order  of  Govern- 
ment. 

9.  Received  a  L,etter  from  my  Uncle  now  at  Watertown  Hon. 
Eldad  Taylor  Esq  one  of  the  Council  «&  Gen.  Assembly  now  sitting 
there.  He  gives  a  particular  Account  of  the  Inform"  received  re- 
specting the  Indians  and  Canadians  their  Disinclin-'  to  joyn  in  War 
against  us.  This  inform"  extends  1000  Miles  back.  The  Conti- 
nental Congress  has  adjourned  from  Philad"  to  Hartford  to  .sit  there 
middle  September.  This  Eveng.  I  resumed  our  M"  Chh  Meet-  at 
Brother  Stevens,  I  preached  on  Philip,  iii,  8,  9. 

10.  Yesterday,  the  Men  o  'War  being  absent  from  this  Harbor, 
on  a  plundering  Cruise,  one  of  the  Providence  Privateers  armed  by 
Government  (of  this  Colony)  came  and  took  off  the  residue  of  the 
Canon  from  our  Fort,  part-'  2  large  18  Pounders  &  carried  them  up 
to  Providence,  a  little  below  which  the}'  are  fortifying.  Last  Dec. 
the  most  of  the  Canon  were  removed.— Several  Transports  coming 
round  from  B"  for  Provisions  the  Men  o' War  on  this  station  went 
out  with  them  to  Eong  Isld  &  Fi.shers  Island  to  get  Stock — the}- 
took  about  1000  [1130]  Sheep,  &  thirty  Head  of  Cattle  from  Fish- 
ers Isld.     The  Rose  returned  here  last  Eveng 

12.  This  day  1 7  Transports  passed  by  this  Isld  eastward,  loaded 
with  Stock  taken  off  of  Fishers  Isld  for  the  Troops  in  Boston.  We 
have  a  Report  that  Cap*-  Eindzy  in  a  sloop  of  War,  came  ashore 
with  Marines  &  set  fire  to  8  houses  in  C.  Ann  :  the  pple  rose  & 
seized  the  Captain  &  19  Marines  &  carried  them  off  to  the  Army. 
A  Vessel  arrived  here  to  day  in  about  35  days  from  Lisbon.  The 
Men  o' War  (of  which  we  now  have  three  here)  took  her  &  silenced 
the  Captain  &  dont  suffer  him  to  communicate  any  News.  He 
must  have  brot  News,  for  a  Vessel  arrived  at  Lisbon  in  five  days 
from  London  a  few  days  before  he  sailed.  It  is  said  that  he  at 
first  reported  there  were  great  Tumults  in  London  &  that  Ld 
North  had  fled  to  France.  This  confirms  a  similar  Report  we 
have  had  two  Ways  Via  W.  Indies.  But  I  think  no  Credit  is  to 
be  given  to  it.  The  Army  are  mak"  Bombs,  &  prepar^'  for  bom- 
bard'^'  Boston. 


6oO  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

13.  Ldsdy  A  M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  v,  11,  12.  A  Company  of 
Soldiers  which  are  to  joyn  the  Continental  Army  this  Week,  attended 
Meeting.    P.M.  Ps  xlv,  11 

15 I  am  told  so  that  I   rely   on   it,    that  our  Army  now 

have  Fifty  Tons  of  Powder.  In  the  Gazette  is  a  lyCtter  dated  5'" 
Aug.  from  Col.  or  Brig.  Brattle  in  Boston  to  his  Son  in  Cambridge. 
A  Flag  was  sent  out  that  da}-  to  the  L,ines  at  Roxb^'  to  Gen.  Gage 
to  bring  it.  It  is  a  foolish  trifling  Letter  about  apricots,  pares, 
Peeches,  Sickness,  Deaths,  Nantucket  Captains  &c  all  intermixt. 
But  in  the  confused  Medley  is  this — "  I  hear  the  Port  of  Boston  is 
quite  open,  and  the  Custom  House  to  be  kept  here  as  usual ;  a  Ship 
brought  in  Yesterda}'  2200  Bbs  of  Flour."  Is  it  credible  that  the 
Parh  met  in  June,  &  immed-'  ordered  the  Forces  to  be  with- 
drawn ?  It  has  transpired  by  those  lately  out  of  B"  that  an 
Embark-'  of  Furniture  &c  is  making  by  the  Kings  Troops,  Tories 
&c  and  it  was  whispered  that  15"'  Ins'  was  set  for  their  going 
off.  It  is  certain  that  last  Week  Gen.  Gage  sent  out  a  Flag 
asking  a  Cessation  of  Hostilities  for  six  day.s — but  Gen.  Wash- 
ington refused  it. 

Last  Eveng.  I  rec''  a  Letter  from  M''  Tutor  Lewis'  of  Yale  Col- 
lege. Speaking  of  M'"  Bushnel'  a  Student  there  he  says — "Hie 
Homo  est  Machinae  Inventor,  quae  ad  Naves  Bostonise  portu  Pul- 
veris  pyrii  Explosione  destruendas,  nunc  est  fabricata  &  fere  per- 
fecta.  Machina  ita  est  formata,  ut  20  aut  ampliiis  pedes  sub  undas 
celeriter  transeat,  &  Pulveris  pyrii  2000'"  portare  et  Navis  Carinse 
infigere  possit.  Statim  vel  post  Minuta  decem  vel  Semi-horam, 
secundum  Operatoris  Voluntatem,  Horologium  totam  Massam 
inflammabit."      &c — 

Last  .Saturday  I  conversed  with  a  Woman  latel}^  come  out  of  B*^ 
who  had  lived  40  3-ears  in  D""  Sewall's  Family.  Who  gave  me  a 
very  particular  Ace"  of  the  state  of  the  pple  suffer-  in  Boston.  D''* 
Byles,  Mather  &  Eliot  are  the  only  three  Congregational  Ministers 
now  in  Boston.  M''  Burt  was  in  T"  yesterda3\  He  tells  me  that 
M'  Williams  a  Math.  Inst.  Maker  li\-ing  on  the  Long  Wharf  in  B" 
counted  thirty-three  hundred  Troops  which  em])arked  at  the  Long 
Wharf  &  went  over  to  Chariest"  on  the  17"'  June  to  the  memorable 

'  John  Lewis  (Yale  1770). 

*  David  Bushnell  (Yale  1775).  This  part  of  Mr.  Lewis's  letter  is  written  in 
Latin,  to  hinder  giving  information  of  this  important  invention  to  any  un- 
trustworth\'  nicdiiun. 


AUGUST    13-17,    1775  601 

Bunkers  Hill  Fight.  That  besides  these  a  Xuiul)er  of  Troojjs  just 
arrived  disembarked  from  the  Transports  at  Chariest"  that  day. 
These  may  well  be  supposed  1000  Men.  Besides  the.se  a  Number 
prob>  the  main  ]:)ody  of  Marines  went  from  the  ships  to  Chariest" 
also  directly.  These  may  have  been  700  as  it  is  s''  that  was  the  N" 
of  Marines  on  board  the  ships.  So  that  the  whole  might  compose  a 
Body  of  Five  Thousd.  This  is  the  best  Estimate  I  can  yet  form  for 
the  Number  of  the  Kings  Troops  in  that  Action.  These  were 
fought  by  only  6  or  700  Provincials  or  Coloni.sts. 

16.  Visited  R.  Samuel  Cohen.  The  Continental  Congress  at 
Philad''  adjourned  on  2''  Aug"^  to  5"'  of  September  next.  The 
Massachusetts  &  other  N  Engld  Delegates  are  returned  home.  It 
is  said  that  in  conseq.  of  Letters  from  Gen.  Gage  to  the  Gov.  of 
Halifax  Nova  Scotia  the  Rev''  Simeon  Howard  Pastor  of  the  W. 
Chh  in  B"  has  been  apprehended,  tried  &  acquitted.  Crime  un- 
known. 

17.  Between  7'''  &  14"^  Ins*  Eight  Companies  of  Rifle  Men,  con- 
sist-' of  about  100  Men  each,  from  Viroinia,  Ma)-yld  &  Pennsyh^  ar- 
rived at  Cambridge.  The  Rifle  Men  commanded  by  Cap*  Daniel 
Morgan  of  Fredericks  County  Virginia,  600  Miles  from  Cambridge, 
arrived  there  in  three  Weeks. 

In  the  B"  Gazette  15"'  Ins* — "Avery  intelligent  vSoldier  belon*-' 
to  the  23''  Reg*  who  deserted  from  the  Enemy  last  Week,  & 
who  is  known  by  several  Gent,  in  our  Army,  made  Oath  before 
His  Excellency  Gen.  Washington,  that  accord "^  to  the  most  exact 
Ace"  ihere  were  killed  of  the  Enemy  at  the  Battle  at  Bunkers 
Hill  «&  since  died  of  their  Wounds  then  received,  6  Field  offi- 
cers, 32  Captains,  52  Subalterns,  55  vSerjeants,  13  Drummers,  899 
Privates. 

In  the  whole  when  he  left  the  regular  Army  1057  ;'  and  that  it 
was  tho't  three  hundred  more  Officers  &  Privates  would  die  of  their 
Wounds. ' ' 

Rem.  I.  By  Accounts  given  the  latter  End  of  June  &  within 
ten  days  after  the  Battle,  the  Loss  was  given  out  between  goo 
&  1000  dead,  &  soon  became  1040  or  thereabouts.  And  of  this 
1040  there  have  been  sundry  Modifications — sometimes  it  is  killed  8c 
wounded  all  together  ;  at  other  Times  the  dead  only,  but  then  joined 
with  450  or  500  wounded  only.     And  here  the  Tories  rest  the  Ac- 

1  This  number  remains  as  the  officially  authorized  and  final  statement  of  the 
British  loss. 


6o2  DIARY   OF    EZRA    STILES 

count  about  14  or  ijoo  killed  &  woiinded — &  then  in  a  waj^  of  Infer- 
ence speak  of  the  killed  as  about  400  only — &  some  of  the  Whigs  rest 
in  this  last  Kstiniate.  Rem.  2.  I  think  the  Harvest  of  Death  among 
those  who  died  of  their  Wounds  must  have  been  over  within  the 
first  fourt' night.  And  from  that  time  to  this  there  has  been  a  Bruit 
of  1000  Dead.  Now  whence  slid  this  arise  within  Boston?  If  the 
Regulars  intended  this  slid  contain  killed  &  w^oimded  w^hy  have  they, 
as  they  and  their  friends  certainly  have,  talked  of  14  &  1500? 
There  may  be  some  yet  ill  of  their  Wounds  that  may  die.  But  not 
300.  However  prob-'  there  are  300  still  ill  of  their  Wounds.  Rem. 
3.  However  take  this  Soldiers  Ace"  &  suppose  the  Total  Doss  in 
that  Action  &  its  Consequences  to  be  1300  finally  dead — would  not 
this  justify  a  much  higher  Estimate  of  the  Wounded  of  that  day 
than  has  ever  been  imagined  by  the  most  sanguine  Estimators  ? 
Rem.  4.  I  am  apprehensive  after  all  that  the  90  Officers  contained 
killed  &  7<.'oundcd :  designedh'  to  render  the  whole  dubious.  This 
Account  is  doubtless  that  handed  about  in  the  Army  in  Boston, 
because  we  ha\-e  had  it  come  from  them  so  many  Times.  I  suppose 
it  was  constructed  for  the  Army  Account  as  to  the  substance  of  it. 
If  it  be  said  1000  were  killed  by  your  own  Ace" — Officers  may  deny 
it — &  upon  being  referred  to  their  owai  Ace"  circulated  &  given 
b}"  themselves  in  the  Army  ;  they  may  shew  or  affect  to  shew  a  falla- 
cious Misapprehension,  by  alledging  that  the  Wounded  as  well  as 
killed  were  given  with  the  Officers  :  and  so  overthrow  the  Credit  of 
the  whole.  We  see  such  incessant  insidious  Stratagems  &  Delu- 
sions practised  by  the  Ami}-  &  Navy  &  Tories  to  make  up  the  Mind 
&  Judg'  of  the  public  ready  to  their  Hands,  as  justifies  such  an 
Apprehension.  It  requires  a  great  deal  of  Discerm'  to  separate  the 
Truth  from  Error — to  take  a  Tory  or  Ministerial  Account  and  de- 
duce the  Truth  from  the  designed  Concealment.  Rem.  5.  Tho'  I  dont 
believe  that  last  Week  there  were  300  Wounded  left  who  shall  die 
of  Wounds  ;  yet  the  Soldier  may  know,  for  this  may  come  well 
within  his  Observ-'  that  there  then  remained  300  not  cured  of  their 
Wounds  six  Weeks  after  the  Action.  Now,  are  not  three  quarters 
of  the  Wounded  usually  cured  in  6  or  7  \Wx'ks  ?  Dont  this  imply 
above  500  (the  Tory  ace")  Wounded?  Rather  does  not  the  1000 
Dead  &  300  wounded  noiv  remain-  im])ly  at  least  3000  Affected  in 
the  Action  ? 

i<S.   On  26"'  ult.  Gages  Army  gooo.     The  Reg'""  arrived  at  Boston 
of  the  vSpring  &  vSummer  Accession, 


AUGUST    1 8-2  I,    1775  603 


17"'.     Col.  Preston 
35.        Col.  Campbell 
49.        Col.  Maitland 
63.        Col.  Grant 
Destined  for  N  York  but 
ordered  to  B"  by  G.  Gag 


120 

22. 

Gen.  Gage 

420 

420 

40. 

Sir  Rob.  Hatnillon 

420 

420 

44- 

Col.  Abercroml)ie 

420 

420 

45- 

Col.  Havilaiid 

420 

ut  I    

:^e  \  1380  1680 


The  Printers  continue  publish*-'  Gov.  Hutchinsons  Letters,  which 
more  &  more  evince  that  he  has  been  at  the  Bottom  of  this  ])aricidal 
System  of  Slavery 

By  a  Vessel  with  the  Philad'^  prints  we  learn  that  a  Vessel  lately 
arrived  there  brings  London  News  to  12  June — that  the  Ministry 
daily  consult  Ld  Mansfd  &  S''  Fletcher  Norton  ;  that  a  motion  was 
made  in  Council  to  issue  a  Proclam'^  declar*-'  the  Americans  in 
Rebellion,  which  was  opposed  by  Mansfd  &  Norton  as  Lawyers  : 
that  Gen.  Gage  had  sent  over  for  5000  more  Troops. 

19.  Rev''  M''  Hopkins  returned  from  Camp. 

20.  Ldsday.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  xxv,  10.  And  P  M.  Ps. 
Ixxx,  3,  and  baptized  Ann  a  new-born  Infant  of  M''  Finch.  This 
day  Ruth  is  Ten  years  old.  This  Eveng.  I  received  a  Letter  from 
Rev  M'  Gordon  of  Roxb^'  at  the  Camp  dated  17"'  Ins*.  Our  Army 
has  been  sickly  but  no  signal  Mortality  &  the  Sickness  abating. 
Col.  Grant  who  pledged  himself  in  the  house  of  Commons  for  the 
universal  Cowardice  of  America,  is  come  over  to  Boston  a  fortnight 
ago  in  7  W.  fr.  London — He  may  make  Trial  of  American  Cow- 
ardice !  M''  Gordon  estimates  our  Army  "somewhat  short  of 
Twenty  Thousand," — and  does  "not  imagine  that  Gen'  Gage  can 
muster  more  than  ^bonijive  Thousand.'' — "  Many  of  the  Tories  are 
going  for  Engld  from  Boston." 

21.  At  length  we  have  Gen.  Gages  Return  of  the  Battle  of  Lex- 
ington 19  Apr.  last.  I  have  accurately  counted  the  Names  of  the 
Oflficers,  &  cast  up  the  Numbers  Officers  &  Privates  given  for  each 
Regiment,  &  find  thus  Sixty  Eight  Killed,  175  Wounded  29  Cap- 
tives &  Missing  :  Total  272. 

I  cannot  but  take  Notice  that  Delusion  is  designed.  After  giving 
the  Names  of  the  Officers  killed  wounded  &  missing,  there  follows 
the  number  (not  the  Names)  of  the  Privates  &  the  following  footing. 
Total  "  I  L'  killed,  2  V  CoP  wounded,  2  Cap'*  wounded,  9  L'" 
wounded  i  L'  miss-,  2  Ensgs  wounded,  i  Serj'  killd,  7  wounded 
2  miss-,  I  Drum''  killd  i  wounded:  62  Rank  &  file  killed  157 
wounded  24  missing." 


6o4  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

This  makes  only  65  killed.  \\'hereas  I  have  accurately  counted 
&  find  sixty  Eight  killed,  175  wounded  29  missing  most  of  the 
missing  were  wovuided  as  well  as  captivated.     Total  272. 

I  observe  two  Things  more  in  Gages  account  with  respect  to  the 
N^unibcr  sent  owt,  and  the  begin'-'  of  Hostilities  -aX  Lexington.  As  to 
the  first  he  dont  give  the  number  precisely.  He  says  on  the  night 
of  18"'  he  detatched  the  Greiiadiers  of  his  Army  &  the  lyight 
Infantry  under  the  Commd.  of  L'  Col.  Smith  of  the  10'"  RegS  & 
]\Iaj'  Pitcairn  of  the  Marines  with  orders  to  destroy  the  Stores  at 
Concord.  "And  next  Morng..  Eight  Comp'  of  the  4"'  the  same 
number  of  the  23  «&  49"'  &  some  Marines  marched  under  the 
Commd.  of  L''  Piercy."  All  we  ma}-  suppose  of  three  Reg**  fit 
for  duty.  The  Reg*"*  came  over  full  &  not  above  450  ;  so  at  most 
1350  besides  Marines  : — but  perhaps  1000  in  all  was  nearest  the 
Truth.  And  prob-"  the  Detatch'  under  Col.  Smith  about  the  same 
Number: — the  Light  Infantry  were  six  Companies.  "  L'  Col. 
Smith  find-  after  he  had  marched  some  Miles  that  the  Country  had 
been  alarmed  by  firing  of  Guns  &  ringing  of  Bells,  dispatched  6  (six) 
Comp''  of  Light  Infantry  in  Order  to  secure  2  Bridges  on  the  diff. 
Rodes  beyond  Concord,  who  upon  their  Arrival  at  Lexington  found 
a  body  of  the  Country  pple  drawn  up  under  Arms  on  a  Green  close 
to  the  Rode.  And  upon  the  Kings  Troops  march^'  up  to  them  in 
order  to  inquire  the  Reason  of  their  being  so  assembled,  they  went 
off  ill  great  Confusion,  and  several  Guns  ivere  fired  upon  the  Kings 
Troops  from  behind  a  Stone  Half  and  also  from  the  Meetinghouse  & 
other  Houses,  by  ichich  one  Man  ivas  icounded  &  Major  Pitcairns 
Horse  shot  in  two  places.  In  consequence  of  this  Attack  by  the  Rebels, 
the  Troops  returned  the  Fire  &  killed  several  of  them  ;  after  which  the 
Detatch""  marched  to  Concord."  Rem.  i.  It  seems  as  if  this  Action 
happened  between  the  Light  Infantry  &  the  Colonists  &  that  the 
Grenadiers  &  Marines  or  main  body  were  distant  ;  whereas  they 
were  all  one  continued  Column  along  the  Rode  ;  besides  the  Battle 
really  commenced  between  (not  the  Light  Infantry  but)  the  Marines 
witli  Maj'  Pitcairn  at  their  head.  2.  The  ringing  of  Cambridg  Bells 
&  firing  Alarm  Guns  was  true.  3.  It  seems  as  if  the  Lexington 
pple  began  to  retreat  or  disperse  before  any  firing,  which  was  not 
fact — 4.  There  is  a  certain  .Sliding  over  and  Indcterminateness  in 
describ*-'  the  begin-  of  the  firing.  Major  Pitcairn  who  was  a  good 
Man  in  a  bad  Cause,  insisted  upon  it  to  the  day  of  his  Death, 
that  the   Colonists   fired  first  :    &   lliat   he   conunanded   not   to   fire 


AUGUST    21,    1775  605 

&  endeavored  to  stay  &  stop  the  firing  after  it  bc.uaii  :  15ut  llicn 
he  told  this  with  such  Circumstances  as  convince  nic  tliat  he 
was  deceived  tho"  on  the  spot.  He  docs  not  say  that  he  sa-a'  the 
Colonists  fire  first.  Had  he  said  it,  I  would  have  believed  him, 
being  a  Man  of  Integrity  &  Honor.  lie  expressly  says  he  did 
not  see  zvho  fired  first ;  and  yet  believed  the  Peasants  ])egan. 
His  acc°  is  this — that  riding  u])  to  them  he  ordered  tliem  to  dis- 
perse ;  which  they  not  doing  instantly,  he  turned  about  to  order 
his  Troops  so  to  draw  out  as  to  surround  and  disarm  them.  As  lie 
turned  he  sazv  a  Gun  in  a  Peasants  hand  from  behind  a  Wall,  /lash 
in  the  pan  without  going  off:  and  instantly  or  ver}-  soon  2  or  3  Guns 
went  off  by  which  he  found  his  Horse  wounded  &  also  a  man  7iear 
him  wounded.  These  Guns  he  did  not  see,  but  belie\-'-'  they  could  not 
come  from  his  own  pple,  doubted  not  &  so  asserted  that  the\-  came 
from  our  pple  ;  &  that  thus  they  began  the  Attack.  The  Impetu- 
osity of  the  Kings  Troops  were  such  that  a  promi.scuous,  unconi- 
manded  but  general  Fire  took  place,  which  Pitcairn  could  not  pre- 
vent ;  tho'  he  struck  his  staff  or  Sword  downwards  with  all  Earn- 
estness as  the  signal  to  forbear  or  cease  firing.  This  Ace"  Major 
Pitcairn  himself  gave  M'  Brown  of  Providence  who  was  seized  with 
Flour  &  carried  to  B"  a  few  days  after  the  Battle  ;  and  Gov.  Sessions 
told  it  to  me.  I  asked  if  Pitcairn  saw  the  Flash  over  the  stone 
wall  before  or  after  the  firing  began  ?  it  was  replied,  before. 
By  other  Eye  Witnesses  it  was  declared  that  upon  the  Order  to 
disperse,  "  the  Troops  huzzad  &  immed^'  one  or  2  Officers  discharged 
their  Pistols,  which  were  instant^  folloivd  by  the  firing  of  ^  or  ^  of  the 
soldiers,  &  then  there  seemed  to  be  a  general  Discharge  from  the 
whole  Body."  This  I  suppose  the  true  Account:  and  that  the 
Guns  which  he  heard  behind  his  Back  as  he  turned  to  give  Orders, 
were  those  of  2  Officers  &  4  or  5  Soldiers,  who  fired  without  proper 
Orders  if  Major  Pitcairn  did  not  give  the  Word  fire,  tho'  the  Word 
was  given  by  somebod}-  in  the  designed  &  contrived  Confusion.  It 
was  doubtless  perceived  that  Pitcairn  did  not  design  any  Fireing  as 
think^  a  Dispersion  could  be  effected  without  it  :  but  the  Soldiery 
and  young  Officers  wanted  to  have  at  the  dannied  Dogs,  &  in  their 
Impetuosity  burst  out  into  Firing  &  continued  it  contrary  to  the 
Command  of  Pitcairn.  I  cannot  ace"  for  all  Circumstances  without 
supposing  that  Pitcairn' s  horse  was  designedly  wounded  if  wounded 
at  all  in  this  quick  &  sudden  Confusion  by  his  own  Men.  There 
are  sworn  Testimonies  both  of  our  pple   &   the  regular  prisoners 


6o6 


DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 


which  Averc  in  the  Action,  that  tlic  Kings  Troops  committed  the  first 
Fii-e.  And  yet  Major  Pitcairn's  Testimon}-  is  a  very  great  Justified 
of  Gen.  Gage,  tho'  an  Enemy,  in  represent*''  the  reverse.  The  under 
Officers  &  soldiers  knew  the  Firing  must  be  so  conducted  that  the 
Command^'  Officer  (Major  Pitcairn)  should  be  clear  by  not  knowing 
the  Truth. 

Return  of  the  Commission,  Noncommsd.  Officers,  Rank  &  File 
Killed  wounded  &  taken  Prisoners,  on  the  19'''  of  April  1775,  in 
the  Civil  War  commenced  in  Support  of  the  Usurp''   of  Parliament. 


"4"'  or  Kings  own  Reg' — L'  Knight  killed  ;  L,*^  Gould  wounded  &  Prisoner  ;  3 
Serjeants,  i  Drummer  wounded  ;  seven  Rank  &  file  killed,  Twenty 
one  Wounded,  Eiglit  missing. 
L'  Tho"  Baker,  L*  W"'  Cox,  L*  Tho'  Hawkshaw,  wounded  ;  five  Rank 

6  file  killed,  fifteen  wounded,  one  missing. 
L'   Col°   Francis   Smith,    Cap'   Dawrence   Parsons,   L'  Wald.  Kelly, 

killed  ;  Ensign  Jer.  Lester  wounded  ;  one  R  &  f.  killed  thirteen 
wounded,  one  missing. 

One  R.  &  F.  killed,  four  wounded,  one  missing. 

L'  Col"  Berry  Bernard  wounded;  four  R.  &  F.  killed  Twenty  six 
wounded  ;  six  missing. 

L'  Wm  Southerld  wounded  ;  one  Serjeant  wounded  ;  four  Rank  & 
File  killed  ;  Eleven  wounded. 

L'  Hull  W.  &  prisoner  4  R  &  F.  killed  5  W.  2  Miss^. 

L'  Donald  M'Leod,  Ens.  Henry  Baldwin,  wounded  ;  one  Serjeant 
wounded  ;  five  R.  &  F.  killed  ;  twenty  one  wounded. 

One  Serjeant  missing  ;  three  R.  &  F.  killed  ;  two  wounded. 

three  R  &  F.  killed  :  three  wounded. 

Cap*  Souter,  second  L'  M'^^^Donald  wounded ;  1^  L'  Isaac  Potter  miss- 
ing :  one  Serjeant  killed,  two  wounded,  one  missing  :  i  Drummer 
killed;  twenty  five  Rank  &  File  killed,  thirty  six  wounded,  five 
missing. 

I  Lieutenant  killed.  2  L'  Colonels  wounded  ;  2  Captains  wounded  9 
Lieut"  wounded,  i  L'  missing.    2.  Ensigns  wounded,    i  Serj' killed, 

7  wounded,  2  missing  ;  i  Drummer  killed,  i  wounded  ;  62  Rank  & 
File  killed,  157  wounded,  24  miss*?. 

X  B.   Lieutenant  Isaac  Potter  reported  to  be  wounded  and  taken  Prisoner. 

Thomas  Gage." 


5'"  Regt 
10"'  Reg' 

18"'  Reg' 
23''   Reg* 

SS""  Reg' 

43 

47"'  Reg' 

52'i  Reg' 
59'h  Reg' 
Marines. 


Total. 


The  summing  up  is  inaccurate.  One  L*  Colonel  was  killed  :  two 
L^  CoP  not  wounded,  only  one  w^oiuided.  Omitted  one  Captain 
killed  &  two  Lieut'  killed.  But  I  can't  make  the  Footing  agree. 
The  Rank  &  file  killed  I  make  but  58  &  wounded  about  125.  In 
.short  there  is  such  Confusion  in  the  Return  that  I  know  not  what 
to  make  of  it. 


AUGUST   23-25,    1775 


607 


Gen.  Gages  Return  of  Bitnker  liii.i.  Junk  17.  Battle 


Officers  to  fifers 


Privates 


Roy.  Reg'  Art^. 

4"'  of  Foot. 

5th  «       « 

10  " 

18  "  " 

22  "  " 

23  "  " 
35  "  " 
38  "  " 
43  "  " 
47  "  " 
52  "  " 
59  "  " 
63  "  " 
65  "  " 

i»'  Batt.  Marines 

2d   D" 

Officers  attends  on  Gen.  Howe 


w. 
4 

7 
22 


I  dead. 


dead 


I 

I 

8 

18 

14 

II. 

10.  2  dead 

14.  I  dead 

I 

5 

7 

7 

4 
10 

152 


I  dead 


K. 
O. 

13- 
22. 

5- 
3- 

II. 
9 

23 

20. 

15. 

20. 

6. 

7- 
8. 

15- 
5 

182 


29 

116 

39 

7 

35 
41 
69 

77 
47 
73 
25 
25 
25 
55 
29 


600 


Yet  he  makes  Officers  killed  35  Priv.  d"  191=226  Tot.  killed. 

23.  Conversing  with  a  learned  Jew  lately  come  Town,  who  saj's 
last  year  there  was  a  Report  at  N  York  of  the  discovery  of  the  X 
Tribes  among  the  Tartars. 

24.  This  day  I  conversed  with  young  M'  Vassal  who  came  out  of 
B*^  a  fortnight  ago.  He  estimated  the  lyoss  of  the  Regulars  at  Bun- 
kers hill  about  4  or  500  Killed  &  wounded,  &  judged  the  killed 
under  200,  perhaps,  he  said,  180.  What  different  Representations? 
Another  Tory  told  me  to  day,  Things  had  been  all  along  very  quiet 
at  N  York,  no  Tumults  «&c.  except  a  Trifle  abot  Lex.  affair. 

25.  This  da}'  Mary  is  set.  8.  She  is  my  youngest  Child  living. 
There  are  sundry  Occurrences  &  Transactions  in  different  parts  of 
the  Colonies  which,  by  the  holy  Providence  of  Gd.  croud  in  such 
rapid  Succession,  that  I  cannot  record  all  of  them  :  &  some  I  find  I 
enter  repeatedly.  A  Ship  with  Clothing  for  fifteen  hundred 
Soldiers  bound  from  Engld  to  Gen.  Gage  at  Boston,  is  arrived  at 
Philad""  where  the  Bales  of  Clothing  are  secured  for  the  Use  of  the 
Provincial  Army  :  &  some  Officers  taken  &  secured  on  their  Parole 
of  Honor  not  to  act  against  the  Colonies  for  one  year.  About  60  or 
80  Regulars  are  arrived  from  Georgia  to  Virginia  for  the  Protection 


6oS  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STiLEvS 

of  Gov.  JA  Diinmore  : — the  Provincial  Convention  are  sitting  in 
Virginia  &  are  resolved  to  defend  the  Palace  against  Ld  Dunmore. 
The  Committee  of  Safety  in  N°  CaroP  have  issued  an  address  to  the 
public,  purporting  that  Gov.  Martin  is  their  Enemj'-  &  intends 
erecting  the  Kings  Standard  there  ;  &  exorting  all  to  take  no  Notice 
of  it  nor  ha\-e  an}-  Correspondence  with  Gov.  Martin.  The  pple 
have  seized  the  Fort  at  Wilmington  in  N"  Car"  &  demolished  it  &c. 
The  King  has  empowered  Martin  to  pardon  all  the  Regtdators  ex- 
cept Hermand  Husbands — this  is  a  good  Sign.  Our  Ships  have 
been  cruising  up  the  Bay  this  Week  &  took  the  stock  off  of  Hog 
Isld  near  Bristol — the  ships  anchored  in  Bristol  Harbor. 

26.  This  Week  Cap'  Walter  Chaloner  &  Col.  Cole'  of  this  T° 
were  seized  at  Portsm°  as  Tories  &  Enemies  to  Libert}^ — they  are 
insulting  &  atrocious  Offenders.  A  number  of  resolute  Portsm° 
Men  took  them  under  Dealing — and  would  have  carried  them  off  to 
Providence  &  the  Army — but  they  tamed  them  &  brot  them  to  a 
humble  Confession,  Renunciation  of  Toryism  &  Promises — &  so 
dismissed  them.  M''  Jn"  Banister  went  to  the  Camp,  &  at  Prospect 
Hill  he  was  seized  as  a  Tory,  at  the  Instance  of  Cap*-  Topliam  of 
Newport,  who  requested  Gen.  I^ee  to  retain  M^'  Banister  as  a 
Hostage  till  Cap*  Wallace  of  the  Rose  Man  o'  War  should  deliver 
up  Cap'  Topham's  Negro.  There  are  Spies  in  our  Camp.  The 
Enem}-  gained  Inform^  of  a  secret  Expedition  on  which  Gen. 
Washington  was  dispatch'^  the  Marblehead  Regiment  last  week  ;  & 
Gage  sent  Succours  to  Halifax  immediately'. 

27.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Ps  xlii,  11.  P.M.  on  Gal.  iii, 
13,  14.  and  baptized  Francis  Dana"  Son  of  William  Channing 
Esq 

28.  The  Gen.  Assembly  have  ordered  the  Cattle  &  Sheep  to  be 
removed  off  Block  Isld  &  Conanicott.  Cap*  Wallace  of  the  Rose 
Man  o'  War  sent  a  Letter  to  day  to  Gov'  Wanton  (not  now  in 
office)  desiring  him  to  lay  it  before  the  T"  Council  to  know  if  the  T" 
approved  of  the  rebellious  Acts  of  the  Assembly,  &  demand^  that 
they  renounce  it. 

29.  The  annual  T"  Meeting  being  this  Day  for  the  Choice  of 
Deputies,    Wallace's   Letter  was  laid  before  them  but  they  would 

'  For  Walter  Chaloner,  see  Mason's  Annals  of  Trinity  Church,  Nezvport,  i, 
78.  For  Edward  Cole  see  do.,  97  :  son  of  the  Hon.  John  and  Mary  (Updike) 
Cole,  of  Providence. 

'Harvard  College  1794;  a  lawyer  in  Boston  ;  died  i8io- 


AUGUST    26-30,    1775  609 

have  nothing  to  say  to  it.  The  T"  appointed  a  Committee  to  dranglit 
and  prefer  an  Address  of  this  T"  to  the  Continental  Congress  to  be 
advised  how  to  act  in  this  momentons  Exigency  especially  if  the  T" 
should  be  fired  on  by  the  Men  o'  War. 

This  forenoon  a  Vessel  arrived  from  N  York,  &  brot  account  that 
the  Asia  Man  o'  War  on  that  Station  had  fired  upon  that  City  last 
Wednesday  night.  The  Occasion  of  it  was  this.  The  Provincial 
Congress  there  had  ordered  the  Canon  on  Carriages  at  the  Fortifica- 
tion to  be  removed.  The  secret  was  communicated  to  the  Man  of 
War  ;  which  thereupon  ordered  2  Barges  to  lye  off  the  Fortific'' 
neare  eno'  to  inspect  what  was  done.  They  did  so  ;  &  one  of  them 
about  Midnight  informed  the  Man  o'  War  that  a  Militia  Comp''  was 
privately  under  arms  &  removing  the  Canon,  He  sent  the  Barge 
back,  &  both  drew  near.  At  length  they  fired  from  the  Barges. 
Upon  which  the  Militia  fired  on  the  Barges  and  killed  one  Man  & 
wounded  others.  Upon  this  some  Guns  were  fired  from  the  Man  o' 
War  a  74  Gun  ship,  and  at  length  she  discharged  a  whole  Broadside 
upon  the  Cit3\  But  providentially  did  kill  none,  only  wounded  two 
persons.  The  Militia  proceeded  &  removed  all  the  Canon  as 
ordered.  The  City  was  thrown  into  the  greatest  Constern''  & 
Destress.  And  next  day  Multitudes  of  Women  &  Children  were 
removed.  The  Cap^  of  the  ship  sent  a  Letter  to  the  City  alledging 
the  Reasons  of  his  firing  viz,  remov"  the  Kings  Canon  &  killing  one 
of  his  Men.  The  Mayor  replied  the  Barges  fired  first.  The  Captain 
replied  it  was  a  signal  Gun. 

This  day  I  rec''  a  Letter  of  23''  Ins*^  from  D""  Zubly  now  at  N 
York,  one  of  the  Continental  Congress.  M"  Grant  arrived  at  N 
York  the  begin^  last  Week  in  9  Weeks  from  London  in  a  Packet. 
London  News  to  25  June.     The  Ministry  fixt  &  determined. 

There  are  about  six  or  7  Thousd  Provincials  assembled  at  Ticon- 
deroga  &  Crownp'  under  Gen.  Schuyler  marching  for  Canada. 
Gen.  Carleton  the  Roman  Catholic  Gov""  of  Quebec  has  collected 
all  his  Regular  Forces  about  700  at  M^  Royal  &  S'  Johns. 

30.  The  Rh.  Isld  Assembly  which  sat  at  Providence  last  Week, 
were  in  profound  Secrecy.  Gov.  Ward  one  of  the  Continental 
Congress  laid  before  the  Assembly  some  of  the  Schemes  conceiving 
in  the  Congress.  There  are  in  America  secret  Negotiations  for 
foreign  powers,  which  have  actually  offered  their  Assistance  to  the 
Americans.  And  if  the  Congress's  Petition  to  the  King  shall  prove 
without  Effect,  &  the  ParP  determine  to  prosecute  the  War,  the 
39 


6lO  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Congress  have  in  Contemplation,  bj'  public  Proclamation  to  throw- 
open  their  Trade  to  all  the  World  :  perhaps  also  to  enter  into  Alli- 
ance with  the  States  of  Holland. 

About  IV'  this  Afternoon  many  Persons  heard  the  Firing  of 
Canon  at  a  Distance  as  the}^  were  standing  on  the  Wharves  in  this 
Town.  One  Man  said  he  counted  above  fifty.  It  is  a  heavy  thick 
Air,  has  rained  much  to  day,  &  not  5^et  cleared  off,  but  seems  in 
the  midst  of  an  August  Storm.  Tw^o  of  our  Men  o'War  went  out 
yesterda}^  for  Block  Island. 

31.  The  firing  yesterday  was  by  the  infamous  Cap*^  Wallace  of 
the  Rose  Man  o'War,  who  chased  a  Vessel  into  Stonington  Har- 
bour, where  are  about  60  or  70  Dwellinghouses  somewhat  compact. 
The  inhuman  Wretch  fired  on  this  defenceless  Place. 

September. 

I.  This  Aft.  Sacr*'   Lecture.     I  preached  on   2  Cor.   xiii,  4,  5. 

B}^   two   men    from    Stonington  we    learn,    that    Cap' 

Wallace  chased  a  Vessel  in  there — that  the  Cutters  pursuing  three 
Boats  in  there,  a  Man  stand'^  on  L,and  called  to  the  Boats  &  directed 
them.  Upon  which  the  Cutters  told  them  they  would  fire  on  the 
T"  if  the  pple  directed  the  Boats.  At  length  the  Cutters  fired  two 
Rounds  on  the  Boats — &  then  came  up  &  fired  with  Swivels  & 
small  Arms  on  the  Town.  The  People  then  sent  out  a  flag  of 
Truce — &  Wallace  fired  on  them  &  they  returned.  Then  Wallace 
drew  up  &  fired  away  on  the  Houses.  The  pple  returned  the  fire 
on  the  Cutters  who  were  getting  awaj^  some  Vessels.  Upon  this 
they  had  a  Parly  &  ceased  firing.  But  the  Man  o'  Wars  Men  pro- 
ceed^ to  get  out  &  carrying  off  4  Vessels  from  the  Wharves,  the 
pple  told  them  they  would  defend  them.  Then  the  fire  on  both 
sides  was  resumed.  And  Wallace  fired  on  the  Houses  from  IX 
o'clock  Morn^  till  One  &  ceased  for  Dinner.  After  which  he  be- 
gun again  &  fired  till  near  Night.  Greatly  damaged  the  Houses. 
But  a  merciful  Providence  prevented  the  Loss  of  any  Lives  on  our 
side  &  only  one  wounded.  Wallace  then  drew  off  &  anchored 
under  Fishers  Isld 

2.  Reading  D'  Zubly's  Exercitatio  Theologica  de  Nuptiis 
Virginis  superadultae  i  Cor.  vii,  36,  pro  oblato  sibi  Gradu  Doctora- 
tus  in  Facultate  Theologica. 

3.  Ldsday  A  M.  I  preached  on  Heb.  i,  1-3,  and  administered 
the  Lds  supper  to  30  Communicants,  it  being  a  very  rainy  da}'  & 


AUGUST   3 1 -SEPTEMBER    II,    17  75  6 II 

many  removed  out  of  Town.  P.M.  Rom.  viii,  32.  I  had  uoi  al>ove 
half  or  ^i  my  usual  Conj^regation.  Wallace'.s  canonading  vSton- 
ington  has  thrown  this  Town  into  great  Consternation,  &  Numbers 
are  removing.  A  Day  of  Destress  !  The  good  Lord  direct  all  our 
Ways  &  protect  us.  I  am  not  apprehensive  of  Wallace's  canonad- 
Newport,  but  of  Famine  ;  for  he  stops  Ferry  boats  &  Wood  boats 
— &  the  Country  talk  of  withold*-'  Provisions— &  the  Tories  expect 
a  body  of  sick  soldiers  from  B"  &  some  effective  to  garri.son  the 
Town  ;  in  which  Case,  the  Country  will  stop  Provisions,  &  we 
shall  be  in  danger  of  being  held  in  Durance  as  Boston  ;  for  i.  The 
Regulars  with  all  their  Courage  dread  to  be  without  some  of  our 
Americans  &  their  Property  to  protect  them,  for  they  know  we  will 
not  readily  fire  on  them.  2.  They  intend  to  make  us  fetch  them 
in  vSupplies  of  Provisions.  Strangers  are  risen  up  against  us  & 
oppressors  seek  after  our  souls.  Ps.  liv,  3. 
4.   Going  on  a  Journey  to  the  Camp. 

ID.   lydsdy   AM.       I  preached  on   i   Chron.  xvi,  18-22.       P  M. 
Isai.  Ixii,  i.     And  notified  Catechising  to  morrow  at  V''  P.M. 

II.  At  V  P.M.  Catechised  48  Children.  Last  Monday  I  set  out 
for  the  Camp  &  arrived  there  on  Wednesday  6"'  Ins'.  I  dined  that 
day  at  Watertown  with  President  Langdon  who  told  me  the  Cor- 
poration had  that  day  met  there  &  voted  that  the  Students  should 
be  called  together  &  academic  Exercises  be  set  up  at  Concord. 
Here  I  saw  my  Uncle  Eldad  Taylor  Esq  one  of  the  new  Elected 
Councillors.  After  Dinner  I  rode  to  Head  Quarters  at  Cambridge 
— visited  General  Putnam,  took  a  cursory  View  of  the  Encamp- 
ments &  lodged  at  Rev"  M''  Turells  get.  72  of  Medford  so  as  to  be 
without  the  Camp.  Next  Morn*''  Rev  M'  McLintock  Chaplain  of 
N  Hamp.  Forces  introduced  me  to  Gen.  Sullivan  and  carried  me 
thro'  the  Encamp''*  on  Winter  Hill,  Prospect  Hill,  &  on  the  H.  of 
Cambridge  ;  that  is  the  Encampm'  of  the  Left  Wing,  &  Center  of 
the  Army.  The  Works  are  astonishing  !  The  lines  are  done  with 
a  sufficient  Degree  of  Elegance,  but  their  Strength  &  the  Quantity 
of  Line  &  Fortific''  are  amazing,  considered  as  the  Work  of  one 
Summer  only.  The  whole  Army  is  in  3  Divisions  of  two  Brigades 
each.  A  Brigade  is  6  Reg'**  of  10  Companies  each  ;  &  each  Corap" 
60  Men.  So  a  Brigade  3600  if  full — &l  a  Division  about  7000  : 
The  3  Divisions  are  22,000.  There  are  some  Boys  &  others  worth- 
less Fellows — but  these  with  the  sick  &  unfit  for  duty,  &  Ab.sentees 
on  Furloughs  were  estimated  to  me  far  short  of  one  Quarter  of  the 


6l2 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


Army.  The  Men-Bo3's  are  equal  to  Men  in  general  for  Duty 
especially  in  an  Engagement.  The  rest  of  the  Army  were  robust 
hardy  brave  Men,  the  flower  of  N  Engld.  So  that  they  told 
me  it  might  be  relied  upon  that  they  had  sixteen  Thousd  healthy, 
rugged,  courageous  invincible  Troops  fit  for  Action  &  Enterprize. 


^^ 

■^-T-^.   ■• 

>^/»/»>  . 

■-! L_ 

— •  ,  ' 

A        K 

AAA         A/V* 

^             A 

A. 

A/i^ 

AA/AA 

A/NA 

AAA 

[Copy  of  Sketch  of  tlie  Camp  by  Dr.  Stiles.] 

These  are  enough.  The  Arrangement  is — the  right  Wing  at  Rox- 
bury  and  Dorchester  2  Brigades  7000 — the  Eeft  Wing  at  Prospect 
Winter  &  Plow'd  Hills  7000 — the  Center  at  Cambridge  7000.  The 
Generals  command  thus  : 


Rt.  Wing 
Roxby, 
Major  Gen.  Ward 
B.  Gen.  Thomas 
B.  Gen.  Spencer 


Center 
His  Excell>'  Gen.  Washington 
Major  Gen.  Putnam 
B.  Gen.  Heath. 


Left  Wing 

3  Hills 

Major  Gen.  Lee. 

B.  Gen,  Sullivan. 

B.  Gen.  Green 


SEPTEMBER   II,    1775  613 

The  Tents  begin  on  Winter  hill  about  i}{  Mile  from  Mystic 
Bridge  &  so  extend  all  along  round  to  the  mouth  of  Cambridge 
River.  I  began  the  Inspection  upon  Winter  Hill.  Here  is  the 
largest  Fortress  in  the  Army— one  Side  of  it  is  above  one  hundred 
Rods.  In  a  Vally  between  Winter  tS::  Prospect  Hills  is  Gen.  Lees 
House  :  we  went  to  it,  but  he  was  gon  upon  Plow'd  Hill,  so  I  missed 
seeing  him.  Then  we  proceeded  to  Prospect  Hill,  went  into 
Major  Sherburn's  Marquiss  Tent.  The  Major  was  appointed  to 
Duty  &  Col.  Hitchcock  was  so  obliging  as  to  carry  me  thro'  the 
Lines.  The  Works  are  of  astonishing  Strength.  Thence  we  pro- 
ceeded &  viewed  the  Encampm'^  of  the  Central  Division  at  Cam- 
bridge and  dined  at  Gen.  Putnams.  In  the  Afternoon  M'  Leonard 
carried  me  to  Col.  Trumbulls  who  provides  for  the  Army,  there  I 
saw  Rev  M""  Blair  (formerly  Pastor  of  the  Old  S.  in  B")  now  Chap- 
lain to  the  Rifle  Men,  800.  Then  w^e  waited  upon  his  Excellency 
General  Washington,  who  received  us  very  politely  &  invited  me 
to, dinner.  I  was  also  introduced  to  Gen.  Heath  &  Adjutant  Gen. 
Gates  a  martial  Man.  After  visiting  College  now  converted  into 
Barracks,  we  went  to  the  Meetinghouse  at  VI  o'clock.  Here  I 
prayed  with  the  Central  Brigade.  And  lodged  at  Gen.  Putnam's 
with  M*"  Leonard  ;  spent  the  Eveng.  in  Company  with  the  General, 
and  Gen.  Washingtons  Aid  de  Camp  M""  Randolph  &  sundry  other 
Gentlemen  very  agreeably. 

In  the  Morning  of  8*"^  Ins'.  I  rode  over  to  Roxbury  &  passed 
Major  Gen.  Wards  House  before  I  knew  it.  I  breakfasted  at  Gen. 
Spencers.  Then  Rev  M'^  Johnson  &  Rev''  M''  Boardman  two  of  the 
Connecticut  Chaplains,  walked  with  me  &  shewed  me  all  the  Lines 
in  the  3''  Division  or  Right  Wing  under  the  Command  of  Gen. 
Ward.  Thej^  introduced  me  to  Gen.  Thomas  also,  where  we  sat  & 
conversed  some  Time  very  agreeabl}^  Then  about  XI  o' Clock  I 
took  leave  &  set  out  for  home.  I  left  Jamaica  about  Noon — and 
lodged  at  Maxys  in  Attleboro'  or  Wrentham.  Saturday  9"'  Ins'  I 
dined  at  Mr.  Burts  and  arrived  at  Newport. 

The  Generals  of  the  two  Armies  Sept.  8,  1775. 

american  army  30,000. 

His  Excellency  General  Washington  ^150  L.  M.  per  Month 

f  Ward 

Hon.  Major  Gen.      j   j^^^'„^^  [  /75.  each 

[^  Schuyler  J      ,  .  .  Crownpoint 


6 14  DIARY   OF   EZRA   STILES 

r 


Brigadier  Gen. 


Thomas  -i 

Montgomery         I 

Wooster  Crownp'. 

Heath  [  X.  York     ;^37.io.o     Each 

Spencer 


I  Sullivan 
I  Green 

MINISTERIAL  ARMY  IX   BOSTON   9000. 
Gen.  Gage  [Returned  to  Engld  Oct  1775] 

Gen.  Robinson 
Gen.  Clinton 
Gen.  Howe 
Gen.  Burgoyne 
Gen.  Grant 
Gen.  Ld.  Piercy 
Gen.  Pigot^ 

'  Further  details  of  this  journey  are  given  in  Dr.  Stiles's  Itineran,-,  as 
follows  : — 

Sep.  4.  Set  out  for  the  Army.  Ferry  6)4'^.  4'^.  Lodged  at  Rev.  Mr.  Town- 
sends,  Barrington. 

5.  Dined  INIaxels,  i/.  Man's — Oats,  &c.  4'^.  Lodged  at  Mr.  Prentiss's, 
Medfield.     Visited  Dr.  Chaunc}-. 

6.  Rode  %nth  Re^^.  Mr.  Adams  to  Watert",  Dined  1/6.  Visited  Uncle 
Eldad  Taylor.  Rode  to  Cambridge.  Visited  Professor  Sewall  &  Gen'  Putnam. 
Rode  thro'  the  Encampt^  at  Prospect  &  Winter  Hill.  Lodged  Rev.  IVIr. 
Turell's  at  INIedford.     Horse,  S^.     Barber's,  5  coppers. 

7.  Spent  the  Forenoon  in  View?  the  Lines  on  Winter  Sc  Prospect  Hills, 
where  are  encamped  the  X.  Hamp.  &  Rh.  Isl'd.  Troops  with  some  others  in 
2  Brigades.  ...  At  Xoon  was  on  Prospect  Hill,  where  the  Works  are  vast  & 
strong  ;  tho'  really  the  most  extensive  Fort  &  Lines  is  at  Winter  Hill.  Then 
went  to  the  central  Encamp'  at  Goffs  farm.  This  is  low.  .  .  P.M.  Visited  his 
Excelly  Gen.  Washington  .   .  Gen.  W.  is  the  Delight  of  the  Army. 

At  VI  o'clock  the  whole  central  Brigade's  effective  men  off  of  Duty  met  in 
Dr.  Appleton's  Meetinghouse  &  at  the  earnest  Request  of  ReV^.  Mr.  Leonard 
their  Chaplain,  I  prayed  with  them.  .  .  This  day  Mr.  Randolph  told  me  he 
was  sent  a  Flag  to  the  Lines  at  Roxbury,  where  the  Regulars  came  to  him — 
told  him  a  ship  arrived  fr.  Loud,  bringing  Lond.  news  to  nth  July,  but  noth- 
ing only  that  the  King  &  Ministry'  were  willing  to  listen  to  proposals. 

Gen.  Wash,  is  send?  off  1500  men  to  Kenebec  &  so  across  to  Quebec  to  take 
it  :  they  are  to  go  next  Ldsdy.     It  makes  too  much  noise.     .  .   . 

There  is  sickness,  but  abating — not  a  quarter  absent  &  sick,  so  above  15 
Thous"'  effective  men,   besides  a  Reg'  at  We\-mouth  &c. — The  Regulars  are 

6000  in  all,  inclusive  sick  &c.    Mr a  Tory  penitent  came  out  yesterday 

tells  me  thus,  &  not  above  5000  effective  Men.  Our  people  wish  them  to  come 
out.     I  lodged  in  Cambridge  at  Gen.  Putnam's. 

S.  Rode  to  Roxb>  and  breakfasted  at  Gen.  Spencer's  with  Rev"^  Mr.  Johnson 
&  Rev.  !Mr.  Boardman.  .  .  .  There  are  2  Brigades  or  7000  men  there  strongly 


SEPTEMBER    12-15,    1775  615 

12.  M''  Grant  arrived  here  fr.  IvOndon. 

13.  Dined  with  M"  Grant  who  left  London  abont  5"'  June.  By 
her  I  find  the  IvCxington  News  made  ten  Times  the  Impression  in 
London  that  we  had  imagined.  Even  the  ministerialists  who  were 
still  for  enforcing  Measures,  freely  said  "We  have  gone  too  far." 
She  dined  with  Gov.  Hutchinson  the  day  he  received  the  News. 
He  affected  to  throw  it  off,  but  was  dejected. — Chh  M"  Meef-'  at 
Sister  Channing's.     I  preached  upon  Rom.  v,  21. 

14.  I  baptized  Mrs.  Robinson  on  a  sick  bed. 

15.  About  29  Aug.  Gen.  Montgomery  set  off  from  Crownp'  & 
Ticonderoga  with  1200  Men  for  Canada  to  attack  Gov.  Carleton 
•encampt  with  500  at  St.  Johns.  He  is  soon  to  be  followed  by 
Gen.  Schyler  with  800  more.  And  on  13"'  Ins*^  or  Wedn>'  last 
marched  from  Cambridge  12  or  1300  to  proceed  across  Land  to 
surprize  &  take  Quebec.  This  Enterprize  into  Canada  is  in  Conse- 
quence of  an  Application  &  Request  of  the  Canadians  themselves. 

The  2''  Ins'  Rev.  Mathew  Bridge  Pastor  of  Framingham  died  aet. 
55.  cir,  Min.  30  cir.     A  Worthy  Minister. 

Aug.  20,  1775,  died  at  Hartford  the  Rev''  Joseph  Howe  late  Pas- 
tor of  the  New  S'"  Chh  in  Boston.  "  The  righteous  Disposer  of 
Events  was  pleased  to  remove  him  from  the  Labours  of  the  present 
Life,  soon  after  he  had  engaged  the  public  Eye,  &  given  the  World 
Reason  to  expect  much  from  his  eminent  Abilities,  his  great  Attain- 
ments in  Literature,  &  the  uncommon  Goodness  of  his  Heart. — His 
Chh  now  scattered  abroad  b}'  an  Exertion  of  Lawless  Power,  are 
overwhelmed  with  Sorrow. — He  was  blessed  with  a  most  amiable 
Disposition  ;  He  loved  his  God,  and  by  a  devout  Attend^'  on  the 
Duties  of  his  Oflfice,  adorned  the  Doctrines  of  our  holy  Religion.  He 
loved  his  Country  and  was  deeply  affected  with  the  common  Destresses 
which  have  been  bro't  upon  these  Amer.  Colonies  by  an  unrighteous 

entrenched.  At  the  Center  in  Cambridge  is  a  Corps  de  Reserve  to  be  led  forth 
by  Putnam.  At  Roxb'y,  1/2.  At  XI  A.M.  set  off  for  Newp't.  Dined  at 
Dedham,  1/6. 

The  Mass.  Troops  are  supplied  with  Chaplains  by  Rotation,  the  Ministers  at 
Convention  voluntarily  offering  themselves.  But  it  don't  answer.  Connecticut 
Troops  have  4  Chaplains  in  Colony  pay,  viz.  Johnson,  EUis,  Boardman  & 
Leonard.  Hampshire  have  Messrs.  M-^Clintoc  &  Pabody.  Rh.  Isl'd.,  Martin 
— Murray  abs't.     Mass.  I  found  only  Mr.  Foster. 

Gated  at  Man's,  Wrentham,  6"^..  Lodged  at  Maxes,    ic'. 

9.  Breakfasted  at  Dagget's  i/.  Kelly's  ferry,  2''.  Bristol  ferry  &  oats  lo-i. 
Arrived  at  Newport. 


6l6  DIARY   OF    EZRA    STILES 

&  cruel  Administration.  As  a  Preacher  M''  Howe  was  one  of  the 
most  useful  and  entertaining  ;  his  Discourses  were  admirably  suited 
to  enlighten  the  Mind  &  warm  the  Heart.  While  he  was  ready  to 
contend  for  the  Faith  once  delivered  to  the  Saints,  &  show  abecom= 
Zeal  for  the  peculiar  Doctrines  of  the  Gospel,  he  embraced  all  good 
Men,  without  enquir^  with  scrupulous  Exactness  into  the  Minutiae 
of  their  Creed." — He  was  born  at  Killingly  in  Connecticutt  1747. 
He  was  educated  at  Yale  College  ;  &  after  his  first  Degree,  he  taught 
a  Grammar  School  in  Hartford.  He  delivered  a  beautiful  Valedic- 
tory Oration  at  Taking  his  second  Degree,  which  I  heard  with  great 
Pleasure  17  .  He  was  then  elected  a  Tutor  of  Yale  College,  & 
discharged  that  Office  with  Honor  ;  till  he  was  called  &  settled  in 
the  Min'"  in  Boston  about  1773. 

17.  lydsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Psal.  xxxvi,  7.  P.M.  Ps.  Ixxi, 
17,    18.     Propounded  David   Colvill    &  his  wife  for  entering  into 

Covenant.     Read'g.   Cotton  on  Ecclesiastes Read'g.  also 

Justin's  Trj'pho. 

18.  I  saw  this  day  a  Man  who  left  N.  York  last  Tuesdy,  &  says 
a  Ship  arrived  there  from  I^ondon.  It  is  said  that  M''  Penn  had  got 
to  Engld  with  the  Petition  to  the  King  from  the  Congress. 

This  Afternoon  I  set  out  on  a  Journey  to  Rochester  to  fetch  home 
m}'  daughter  Ruth  who  has  been  there  these  three  Months. 

22.  Returned  home  with  Ruth. 

23.  News  that  the  Army  across  E.  Champlain  had  reached  the 
Isle  of  Nuts.  15  Miles  from  S^  Jn"  &  landed  there  9"'  Sept — that  an 
advanced  party  of  perhaps  800  proceeded  to  within  i}4.  Mile  of  Gen. 
Carleton's  lincamp'  at  S'  Johns,  when  they  were  fired  upon  &  retired. 

24.  Edsdy.  A  M  I  preached  on  Ps.  xxxix,  5.  P.M.  James  iii. 
13.     Examining  the  first  Chapter  of  i  Peter  in  Syriac. 

25.  On  28^''  Aug^  Gen.  Montgomery  embarked  at  Crown  P'  [Ticon- 
deroga]  with  1200  Men  «&  4  twelve  pounders  for  S'  Johns.  Eanded 
on  the  9'"  of  Sept.  at  Isle  of  Nuts  15  M.  this  side  of  S'  Johns. 
Thence  a  Brigade  of  800  Men  were  sent  to  parade  themselves  within 
sight  of  the  Fortifications  at  S'  Joluis.  "  But  were  attacked  by  a 
number  of  Regulars  &  Indians  who  had  formed  an  Ambuscade  at 
the  distance  of  aliout  one  Mile  &  an  half  from  the  Fort.  Five  of  our 
Men  were  killed  on  the  Spot  the  first  shot  &  8  more  wounded  3  of 
which  are  since  dead.  Major  Hobbj'  &  one  Captain  are  among  the 
slain  or  wounded.  The  Enemy  were  soon  routed  &  forced  to  quit 
the  Ground   leaving  behind  them  six  of  their  dead  Indians."     We 


SEPTEMBER    17-26,    1775  617 

are  also  informed  that  Col.  Allen  with  400  Men  had  cut  off  all  Coni- 
munic''  between  S'  Jno^  &  Montreal. 

A  Letter  from  Ticonderoga  Aug.  25.  "  The  Number  of  Troops 
here  at  present  is  1700  Men  and  700  at  Crownpoint  about  14  M.  off. 
We  expect  this  da}-  four  Companies  &c. "  "  There  hath  been  a 
French  Gentleman  here  lately  from  Canada  who  has  put  our  Men  in 
great  spirits  by  assuring  us  that  the  greatest  part  of  the  Canadians 
would  joynus  upon  our  Arrival,  but  that  they  dare  not  make  them- 
selves knowni  to  be  our  Friends  till  we  are  landed  among  them.  The 
same  Gentleman,  who  is  a  person  of  great  Property,  &c."  Gen. 
Schuyler  sick  of  the  fever  &  ague. 

26.  Isaac  sick  with  the  Dysentery.  Letters  from  Ezra  at  College 
of  4"'  Ins'.      He  had  been  sick  of  the  Dysentery. 

In  CONGRESS. 
Monday  June  12,  1775. 

As  the  Great  GOVERNOR  of  the  WORIvD,  by  his  supreme  and  universal 
Providence,  not  only  conducts  the  Course  of  Nature  with  unerring  wisdom  & 
rectitude,  but  frequently  influences  the  Minds  of  Men  to  serve  the  wise  &  gra- 
cious Purposes  of  His  providential  Government ;  and  it  being,  at  all  times,  our 
indispensible  duty,  devoutly  to  acknowledge  his  superintending  Providence, 
especially  in  Times  of  impending  danger,  &  public  Calamity,  to  reverence  & 
adore  his  immutable  Justice,  as  well  as  to  implore  his  merciful  Interposition  for 
otir  deliverance. 

This  CONGRESS,  therefore,  considering  the  present  critical,  alarm-  &  calam- 
itous state  of  these  Colonies,  do  earnestly  recommend,  that  Thursday,  \h.Q  twen- 
tieth day  oi  July  nexth^  observed  by  the  Inhabitants  of  all  the  English  Colonies 
on  this  Continent,  as  a  day  of  public  HUMILIATION,  FASTING,  and 
PRAYER,  that  we  may,  with  united  hearts  &  voices,  unfeignedly  confess 
and  deplore  our  many  sins,  and  offer  up  our  jo3-nt  vSupplications  to  the  All-wise, 
Omnipotent  and  Merciful  Disposer  of  all  Events,  humbly  beseeching  Him,  to 
forgive  our  Iniquities,  to  remove  our  present  Calamities,  to  avert  those  desola- 
ting Judgments  with  which  we  are  threatened,  &  to  bless  our  rightful  vSovereign 
King  GEORGE  the  III'^.  and  inspire  him  with  wisdom  to  discern  and  pursue 

the  true  interest  of  all  his  subjects, that  a  speedy  end  may  be  put  to  the 

civil  discord  between  Great  Britain  and  the  American  Colonies,  without  further 

effusion  of  blood and  that  the  British  nation  may  be  influenced  to  regard 

the  things  that  belong  to  her  peace,  before  they  are  hid  from  her  eyes that 

these  colonies  may  be  ever  under  the  care  and  protection  of  a  kind  Providence, 
and  be  prospered  in  all  her  interests,— that  the  divine  blessing  may  descend  and 
rest  upon  all  our  civil  Rulers,  and  upon  the  Representatives  of  the  people  in 
their  several  Assemblies  and  Conventions,  that  they  may  be  directed  to  wise  and 
effectual  measures  for  preserving  the  Union  and  securing  the  just  Rights  and 
Privileges  of  the  Colonies,— that  virtue  and  true  religion  may  re\-ive  and  flour- 


6l8  DIARY   OF   EZRA   STILES 

ish  throughout  our  land, — and  that  America  may  soon  behold  a  gracious  inter- 
position of  Heaven  for  the  redress  of  her  many  grievances,  the  restoration  of 
her  invaded  Rights,  a  reconciliation  with  the  parent  State,  on  terms  constitu- 
tional and  honorable  to  both, — and  that  her  civil  and  religious  Privileges  may 
be  secured  to  the  latest  posterity.  And  it  is  recommended  to  Christians  of  all 
Denominations  to  assemble  for  public  Worship,  and  to  abstain  from  servile 
Labour  and  Recreations  on  said  day. 

By  order  of  the  Congress. 

JOHN  HANCOCK,   President." 
(A  true  Copy) 
"CHARLES  THOMPSON,  Secretary." 

This  Proclamation  was  sent  to  me  from  the  Congress.  I  read  it 
publickly  in  my  Congregation,  &  the  day  was  observed  with  an  un- 
exampled Solemnity.  Avocations  have  prevented  my  transcribing 
it  till  this  Time.  I  am  sorry  to  see  nothing  of  Christ  in  it.  Under 
the  Notion  of  an  unexceptionable  Thing  adapted  to  all  religious 
Sects,  the  Congress  carried  their  politeness  so  far,  as  to  repress  their 
Belief  of  the  Xtian  Religion,  &  come  too  near  being  ashamed  of 
Christ.  This  Proclam''  might  have  been  issued  by  a  Congress  of 
Deists.  Christians  indeed  may  come  under  the  shadow  of  its 
Wings — &  had  there  only  been  one  Paragraph  of  the  Gospel  & 
protestant  Zion,  it  had  been  complete  &  most  excellent. 

27 The  last  Week  in  Aug*  arrived  at  Philad''  three  Ves- 
sels from  Ireld  with  five  hundred  &  fifty  Passengers. 

28.  A  mucilagenous  Worm  took  the  Pare  Trees  in  my  Garden 
last  summer  &  eat  the  upper  surface  of  the  Leaves — so  that  the 
most  of  them  have  been  dropt  off  for  this  month.  Now  they  are 
shooting  out  again  as  in  Spring,  &  some  of  the  Leaves  of  the  second 
Growth  this  year  are  at  full  Bigness.  Blossum  Buds  are  on  both 
&  one  of  the  Trees  is  in  Bloom. 

29.  Mr.  Hopkins  returned  fr.  G.  Barrington. 

October. 

1.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Ps.  xi,  7.  P  M.  Zephan.  iii,  16, 
17.  Led  David  Colvill  &  his  Wife  to  own  the  Covenant,  and  bap- 
tized their  Infant  Daughter  Isabell 

2.  At  IV'"  P.M.  I  catechised  17  Boys  &  37  Girls  &  4  Negroes- 
all  59  Children.  M''  Rob'  Stevens  left  the  Camp  yesterday — he  tells 
me  that  D'  Church  is  under  Arrest,  ])eing  detected  in  a  suspicious 
Correspondence  with  the  Enemy.  Some  Weeks  since  he  sent  a 
Letter  privately  to  Newport  by   a  Woman   who  brought  it  in  her 


SEPTEMBER    27-OCTOBER    2,    1775  619 

Stocking  on  her  IvCg,  with  Orders  to  deliver  it  either  to  M'  Dudly 
the  Collector  or  &c  so  as  to  go  on  board  Cap'  Wallace  &  so  thro'  his 
hands  into  Boston.  She  was  a  Girl  of  Pleasure,  &  one  Wainwood' 
a  Baker  in  Newp'  had  known  her  in  Boston,  &  they  now  fell  into 
Comp''  together  in  Newport.  And  she  inquiring  how  she  might 
get  a  I^etter  on  board  Wallace,  he  offered  to  do  it.  She  confided  in 
him  &  told  him  who  it  came  from.     He  afterwards  suspect^'  &c 

opened  it.     The  Cover  was  directed  to  one  Major &  the  inside 

Letter  was  in  unknown  Character  &  directed  to  M""  Fleming  in  Boston 
a  scotch  Tory  who  a  few  years  ago  married  D""  Chh's  Sister.  Wain- 
wood  applied  to  School  Master  Maxwell  to  decypher  it.  He  could  not 
— but  I  remember  some  Weeks  ago  M''  Maxwell  ask  me  whether 
I  could  decypher  Characters — &  said  he  believed  there  would 
be  some  occasion  for  a  decypherer  to  detect  an  illicit  Correspond- 
ence in  the  Army.  The  Saturday  before  last  I  dined  with  M''  Max- 
well &  he  spake  more  of  the  matter  as  a  fact,  &  advised  with  me  as 
to  going  to  the  Army  with  the  Man  that  had  the  Letter.  I  desired 
him  first  to  let  me  have  a  Line  of  it — he  s"  he  would  persuade  him 
to  suffer  it.  Master  &  Wainwd  went  to  the  Army  last  Week  & 
opend  the  Matter  to  Gen.  Green  with  whom  Master  was  intimate. 
Thus  the  matter  came  before  Gen.  Washington.  The  Girl  was  first 
arrested,  she  denied  but  at  last  own'd  &  disclosed  the  whole.  Then 
D"'  Chh  was  arrested  &  bro't  under  Guard.  He  owned  the  Letter 
but  justified  his  Correspond,  with  his  Brother  &  alledged  that  he 
communicated  no  secrets  ;  but  did  not  decypher  his  Letter.  The 
Gen.  told  him,  that  had  he  wanted  to  get  a  Letter  into  B"  he  could 
have  sent  it  in  any  day,  &  that  sending  it  written  in  Character,  & 
round  Via  Newport  thro'  the  Hands  of  the  Enemy  was  very  sus- 
picious. D'  Church  is  ruined.'  There  were  three  patriotic  Doctors, 
Physicians— D'^  Warren,  D"'  Church  &c.  D''  Warren  died  a  General 
&  an  uncorrupted  Patriot ;  D""  Church  is  corrupted  ;  &  the  other  is 
affrighted  away.  Gen.  Wash,  had  constituted  Chh  Chief  Surgeon, 
&  given  him  the  Superintend^'  of  all  the  Medical  Affairs  of  the 
whole  Army  ;  &  made  him  one  of  his  most  intimate  Councillors,  so 
that  he  was  privy  to  all  the  Designs  of  the  Congress  &  Army.     On 

1  Godfrey  Wainwood,  a  cliurcliman  ;  he  died  in  Newport  in  October,  1816, 
aged  77  years. 

'  A  copy  of  Dr.  Chnrch's  letter  is  given  below,  under  October  23.  His  sister 
Elizabeth  married  John  Fleming,  printer  and  publisher,  of  Boston.  See,  also, 
this  Diary,  Jan.  28,  1777. 


620  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlT.ES 

Thursdy  28"'  ult  he  was  detected  i.e  it  was  disclosed  at  Head  Quar- 
ters ;  on  29'"  he  was  arrested  &  put  under  Guard.  In  Drapers 
Tory  Paper  printed  in  Boston  Sept.  21.  there  is  the  following  Para- 
graph repub.  in  the  Camb.  Thursdy  paper  of  28""  Sept. — "  We  hear 
a  certain  Person  of  Weight  among  the  Rebels,  hath  offered  to  return 
to  his  Allegiance  on  Condition  of  being  pardoned  &  provided  for. 
What  Encourag'  he  has  received  remains  a  secret." 

Three  great  American  Patriots  corrupted  !  The  Hon.  Daniel 
Dulany  Esq  of  Maryld  wrote  a  masterly  Piece  for  the  Colonists  in 
1765  which  made  up  AP'  Pitt's  Judgment : — He  came  forth  like  the 
brightness  of  the  Morning — but  his  lyight  soon  went  into  Eclipse 
and  his  Pen  &  Tongue  have  been  silent  these  seven  j^ears.  The 
author  of  the  famous  Farmers  Letters  Jn"  Dickinson  Esq  of  Philad=* 
now  in  the  Continental  Congress  is  suspected,  as  he  is  continually 
throwing  difficulties  in  the  Wa}^  &  embarrassing  Proceedings  :  be- 
sides that  the  Tories  have  given  out  for  several  Months  past  that 
he  is  bo't  over.  Whether  the  above  Passage  in  Drapers  Paper  refers 
to  him  or  Church  or  neither  is  a  secret.  D'  Chh  a  third.  M""  Gal- 
loway has  also  fallen  from  a  great  Height  into  Contempt  &  Infamy. 
But  he  never  was  intirely  confided  in  as  a  thoro'  Son  of  Liberty. 
[1776.  M''  Dickinson  recovered  and  is  now  a  General  in  our  Army 
at  N.  York.  Aug.  26.] 

3.  Mr.  Isaac  Mark  a  learned  Jew  gave  me  the  Picture  of  R. 
Menasseh  Ben  Israel  who  was  set.  38,  A.D  1642  :  a  xoxy  learned 
Hodiam  &  Philosopher,  &  in  great  Reputation  among  the  Christian 
Learned  in  Itah\  R.  Judah  Monis  the  Hebrew  Professor  at  Harv. 
Coll.  made  much  Use  of  his  Writings  &  taught  them  as  a  classical 
Book. 

This  Afternoon  I  went  to  Association  at  Saconet.  And  on 
Wednesday  I  preached  the  Lecture  on  Ephes.  i,  7.  The  next 
Association  to  be  at  my  house  the  4'"  Tuesdy.  in  May.  Returned 
to  Newport  on  Friday. 

On  Monda}^  E\^eng.  last,  the  Men  o'  War  being  drawn  down  to 
Brentons  Point  to  steal  Stock  to  carry  to  Boston,  two  or  300  Men 
(about  50  Armed)  went  down  into  the  Neck,  &  b}'  Ten  o' Clock 
drove  off  the  Stock,  near  a  hundred  Head  of  Cattle,  with  Sheep  «&c 
&  brought  them  up  the  Island.  Wallace  threatened  but  did  not  fire 
on  them.     The  Brentons'  Stock  was  refused — they  are  Tories. 

Wednesday  4'''  Ins*^  Brig.  Gen.  Esek  Hopkins  with  about  300 
[400]  Troops  marched  on  to  Rhode  Lsland  &  came  to  Newport.     Of 


I 


OCTOBKR    3,    1775  621 

these  150  were  raised  in  Little  Compton  &  Tiverton  in  nine  Hours. 
They  were  ordered  by  Dep.  Gov.  Cook  to  protect  the  vStock  on  this 
Island.  They  encamped  at  M''  Dudlys  M''  Banisters  &  M''  Irishs 
on  the  Hill  about  a  Mile  out  of  Town.  Then  marched  &  drew  u]) 
in  order  on  the  Parade.  Two  Tories  Ned  Cole  &  Ned  Thurston 
were  apprehended  &  bro't  before  the  General  in  the  Court  House, 
tho'  not  by  his  Order.  He  bro't  them  out  to  the  Head  of  the  IkU- 
talion,  &  declared  he  should  not  take  up  any  of  the  Inhabitants  of 
the  Town,  &  so  dismissed  them.  But  he  would  apprehend  all  the 
Men  o' Wars  Men  &  Foreigners  factors  bu3dng  Things  for  Gage: 
accord^  the  Doctor  of  the  Swati,  &.  a  man  detected  in  bringing 
round  Goods  from  Boston  &  selling  them  here,  &c  were  appre- 
hended, brot  before  the  General  &  sent  to  Providence.  The  Bren- 
ton  Stock  was  left  on  the  Point,  &  the  Men  o' War  &  Transports 
drawn  up  close  or  near — but  it  being  very  rainy  &  stormy  on  Thurs- 
day the  Men  o' War  had  not  took  off  the  Stock  tho'  they  had  set 
Marines  to  guard  it.  These  resolute  brave  Men  280  of  them  marclied 
down  into  the  neck  on  Thursdy  &  to  the  very  extremity  of  it  in 
the  sight  of  the  Men  o'War  &  very  near,  &  boldly  bro't  off  60  or  70 
Head  of  Cattle,  100  Sheep,  besides  Hogs,  Turkies  &c.  It  was 
expected  that  there  would  be  Firing  from  the  Ships  &  Landing 
Marines — but  the  Marines  ran  off — &  they  fired  only  two  swivels. 
Our  Forces  returned  to  Town,  &  the  Men  o'War  drew  up  close 
before  the  Town,  &  swore  in  great  Wrath  that  he  would  fire  upon 
the  Town  at  V"  P.  M.  But  he  did  not.  However  his  Threatngs 
threw  the  Town  into  a  general  Panic  and  the  Inhabitants  immedy 
went  to  remov^  their  Effects  with  Women  &  Children  out  of  Town. 
The  Removing  continued  all  Night,  all  Friday  &  Saturday  both 
day  &  night.  All  Friday  Wallace  continued  his  Menaces,  but 
fired  not.  On  Saturday  all  the  Ships  and  Transports  sailed  off  to 
the  northward  towards  Prudence  or  Bristol  Ferry  :  but  with  what 
view  is  unknown.  Additional  Reinforcem'''  came  in.  And  it  was 
reported  that  a  Detatchm'  from  the  Army  at  Cambridge  was  expected 
here  to  day  :  &  some  suppose  Wallace  is  gone  round  to  the  N° 
End  of  the  Isld  to  prevent  their  passing  the  Ferry — others 
that  he  is  gone  to  take  Stock  on'  of  Prudence.  The  Army  here 
may  be  near  500  strong.  They  instantly  marched  for  the  north 
End  of  the  Isld.  or  Prudence  to  watch  the  Men  o'War. 

An  express  from  Gov.  Cook  to  Gen.  Hopkins  arrived  this  Morng 
bringing  a  Copy  of  a  Letter  from  Gen.  Washington,  informing  that 


622 


DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 


1.  Dr.  Stiles's  Church  (2d  Congregational):  still 
standing,  much  altered,  as  the  Central  Baptist 
Church. 

2.  Parsonage  of  Dr.  Stiles's  Church  at  time  of  his 
ordination. 

3.  Parsonage  occupied  by  Dr.  Stiles,  1756-76  :  still 
standing,  much  altered,  and  south  front  turned  to 
the  west. 

4.  Jewish  Synagogue, 
Dr.  Hopkins's  Church  (ist  Congregational). 
Dr.  Hopkins's  house. 
Moravian  Meeting  house. 
Redwood  I,ibrarj-. 
Trinity  (Episcopal)  Church. 

lb.  ist  Baptist  Church  (Mr.  Kelly's). 

11.  Sabhatarian  Baptist  Church  (Mr.  Maxson's), 
now  removed  to  Touro  St.,  east  of  the  Synagogue, 
and  occupied  by  the  Newport  Historical  Society. 

1 2.  Court  House,  now  .State  House. 

13.  P'riends  Meeting  house. 

14.  Alms  house.  15.  Old  Stone  Mill. 


Map  of  the  Town  of  Newport. 


a  Detatclim^  of  the  Kings  Troops  with  some  ships  of  force  latelj' 
sailed  from  Boston  ;  doubtless  to  attack  some  Seaport,  &  therefore 
he  notified  Gov.  Cook.  The  Expect*  of  Regular  Troops,  &  also 
of  Colony  Troops,  &  the  Anticipation  of  a  Conflagration  of  the 
To\vn   in   their  Rencounters,    renewed    the   spirit  of    Removal    in 


OCTOBER    7-9,    1775  623 

which  Multitudes  have  been  employed  with  the  greatest  Assiduity. 
The  Evacuation  is  incredible  !  The  perhaps  Three  hundred  Houses 
on  the  Isld  (exclusive  of  iioo  in  Newport;  are  all  filled.  The  poor 
Tories  cant  remove. 

Lately  a  ship  from  Engld  with  about  Three  Tliousd  Jibs  of  Flour 
&  Cloath^'  for  Gages  Army,  was  taken  by  Stratagem  &  carried  into 
Piscataqua.  Gen.  Gage  is  recalled,  after  hav-  been  constituted 
General  Governor  of  All  N'  America,  a  new  Title :  and  Gen. 
Howe  is  proclaimed  in  Boston  Governor  in  his  stead.  The  News 
of  Bunker  Hill  arrived  in  Lond.  25  July.  Orders  issued  for  more 
Troops — the  ParP  prorogued — the  Min-'  determined  to  pursue  \'en- 
geance. 

7.  Wallace  sailed  northward. 

8.  Ldsdy  A  M.  I  preached  on  Lam.  i,  4,  5.  And  P.M.  i  Pet. 
V.  10.  This  is  a  most  sorrowful  Sabbath.  The  Ways  of  Zion 
mourn.  In  the  Afternoon  there  were  about  66  Persons  below  &  35 
in  the  Galleries  ;  i.e.  about  One  hundred  Whites,  besides  about  30 
Negroes  :  so  the  Congreg^  130  persons.  M3-  usual  Congregation 
Three  or  four  hundred.  We  had  a  mournful  Meeting !  This 
Morn-'  we  heard  that  Cap"  Wallace  with  his  Fleet  fired  on  the  T** 
of  Bristol  last  Night.  An  inhuman  Wretch  !  This  Eveng.  hear 
that  the  Rev'^  Mr.  Burt'  of  Bristol  was  this  forenoon  found  dead 
in  a  Cornfield  about  25  Rods  from  his  House.  After  sending  away 
his  VCiie  &  family-  he  was  escaping  himself,  &  it  is  supposed  he 
was  seized  by  a  fit  &  expired  instantly.  He  had  been  sick  of  the 
D^-senterj'  &  was  still  confined  vrith  it.  The  Surprize  &  hasty 
flight  from  the  savage  Canonade  of  ^^'allace  undoubtedly  occasion 
his  Death. 

9.  This  da}'  I  removed  one  Load  of  my  Books  &  Furniture. 
The  Carting  of  Goods  &  removing  of  the  pple  continued  all  day 
j-esterday  &  yet  continues.  The  infernal  Wallace  with  3  Men  o' 
War,  2  or  3  more  armed  A'essels  of  which  one  Bomb  with  several 
Transports — a  fleet  of  perhaps  8  sail  is  fireing  away  to  the  Northwd 
&  spreading  or  aim=  to  spread  Terror  thro'  the  Bay.  He  anchored 
at    Bristol    on    Sat''  Eveng.   &  ordered    the    Magistrates   to  come 

ijohn  Bvirt,  son  of  John  &  Abigail  Burt,  bom  in  Boston,  December,  17 16, 
graduated  at  Har\-ard  1736,  ordained  in  Bristol,  Maj-,  1741.  His  second  wife 
was  Ann,  daughter  of  Deputy  Governor  William  EUery,  of  Newport,  and  an 
attached  friend  of  Dr.  Stiles  ;  she  was  bom  in  May,  1732,  and  died  in  Bristol 
in  Mav,  1S06. 


624  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

aboard  &  bring  300  sheep  in  one  hour,  else  he  would  fire  uppii  the 
f  Q^yn — where  near  100  persons  lye  sick  of  the  D^^sent^'  &  some 
lye  dead.  Instead  of  comply'^'  the  pple  set  about  remov^'  the  sick. 
At  IX  o'clock  at  Night  he  began  &  continued  a  Canjnade  of 
the  Town  for  an  hour.  At  length  upon  a  promise  of  40  sheep 
he  desisted  &  promised  he  would  fire  no  more.  But  on  I^dsdy 
he  turned  to  Popasquash  a  part  of  Bristol  &  canonaded  that. 
And  now  this  day  at  XI  A  M.  he  is  canonad-  Portsmouth  on 
this  Isld,  i.e.  the  Houses  at  Bristol  ferry.  And  in  the  After- 
noon some  of  his  ships  came  down  the  Bay  firing  as  if  they 
would  fill  the  Heavens  with  Thunder  ;  &  some  went  round  the 
N"  End  of  the  Isld  towds  Ti\'erton.  At  length  one  went  over 
to  Canonicut  &  fired  away  upon  Jamestown,  where  the  Gov' 
had  sent  Men  to  guard  the  stock.  The  Evacuation  of  this  Town 
still  continues.  It  is  judged  that  Two  Thirds  of  the  Inhabitants 
are  removed  up  the  Island.     No  passing  Bristol  Ferry  to  day. 

10.  How  does  this  Town  sit  solitary  that  was  once  full  of  People! 
I  am  not  yet  removed,  altho'  three  quarters  of  my  beloved  Chh  & 
Congregation  are  broken  up  and  dispersed.  Oh  Jesus  I  commit 
them  &  myself  to  thy  holy  Keeping.  It  is  a  distressing  Providence 
— full  of  holy  Instruction!  Sanctify  it  to  us,  o  heavenly  Father. 
Enable  us  to  cast  ourselves  our  Burdens  our  Families  our  all  upon 
thee  o'  God.  Be  thou  a  present  Help  in  Time  of  Trouble.  It  is  a 
rightous  &  holy  thing  with  Gd  to  bring  the  Severest  Calamities 
of  this  civil  War  upon  the  maritime  Towns,  because  most  abound- 
ing with  Vice  &  Wickedness.  May  this  Chastism'  bring  us  to 
unfeigned  Repent"  &  Reformation.  May  we  turn  to  the  Ld  with  all 
our  Hearts.  And  may  a  holy  Gd  be  entreated  of  for  his  broken 
Chhs  in  this  Town,  Boston,  Roxb^'  &c.  And  may  he  soon  deliver 
us  from  these  Destresses. 

11.  This  Day  Wallace  &  the  ships  returned  to  Newport, 
Yesterday  &  to  day  the  Spirit  of  Removal  nearly  ceasing,  tho  some 
continue  still  removing.  It  is  reported  that  the  Enterprizes  in 
Canada  are  likely  to  prove  successful.  But  the  News  from  Europe 
is  that  the  Court  of  G.  Britain  are  hireing  4000  Hanoverians  & 
a  Body  of  Russians  to  come  to  America  ;  &  that  the  Min^  continue 
obstinately  fixt  for  prosecuting  their  plan  of  subjugating  America. 
Wallace  has  now  tho'roly  tried  the  project  of  tak*^  stock  from  the 
Isld  here— to  little  Effect. 

12.  Confusion. 


OCTOBER    10-19,    1775  625 

13  Confusion.  Negotiating  with  Wallace,  who  refuses  to  trans- 
act with  the  Committee  but  will  act  with  the  T"  Council.  He 
offers  to  be  still  &  let  the  Wood  &  ferry  Boats  pass  on  these  Condi- 
tions viz,  that  his  ships  be  provided  with  fresh  Provision,  He  &  his 
pple  be  allowed  freely  to  come  &  be  ashore,  and  the  Provincial 
Troops  be  removed  off  this  Isld.  The  Town  Council  made  applic* 
to  Col.  Hopkins  &  Col.  Richmond  :  &  have  sent  a  Letter  to  the 
Committee  of  Safety  at  Providence.  The  Negotiation  is  got  into 
the  Hands  of  Tories. 

The  Hon.  James  Abraham  Hillhouse'  of  New  Haven  died  there 
.  We  were  cotemporary  at  Yale  College  &  both  Fellow 
Tutors  there  for  many  years.  A  very  intimate  Friendship  subsisted 
between  us.  • 

14.  Making  a  Sermon  on  M'"  Burts  Death. 

15.  Ldsdy.     At  Bristol  A  M.  i  Pet.  i,  6,  7.     P.M.  i  Pet.  v,  4. 

16.  Rode  to  Rev''  M''  Townsends  in  Barrington. 

17.  Several  Gentlemen  at  Bristol  conversing  with  me  about  re- 
moving &  preaching  there  this  Winter.  I  returned  to  Newport  & 
found  Removals  continuing. 

18.  The  Committee  &  a  number  other  Gentlemen  of  my 
Congreg''  met  at  mj^  house,  consulting  about  my  Removal.  We 
find  about  30  Families  of  my  Congreg*  yet  remain*^'  in  Town. 
My  usual  Congreg^  about  130  Families.  So  about  100  removed  out 
of  Town.  Yesterday  the  Colony  Troops  on  this  Isld  opened 
Trenches  at  Howlands  Ferry  at  the  N  E  Corner  of  the  Isld.  The 
T"  Council  have  sent  off  3  Gentlemen  to  Gen.  Washington  &  D. 
Gov'  Cooke  at  Cambridge  to  advise  on  the  Removal  of  the  Troops. 
This  is  a  Tory  Maneuvre  to  get  the  Troops  away. 

19.  Almost  ceased  removing.  Three  Quarters  of  the  property  «& 
Inhabitants  removed — most  of  the  Shops  shut  up — many  houses  ' 
shut — many  more  with  only  one  or  two  persons  to  keep  them.  For 
the  fourt' night  past  as  much  as  40  or  50  Teams  being  daily  em- 
ployed, besides  Horse  Carts,  &  Boats.  Col.  Hopkins  wrote  to 
Gen.  Washington  that  there  were  five  thotisd  Head  of  Cattle  upon 
Rhode  Isld  besides  Sheep  &  other  stock  which  would  fall  into  the 
Hands  of  the  Enemy  if  the  Troops  were  withdrawn.  There  are  36 
Canon  at  Banisters  or  Head  Quarters  ;  they  are  busily  employed  in 
mounting  them  on   Carriages.     For  several  da5'-s-it  has  been   re- 

'  Born  in  Montville,   Conn.,  May,  1730,  graduated  at  Yale  1749,  died  Oct.  3, 
1775,  in  his  house  now  known  as  "  Grove  Hall." 
40 


6^6  DIARY   OF   EZRA    vSTILES 

ported  that  Letters  from  within  Boston  say  that  Gen.  Burgoyn  is 
gon  or  going  to  the  Congress  at  Philadelphia.  I  doubt  it.  There 
is  some  Talk  of  W^allace's  being  superseded  or  removed  to  another 
Station,  and  as  vile  an  Officer  com^  in  his  Room. 

20.  Col.  Hopkins  taking  up  Ben  Tiers  &  others  detected  in  sup- 
plying Provisions  to  the  Men  o'  War.  D'  Bartlet  went  to  Con- 
necticutt.     No  news  from  Canada. 

21.  Things  quiet  in  Town.  The  Men  o'  Wars  pple  not  suffered 
to  come  ashore  or  have  Provision. 

22.  Ldsdy  A  M.  I  preached  on  Philip,  iv,  6,  7.  P.M.  2  Tim° 
iv,  5,  on  occasion  of  finishing  the  20"'  year  of  my  Ministry 

23.  This  Afternoon  the  Remnant  of  my  Society  met  and  judged 
it  expedient  to  discontinue  the  public  Worship  in  ni}-  meeting  house 
for  the  Winter,  considering  the  present  evacuated  &  destressed  & 
tumultuous  State  of  the  Town.  They  all  recommended  and  con- 
sented to  mj^  Removal  to  Bristol  for  present  Safety. 

The  3  Gentlemen  sent  by  the  Town  Council  to  D.  Gov''  Cook  to 
advise  on  the  present  State  of  this  T"  returned  this  Afternoon,  with 
a  Letter  from  Gov.  Cook  dated  at  Cambridge  the  21'*  Inst,  in  which 
he  advises  that  upon  the  Advice  of  the  Committee  of  the  Contin- 
ental Congress  now  sitting  at  Cambridge,  Wallace  slid  be  supplied 
with  Provisions  on  Condition  of  suffer^  the  Ferry  &  Wood  Boats  to 
pass  freely  : — that  the  Troops  stationed  here  should  continue  on  the 
Isld,  but  out  of  Town  :  that  bj'-  Express  received  the  day  before 
from  Piscataqua,  they  were  informed  that  several  Ships  &  Trans- 
ports with  Kings  Troops  appeared  in  Casco  Bay  &  demanded  of  the 
T"  of  Falm"  a  surrend"  of  their  Arms  with  Hostages  for  Fidelity,  & 
shewed  Orders  for  destroying  that  T"  &  Portsmouth  upon  Refusal ; 
that  8  Muskets  were  surrendered  and  no  more — w^hereupon  on  Tues- 
day last  the  Ships  began  a  heavy  Canonade  on  the  T"  of  Falmouth. 

Copy  01-'  D"  Church's  Letter. 

"  I  hope  this  will  reach  you,  three  Attempts  have  I  made  without  success:  in 
effect^  the  last  the  Man  was  discovered  in  attempt?  his  Escape  ;  but  fortunately 
my  Letter  was  sewed  in  the  Waistband  of  his  Breeches — he  was  confined  a 
few  days,  during  which  Time  you  may  guess  my  feelings  :  but  a  little  art 
&  cash  settled  the  matter. 

It  is  a  month  since  mj'  Return  from  Philad".  I  went  by  the  Way  of  Provi- 
dence to  visit  Mother.  The  Committee  for  Warlike  stores  made  me  a  formal 
Tender  of  12  Pieces  of  Canon,  18  &  24  pounders,  they  having  taken  a  previous 
Resolution  to  make  the  Offer  to  Gen.  Ward.  To  make  a  Merit  of  my  Service 
I  sent  them  down,  &  when  they  received  them,  they  sent  them  to  Stoughton 


OCTOBER    20-23,    1775  627 

to  be  out  of  danger  ;  altho'  they  had  formed  a  Resolution,  as  I  before  hinted, 
of  fortifying  Btmker's  Hill :  which,  together  with  the  Cowardice  of  the  cluwsy 
Col.  Gerrish  and  Col.  Scammon,  was  the  lucky  Occasion  oj  their  Defeat. 
This  Affair  happened  before  my  Return  from  Philadelphia.  We  lost  165, 
killed  then,  &  since  dead  of  their  Wounds,  120  more  now  lye  wounded,  the 
chief  will  recover.  They  boast  you  have  1400  killed  &  wounded  in  that  Action 
— you  say  the  Rebels  lost  1500,  I  suppose  with  equal  Truth.  The  pple  of  Con- 
necticutt  are  raving  in  the  Cause  of  Liberty— a  number  of  that  Colony  from  the 
Town  of  Stamford,  robbed  the  Kings  store  at  N  York,  with  some  small  Assist- 
ance the  N  Yorkers  lent  them — these  were  growing  turbulent.  I  counted  280 
pieces  of  Cannon  from  24  to  3  pounders  at  Kingsbridge,  which  the  Committee 
had  secured  for  the  use  of  the  Colonics.  The  Jerseys  are  not  a  whit  behind 
Connecticutt  in  Zeal.  The  Philadelphians  exceed  them  both.  I  saw  2200  Men 
in  Review  there,  b}-  Gen.  Lee,  consisting  of  Quakers  &  the  other  Inhab.  in  uni- 
form, with  1000  Riflemen  &  40  Horse,  who  together  made  a  most  warlike 
appearance.  I  mingled  freely  &  frequently  with  the  Members  of  the  Con- 
tinental Congress — they  were  united  and  determined  in  Opposition  &  appeared 
assured  of  Success.  Now  to  come  home,  the  Opposition  is  become  formidable. 
18000  Men,  brave  &  determined,  with  Washington  &  Lee  at  their  Head,  are  no 
contemptible  Arm^^  Adjutant  Gen.  Gates  is  indefatiguable  in  arranging  the 
army — provisions  very  plenty — Cloths  are  manufacte  in  almost  every  Town  for 
the  Soldiers,  Twenty  Tons  of  powder  lately  arrived  at  Philad"  Connect.  & 
Providence — upwards  of  Twenty  Tons  are  now  in  the  Camp.  Saltpetre  is  made 
in  every  Colony,  Powdermills  are  erected  &  constantly  employed  in  Philad"  & 
N  York,  Volunteers  of  the  first  Fortunes  are  daily  flocking  to  the  Camp,  1000 
Riflemen  in  two  or  3  days — Recruits  are  now  levying  to  augment  the  army  to 
22000  men,  10,000  Militia  are  appointed  in  this  Gov'  to  appear  on  the  first  sum- 
mons— the  Bills  of  all  the  Colonies  circulate  freely  &  are  readily  exchanged  for 
Cash.  Add  to  this  that  unless  some  plan  of  Accomodation  takes  place  immedi- 
ately, their  Harbours  will  swarm  with  Privateers,  an  Army  will  be  raised  in  the 
middle  Colonies  to  take  possession  of  Canada — For  the  sake  of  the  miserable 
convulsed  Empire  soUicit  Peace,  repeal  the  Acts  or  Britain  is  undone.  This 
Advice  is  the  Result  of  a  warm  Affection  to  my  King  &  to  the  Realm.  Remem- 
ber I  never  deceived  you  :  every  article  here  sent  you  is  sacredly  true — the 
papers  will  announce  to  you  that  I  am  again  a  Member  for  Boston,  you  will 
then  see  our  motly  Council,  a  general  Arrangment  of  Officers  wall  take  place, 
except  the  Chief,  which  will  be  suspended  but  for  a  little  while,  to  see  what 
part  &c  Britain  takes  in  Consequence  of  the  late  Continental  Petition.  A  View 
to  Independence  grow-s  more  &  more  general ;  should  Great  Britain  declare 
War  against  the  Colonies,  they  are  lost  forever.  Should  Spain  declare  War 
against  Engld  the  Colonies  will  declare  a  Neutrality,  which  will  doubtless  pro- 
duce an  offensive  &  defensive  League  between  tbem.  For  Gds  sake  prevent  it 
by  a  speedy  Accomodation. 

Writing  this  has  employed  a  day.  I  have  been  to  Salem  to  reconoitre  but 
could  not  escape  the  Geese  in  the  Capitol.  To  morrow  I  set  out  for  Newport 
on  purpose  to  send  you  this.  I  write  you  fully,  it  being  scarcely  possible  to 
escape  Discovery.  I  am  out  of  Place  here  by  Choice  &  therefore  out  of  Pay.  & 
determined  to  be  so  unless  something  is  offered  in  my  Way.     I  wish  you  could 


628 


DIARY   OF   EZRA   STILES 


continue  to  write  me  largely  in  Cyphers  by  Way  of  Newport  addressed  to  Tom 
Richards  Merch',  inclose  it  in  a  Cover  to  me,  intimating  that  I  am  a  perfect 
Stranger  to  you,  but  being  recommended  to  you  as  a  Gentleman  of  Honor, 
you  took  the  Liberty  to  inclose  that  Letter,  intreating  me  to  deliver  it  as 
directed  to  the  Person,  as  3'ou  are  informed,  living  in  Cambridge — sign  some 
fictitious  Name.  This  you  may  send  to  some  confidential  Friend  at  Newport, 
to  be  delivered  to  me  at  Watertown — make  Use  of  every  precaution  or  I  perish 

B.  Church." 


This  Letter  was  brotight  to  Newport  by  D'"  Churchs  Concubine, 
&  she  delivered  it  in  Confidence  to  M''  Wain  wood,  her  former 
Enamorato  who  promised  to  deliver  it  to  Wallace  on  board  the 
Rose.  It  was  dated  on  the  outside  July  28.  She  superscribed 
it  at  Wain  woods  House  to  Major  Keen.  Wainwood  kept  it 
about  six  Weeks  then  carried  it  to  Cambridge,  where  it  was 
decyphered  by  Rev*^  'W  West  of  Dartm"  &  2  other  Men,  whose 
Copies  all  agreed. 

24.  My  pple  unwilling  that  I  slid  leave  them  have  put  about 
a  subscription  among  themselves — sixty  Dollars  already  subscribed. 
The  Post  in,  the  prints  say  two  Thirds  of  Falmouth  in  Flames 
last  Wednesday.  [This  Conflagr^  17"'  Inst.  139  Dwells  Houses,  & 
278  Stores  &  other  Build^^  consumed.     None  of  our  pple  killed.] 

25.  The  Gen.  Assembly  are  to  set  this  day  at  S"  Kingston  but 
will  prob^  meet  only  to  adjourn  to  Providence.  This  Kveng.  a 
very  full  meeting  of  my  Chh  &  others  at  Sister  Stevens's.  I 
preached  on  Col.  i,  22,  23,  24.  Next  at  B''  Cary's  15*''  next  M'^  if  I 
shd  be  in  Town. 

26.  Reading  Moravian  Congregation  Accounts  for  Egypt  & 
Labrador.  At  Nain  in  Labrador  26  Sep.  1773,  Brother  Layritz 
set.  66,  "published  the  Ordination  of  the  Brn  Jens  Haven  &  Jos. 
Neisser  to  Deacons,  &  B""  Jn"  Schneider  to  a  Priest  of  the  Brethrens 
Church."  There  have  been. as 'yet  I  think  no  Baptisms — only 
three  Esquimaux  Indians  are  proper  Catechumens — ;in  June  1773 
were  36  Tents  of  Indians  on.the;Brn's  Lands  at  Nain  &  25'^  July 
were  21  Tents  remain^ — I  think  about  15  persons  Europeans. 

This  Aft.  a  Letter  from  Gen.  Washington  inform^  that  Falm"  was 
half  burnt  down  &  still  in 'flames,  &c.  Gen.  Hopk.  rec'*.  it  &  sent 
for  our  Committee  to  communicate  it  to  them.  This  excites  a  new 
&  desponding  Alarm  thro'  this  Town  least  it  shd  be  also  fired. 
Gen.  Green  at  Prosp'  Hill  informs  that  it  is  judged  the  Burning  of 
the  seaports  is  b}'  fresh   Orders  from  Engld  in  Ships  arrived  at 


OCTOBER    24-27,    1775  629 

Boston  about  12  days  ago — &  that  Gen.  Amherst  is  expected.— 
The  Times  are  destressing.  The  Dutch  extend  the  period  of  their 
prohibition  of  Powder  &c.  I  see  the  European  powers  will  lie 
still — they  wish  the  Downfall  of  Britain  ;  but  dont  ])c]iold  with 
Pleasure  the  Revolt  of  Colonies,  least  it  should  be  a  bad  precedent 
for  their  own  Colonies.  So  that  it  seems  as  if  Gd  in  his  holy  Prov- 
idence designed  to  set  the  United  luiglish  Colonies  alone  in  the 
arduous  Conflict — that  abandoned  by  the  Parent  State  &  by  the 
World,  he  may  take  us  by  the  hand  &  lead  us  to  more  conspicuous 
Salv=^  &  Victory. 

27.  Extract  of  a  Letter  from  an  Officer  on  board  one  of  the 
Kings  ships  at  B"  to  his  Friend  in  Eondon  dated  June  23.  last,  giv- 
ing Ace"  of  the  Battle  of  Bunkers  Hill  17  June.  — "  early 
on  the  17*" —  :  we  were  imed''  ord.  to  land  some  Bat- 
talions, &  in  the  mean  Time  o''  Great  Guns  were  fired  ag^  those  who 
appeard  to  be  busily  employed  at  the  Battery  :  whether  o''  shot  did 
not  reach  far  eno'  to  create  any  Confusion  among  them,  or  it  was 
owing  to  their  Resolution  I  cannot  say  ;  but  certain  it  is,  that  the 
moment  they  discov'^  the  Land'  of  0''  Troops,  they  formed  in  Order  of 
Battle;  &  so  far fr.  Retreat'  as  ive  expected,  they  marched  tozvards  ns  icith 
the  utmost  Coolness  &  Regularity .  Nothing  could  exceed  the  Paiiic 
&  apparent  Dislike  of  most  of  the  Kings  Troops  to  enter  into  this 
Engagement ;  even  at  their  Eand*''  several  attempted  to  run  awa}-  & 
five  actually  took  to  their  Heels  in  ord.  to  joyn  the  Americans,  but 
were  presently  brot  back,  &  two  of  them  hung  up  in  Terrorem  to 
the  rest. — The  Generals  perceiv^'  the  Strength  &  Order  of  the  Pro- 
vincials, ordered  a  Reinforcm*  to  joyn  the  Troops  already  landed, 
but  before  they  came  up,  the  Canonad^'  on  both  sides  began.  The 
Provincials  p02i7^ed  dozen  like  a  Torrent,  &  fought  like  men  loho  had 
no  Care  for  their  Persons ;  they  disputed  every  Inch  of  Ground,  & 
their  Numbers  were  far  superior  to  ours.  The  Kings  Troops  gave 
way  several  Times,  &  it  required  the  utmost  Efforts  of  the  Generals 
to  rally  them  :  at  the  begin«  of  the  Engag'  many  of  them  absolutely 
turned  their  Backs,  not  expect"  so  hot  a  fire  from  the  Americans  : 
— the  latter  feigned  a  Retreat,  in  order  as  we  suppose  to  draw  o"" 
Troops  after  them,  &  by  that  means  to  cut  them  in  Pieces  ;  &  we 
are  informed  that  Gen.  Ward  had  a  Reserve  of  upwds  of  4000  Men 
for  that  purpose.  The  Kings  Troops  conclud-  that  the  Americans 
quitted  the  field  thro'  fear,  pursued  them  under  that  apprehension, 
but  did  not  proceed  far  eno'  to  be  convinced  by  that  fatal  Experi- 


630  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

ence,  w'^  was,  as  we  hear,  designed  for  them,  of  their  Mistake. 
The  Engagem'  lasted  upivards  of  four  hours  &  elided  hifinitely  to  our 
disadvantage.  The  Flower  of  our  Army  are  killed  or  wounded. 
During  the  Engag^  Chariest"  was  set  on  fire  by  the  Kings  Troops, 
in  order  to  stop  the  progress  of  the  Provincials,  who  after  their 
sham  Retreat  returned  to  attack  them,  but  I  think  it  was  a  wanton 
Act  of  the  Kings  Troops,  who  certainly  after  they  had  joyned  the 
main  body  of  o''  Army  had  no  Occasion  to  take  that  Method  of 
retarding  the  Return  of  the  Americans,  who  upon  perceiving  that 
Gen.  Ward  stood  still  with  his  Reserve,  laid  aside  their  Intentions. 
— I  heart''  wish  myself  with  you  and  the  rest  of  my  Friends,  &  the 
first  opp"  that  offers  I  will  sell  out  &  return  ;  for  at  the  best  only 
Disgrace  can  arise  in  the  service  of  such  a  Cause  as  y*^  in  w*"  we  are 
engaged. — The  Americans  are  not  those  poltroons  I  myself  was  once 
taught  to  believe  them  to  be  ;  they  are  men  of  liberal  &  noble  Sen- 
timents, their  very  Characteristic  is  the  Love  of  lyib^, — &  tho  I  am 
an  Officer  under  the  King  of  G.  B.  I  tacitly  admire  their  Resolution 
&  Perseverance  ag*^  the  present  oppressive  Measures  of  the  Brit. 
Government. ' ' 

28.  At  Falm"  130  Dwellinghouses  &  300  Stores  burnt  by  the 
merciless  Fury  of  Capt  Mowatt.  At  the  Request  of  the  Eng.  Am- 
bassador the  Dutch  extend  the  period  of  their  Prohibition  of  ex- 
port" Powder  &  Arms  to  the  Eng.  Colonies.  I  perceive  the  Dutch 
&  Spaniards  fear  the  Revolt  of  the  Eng.  Colonies  will  prove  an 
alarm ^'  Precedent  for  theirs. 

29.  Ldsdy  A  M.  I  preached  on  Jer.  xxv,  5,  6.  P.AI.  Ps.  93,  5. 
M}'-  Congreg''  97  [92]  below  33  above  in  A  M.  Tot.  130  [125] 
besides  Negroes.  P  M.  120  [119,  108]  below,  50  [40]  above  & 
perhaps  30  [25]  Negroes — Tot  200  [180]  a  few  Strangers — but  of 
my  own  pple  full  half  my  usual  Congregation  now  more  generally 
come  to  meeting.  I  notified  the  Sacrament  of  the  Lords  Supper 
next  Ldsd}^  by  divine  permission,  &  a  Lecture  next  Frida5^ 

30.  The  Sheriffs  by  Order  of  the  Gen.  Assembly  seize  the  Estates 
of  Gov.  Hutchinson,  late  L^  Gov.  Oliver,  Mess''  Sam'  &  James 
Brentons  &  M"'  Romes  lying  in  this  Colony.  They  having  approved 
themseh-es  Enemies  to  their  Country.  One  of  Romes  Houses  & 
Stores  lay  near  the  Water.  The  Men  o'War  drew  up  in  warlike 
posture  &  threatened  to  fire,  if  any  came  to  carry  off  the  Goods  in 
this  House  &  stores.  The  T'  was  alarmed  :  but  the  Thing  passed 
over  without  Mi.schief. 


OCTOBER    28-NOVEMBER   6,    1775  631 

November. 

1.  Went  to  Chh  &  heard  M''  Bissct  preach  a  funeral  Sermon  on 
M"  Malbone  (Franc)  who  was  buried  in  the  Chh  >ard. 

2.  Sent  off  a  second  lyoad  of  Goods,  being  part  of  in>'  Library 
&  Furniture.     A  Tender  canonad*^  Conanicott  again. 

3.  It  is  said  that  the  Gen.  Assembly  have  ordered  five  hundred 
Troops  for  this  Isld  of  Rh.  Isld  : — aiid  that  the  Men  o  War  are 
firing  on  Marthas  Vinyard.  This  Aft.  my  sac^  Lecture,  present 
about  45  persons.  I  preached  on  Rom.  xv,  5.  I  delivered  i  Dollar 
of  the  Chhs  Money  to  Brother  Bissel  to  procure  the  Elements  for 
the  Lds  Table.     Yesterday  I  received  a  Letter  from  Rabl:)i  Carigal. 

4.  This  Morns  about  VII  o'clock  an  imprudent  Man  from  the 
End  of  the  Long  Wharf  insulted  the  Men  o'War  which  lay  at  a 
few  Rods  Distance.  One  of  them  fired  two  Canon  near  him  but 
did  not  touch  him.  They  were  four  pounders.  One  shot  entered  a 
Store  full  of  screwed  Hay  :  another  passed  thro'  the  upper  part  of 
a  large  house  on  Gravelly  Point,  &  went  over  the  Cove  towds  the 
Houses  at  Emery's  Corner,  struck  Cap*-  Johnsons  Stillliou.se  went 
thro'  2  Board  Partitions,  struck  against  a  Chimney  &  dropt.  No 
Person  hurt.  The  shot  came  from  the  Bomb  Brig,  Capt  Greaves. 
The  Man  was  taken  up  &  committed  to  Goal ;  &  then  carried  to 
Head  Quarters.  D'  Morgan  of  Philad"  is  appointed  First  Physician 
&  Superintendent  of  the  Hospitals  in  the  Continental  Army.  Pey- 
ton Randolph  Esq  late  Presid'  of  the  Continent.  Congress  died  at 
Philad"-  ult.  set.  53.  W^  Goddard  Esq  is  appointed  Surveyor 
Gen.  of  the  American  Postoffice  under  D''  Franklin  P.  Master 
General. 

5.  Ldsdy  A  M.  I  preached  on  Acts  ii,  42,  &  administered  the 
Lds  .supper  to  Communicants.  P.M.  Ps.  xxxi,  15.  About  80  per- 
sons below  40  above.  At  IV"  I  preached  at  Head  Qu"  to  the  sol- 
diers on  Rom.  iii,  23-25. 

6.  Last  Eveng.  we  received  News  that  our  Army  towards  Mon- 
treal had  taken  F'  Chamblee,  which  surrendered  the  18^''  ult.  83 
Soldiers  80  Bbs  Flour  134  Bbs  Pork  124  Bb  Gunpowder  6364  Cart- 
ridges 150  Arms  &c  &c. 

Gov  Carleton  commands  at  Quebec,  Brig.  Gen.  Prescott  at  Mont- 
real, Major  Preston  at  St.  Johns,  Major  Stepford  at  Chamblee. 

This  day  a  T"  Meet-  at  Newp'— whether  Gen.  Hopkins  should  be 
desired  to  remove  his  Troops  ?  Affirm^'  140.  No,  30.  So  the  most 
that  are  left  in  T°  are  either  Tories  or  under  their  Influence. 


632  ,      DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

7.  Reading  Vitringa.  Exports  from  Philad^  in  the  year  1771 
1772  1773. 

803,583  Bbs  Flour  264,887  Busli.  Flaxseed 

137,007  Bbs  Bread  143,947'^  Bees  Wax 

326, 102  Bush.  Wheat  17,495  Bbs  Pork  &  Beef 
598,283  Bush.  Corn  6, 127  Tons  of  Iron 

2,081,750"'  Rice  2,082  Kegs  Starch 

Number  of  Vessels  1157  scf  rigg''  } 

c<i  o     f  140,467  Tons 

1151  Sloops  &c  '    ^  '^  ' 

The  above  but  part.     Total  Exp",  fr.  Philad''  onl}',  to  all  parts  of 
the  world  within  those  3  3'ears,  ^2,135,924-12-8  Sterling. 

I  am  doubtful  of  Success  at  Quebec  of  Col.  Arnold  &  his  1400 
Troops,  which  marched  about  18  or  20  Sept.  and  on  2^'  Oct.  were  at 
Norridgwalk.  I  find  that  Gov.  Carleton  formed  (on  17  Sep')  the 
Inhabitants  of  Quebec  into  Eleven  Companies  of  Canadians  &  six  of 
British  Inhabitants.  Total  17  Comp^  (about  60  each)  mak'^  Eleven 
Hundred  Men,  "  many  of  whom  neglect  &  others  think  the  dut}' 
hard,  &  the  greatest  part  are  dissatisfied  with  the  Conduct  of  Gov- 
ernment." Now  if  300  are  heartil}^  for  the  King,  they  can  defend 
the  Cit}^  against  Col.  Arnolds  12  or  1400.  The  most  of  the  British 
Comp^  I  suppose  are  Europeans  &  Scotchmen,  almost  all  these  (per- 
haj)s  350)  are  against  us  &  full  of  Vengeance.  The  Courtiers 
among  the  Canadians  are  also  against  us.  So  it  is  probable  Carle- 
ton  has  eno'  to  defend  him.  But  as  to  S'  Johns  there  is  hope. 
Gen.  Montgomery  is  around  it  with  an  Army  of  between  3  & 
4000. 

8.  M''  Smith  was  with  me  to  da}^  about  moving  to  Bristol.  This 
Da}'  the  Ships  fired  two  Shot  upon  this  Town  ;  one  struck  a  house 
at  the  N"  End  of  the  T "  upon  the  Point  :  the  other  struck  a  house 
on  the  lower  end  of  the  Town.  I  do  not  certainly  find  the  Occasion. 
It  is  said  to  have  been  on  account  of  the  taking  a  Boat. 

9.  Reading  Grotius  de  Veritate  Christianismi.  This  forenoon 
the  Bomb  Brig  &  2  or  3  Tenders  sailed  up  the  Bay  to  attack  the  2 
Rh  Isld  Privateers.  Between  XII  &  I  they  were  seen  engaged  & 
firing  at  one  another  near  Hope  Island.  We  hear  that  a  ship  from 
ISIadeira  with  150  Pipes  of  Wine,  was  taken  by  the  Continental 
Privateers  going  into  Boston  :  also  that  Cap*  Coit  in  a  Continental 
Privateer  out  of  Plymouth  had  taken  2  prizes  Vessels  from  Halifax 
loaded  with  Eive  stock  &c  bound  into  Boston.     It  is  said  that  our 


NOVEMBER    7-1 1,    1775  633 

Gen.  Assembly  now  sitt^'  at  Providence  has  declared  the  Chair 
vacant,  &  have  nominated  D.  Gov.  Cooke  for  Governor  &  M'  Greene 
D.  Governor. 

The  Printers  continue  publishing  Gov.  Hutchinsons  Letters.  We 
have  his  Hypocrisj^  as  to  Religion  in  one  to  Gov.  Bernard  dated 
Dec.  24,  1771 

10.  [Gov.  Joseph  Wanton  rejected  by  Rh.  Isld  Assembly  as  Enemy 
to  his  Country.'  Place  of  Gov.  of  Rh.  lid  declared  vacant:  & 
Hon.  Nic*^  Cook  chosen  Gov'  &  Hon.  W™  Bradf  D.  G.]  Reading 
Grotius.  D'  Franklin  lately  returned  from  the  Army  to  the  Con- 
gress. At  Providence  he  was  asked  whether  the  Congress  were 
about  negotiating  with  France  or  a  supposed  French  Legate  at 
Philad''  ?  He  answ"*  How  could  such  a  Thing  be  before  Indepen- 
dency was  declared  ?  The  Continent  are  ripening  for  Independency. 
In  B"  Gazette  6""  Inst  printed  at  Watert"  we  have  a  Letter  ' '  from 
a  Gen*  in  America"  (I  suppose  Dr.  Franklin)  to  his  Friend  in  Lon- 
don— "  Tell  our  dear  friend  Dr.  Price,  who  sometimes  has  doubts 
about  our  firmness,  that  Amer.  is  determined  &  unanimous,  a  verj^ 
few  Tories  excepted,  who  will  prob^  soon  export  themselves.  Britain 
at  the  Expence  of  three  Millions  has  killed  1 50  Yankees  this  Cam- 
paign, w"^  is  ^20,000  a  head  :  and  at  Bunkers  Hill  she  gained  a  Mile 
of  Ground,  half  of  which  she  has  since  lost  again  \>y  not  taking  Post 
on  Plough'' d  Hill.  During  the  same  Time  60,000  Children  have  been 
born  in  America.  From  these  Data  his  excellent  Mathematical 
Head,  will  easily  calculate  the  Time  &  expence  requisite  to  kill  us 
all  &  conquer  our  whole  Territory. ' ' 

In  another  Letter  he  says — ' '  I  am  not  terrified  by  the  Expence 
of  the  War,  shd  it  continue  ever  so  long. — Suppose  it  was  ;!^  100,000 
a  month  or  ;i^i,2oo,ooo  a  year  :  if  500,000  families  will  each  spend 
6''  a  week  less  &  earn  6'^  a  week  more,  they  may  pay  the  whole 
sum  without  otherwise  feeling  it.  Forbearing  to  drink  Tea  saves 
Three  Fourths  of  the  money  ;  and  400,000  Women  doing  each  3*^ 
worth  of  spinning  or  knitting  in  a  Week  will  pay  the  rest.  How 
much  more  there  may  be  done  by  the  superior  Industry  of  the 
Men?" 

1 1 .  Wallace  fired  3  swivel  shots  at  an  Ofiicer  of  the  Troops  pass- 
ing along  the  Wharf  about  VHP  this  Morng.  One  of  the  shot 
lodged  in  Bakers  House  at  the  Point.     No  material  News. 

1  See  documents   in   R.  I.  Colonial  Records,    vii,  325-26,   332-35,    355,  372, 
392-93- 


634  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

12.  Ivdsdy  A  M.  I  preached  Epli.  v,  1,2.  P  M,  Prov.  xxiii,  17. 
Congreg-^  about  120  or  130  persons.  After  Meet^'  at  IV  I  went 
and  preached  at  Head  Quarters  on  Isai.  xxviii,  5,  6. 

13.  I  sat  out  on  a  journey  with  M"*  Grant'  of  London  for  the  Amer- 
ican Army.  We  arrived  at  Cambridge  16*''  and  17^''.  I  introduced 
her  to  the  Generals  Washington,  Lee,  Putnam,  Heath,  &  Green,  & 
sundr}'  Officers  of  the  first  Distinction.  We  were  received  with  the 
greatest  Humanit}^  and  Politeness.  We  reviewed  the  Lines  at 
Prospect  &  Winter  Hills  ;  then  the  3  Forts  of  the  Central  Division. 
On  18^''  Rode  to  Roxbury,  visited  Gen.  Thomas,  viewed  the  Lines 
of  the  Right  Wing  of  the  Arm3^  19"'  Ldsdy  kept  Sabbath  at 
Milton  &  preached  for  M''  Robbins  Eph.  ii,  8-10.  Returned  to 
Newp'^  Wedn^  Eveng.  22^^  Ins*  liav"  dined  at  Providence  on  our 
Return :"  where  I  viewed  the  new  Baptist  Meef^house.  It  is 
the  most  costly  &  superb  Edifice  of  the  kind  in  New  England. 
It  is  highly  ornamented,  tho'  with  mixt  Architecture  meant  to  be 
after  the  Doric  Order  :  it  has  a  most  lofty  Steeple.  This  Denomin^ 
have  greatly  changed  their  Taste.  Ten  years  ago  they  would  not 
have  suffered  a  Steeple  or  Bell  to  their  Meetinghouses.  At  Wren- 
tham  14*''  Ins*  heard  the  certain  News  of  the  Surrendery  of  S*  Johns 
on  Sorel  River  to  Gen.  Montgomery  3*^  Ins*  November.  The  Express 
reached  Gen.  Wash^  at  Camb.  on  14"'  &  same  day  I  heard  it  at 
Rehoboth  and  Wrentham  :  so  it  came  from  Canada  to  us  in  1 1  days. 

'  See  this  Diary,  Oct.  20,  1772. 

*  Dr.  Stiles's  notes  of  this  journej?  in  his  Itinerary  are  as  follows  : — 
Nov.    13.    At   Bristol    Ferry,    Dinner    ^5.12    and    Ferriage    2.10  =  i    Doll. 
Lodged  at  Warren. 

14.  At  Warren  4/8.  oats  7X''-  Dined  Daggets  4/  of  which  2/  for  Horse- 
shoeing. .   . 

15.  Rain  &  storm. 

16.  At  Wrinthani,  13/9.  Dined  Dedham,  39/,  B"  O.  T.  =  5/ L.  M.  Arrived 
at  Cambridge.     Mrs.  Grant  at  Mrs.  Hale's.     I  at  Gen.  Putnam's, 

17.  Introduced  Mrs.  Grant  to  Gen.  Washington.  Viewed  the  Lines,  &c.  on 
Prospect  Hill,  accompanied  by  Gen  Greene  &  Gen.  Lee.  Viewed  Winter 
Hill.  Dined.  Anrl  viewed  the  Central  Division,  Forts  No.  i,  2,  3.  Visited 
Gen.  Putnam.  In  Even?  Gen.  Putnam  &  Gen.  Gates  came  to  visit  us  & 
spent  the  Event'  with  us. 

18.  Rode  to  Roxb>',  called  at  Gen.  Thomas's.  Viewed  the  Works  accompa- 
nied by  Maj.  Brewer  &c.     Rode  to  Milton. 

19.  Ldsdy.     Preached  for  Mr.  Robbins.     Lodged  at  Mr.  Robbins. 

20.  Brown's  6/.     Dinner,  2/6.     Oats,  &c.  ic'. 

21.  At  Man's,  8/2.     Dined  Prov.  3/9.     Lodged  at  Mr.  Hide's  at  Rehoboth. 

22.  At  Warren,  2^.     Ferry,  Turner's,  2/. 


NOVEMBER    12-24,    1775 


635 


23.  This  day  is  an  annivy  Thanksgiving  in  Mass.  and  Rh.  Isld 
by  Acts  of  their  respective  Assemblies  as  was  last  Thursday 
in  Connecticutt  by  Order  of  that  Assembly.  I  began  by  Read"-' 
Gov.  Cooks  Proclamation  publickly — I  preached  on  Ps.  cvii,  43. 
Attended  M""  Hopkins  Eveng.  Lecture.  He  named  his  Text 
Ps.  116,  12,  &  read  it— but  before  he  had  spoken  a  Word  upon  it 
he  was  taken  with  Nose  Bleeding,  &  sat  down  perhaps  four  or  5 
Minutes.  The  Blood  not  stopping  he  requested  me  to  preach.  I 
took  the  same  Text  &  preached  extemporaneously  without  prep- 
aration. 

24.  At  Wrentham  21''  Ins^  in  Company  with  M''  Goddard  the 
Printer  &  now  Surveyor  General  of  the  Post  office  in  America,  & 
very  much  acquainted  with  the  principal  Characters  of  the  present 
day.  From  his  Mouth  I  took  down  a  summary  Estimate  of  Char- 
acters in  the  Continental  Congress  ;  which  tho'  not  accurate,  yet 
worthy  attention.  Affixed  to  Names  are  the  supposed  Disposi- 
tion &  Vote  on  the  future  Question  of  Independency — &  also  the 
Estates  of  some  Members  expressed  by  so  many  M  or  Thousds 
L.M. 


Georgia                    Estate 

Maryland 

D'-  Zubly  . 

.     against        20  M 

Chase 

.     for,  leads  all  rest  6  M 

Hall 

.     for                10  M 

Paca 

.     for  or  doubtful 

50  M 

.     doubtful 

Halljn"    . 

.     agt 

6M 

Goldsboro' 

.     ag' 

20  M 

S"  Car". 

Tighlman 

•    ag' 

20  M 

Gadsden  . 

.     for          ;^30,ooo 

Stone 

.     for 

5M 

Rutlege  Jn° 

.     for               50  M 

D< 

il.  Counties 

D"      Edw. 

.     for                20  M 

Rodney     . 

.     for 

30  M 

Middleton 

.     dub.     ^300,000 

Read 

•     agt 

10  M 

Lynch 

.     against      100  M 

McKean   . 

.     for  hearty 
Pensylv" 

' 

N"  Carol. 

Dickinson 

.     ag*  timid 

120  M 

Hooper     . 

.     full  for 

Willing     . 

.     ag'  timid 

D" 

Hewes 

.     for               10  M 

D'  Franklin 

.     for 

loM 

Penn 

.     know  not. 

Morris 

•     ag' 

50  M 

Allen 

•     ag' 

20  M 

Virginia 

Humfry    . 

.     uncertain 

15  M 

Peyton  Randolph     .     dead            40  M 

Morton      . 

D" 

SM 

Lee  R  Hen 

.     for  ^500.  p  ann. 

Jersey 

Lee  Fr.  Lghtfoot    .     for 

Kenzy 

•     ag' 

5M 

Wythe 

.     against,    timid 

Crane 

.     for 

5M 

B.  Harrison 

.     ag'                 2  M 

Livingston  W" 

.     for  clear 

6M 

Jeffries 

.     for  strong     8  M 

D  Hart     . 

.     for 

5M 

636 

DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

N  York 

Massach. 

Floyd 

.     for  clear     30  M 

Jn"  Hancock,  President  . 

for     100  M 

Wisner 

.     for  (uncert.) 

Sam.  Adams    . 

for 

Alsop 

P.  V.  B.  Living 

.     ag'               35  M 
ston  .     ag'  timid    40  M 

Jn°  Adams 

Gushing   .... 

for  intirely 
for 

Duaue 

Friend  of  Gov 
Jay    . 

[  ag'            10  M 
.  Tryon   \    '' 

.     ag*  sensible  2  M 

Paj'ne       .... 

N  Hampshire 

for 

Connecticut! 
Sherman  .         .         .     for 

Langdon  .         .         .     for 
Bartlett      .         .         .for 

Dyar 
Dean 

Gov.  Hopkins 
Gov.  Ward 

.     for 
.     for 

Rh.  Isld 

uncert.    for 
.     for  clear 

of  13  United  Colonies 
10  for  Indepy 
3  against  viz  N.  Y. 

13 

Pensy.   and 
Maryld. 

Gen.  Washington  ^220,000  of  w""  30  M.  by  his  Lady  a  Widow  of  Col.  Custor, 
who  left  her  only  son  40  M  more. 

P.  Randolph  left  40  M  to  his  Nephew  Ed.  Randolph  Aid  de  Camp  to  Gen. 
Wash*-'. 

26.  L^dsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Mat.  vii,  11,  &  Published  the 
Banns  of  Marriage  between  Dan'  Phillips  &  Experience  Brown. 
P.M.  Rom.  X,  9,  perhaps  100  persons.  Read^.  Clem.  Alex.  This 
day  came  in  here  the  Swan  Sloop  of  War  Cap*  Ascough  with  2  other 
armed  Vessels  &  a  large  Transport  from  Boston.  There  are  now 
here  the  Rose  &  Glasgow  (twenty  Gun  ships)  a  Bomb  Brig  12  Guns 
&  3  other  armed  Vessels,  besides  those  above — making  Eight  armed 
Vessels  in  all. 

27.  To  day  there  landed  at  the  F'  Isld  I  am  told  about  100 
Marines  &  perhaps  25  Soldiers  from  Ayscough  &c — Also  Canon 
&  Stores  are  unload^'  from  the  Transport.  It  appears  that  the 
Kings  Ships  «&  Forces  are  taking  F*^  Isld  more  absolutely  into 
their  possession,  as  the  only  place  they  can  set  foot  on  this 
Winter.  And  have  bro't  Marines  eno'  to  guard.  But  whether 
this  is  previous  to  more  Troops  com"^  and  tak^  possession  of  this 
Town  &  Isld  is  unknown.  An  Alarm  is  spread  &  the  Troops 
stationed  here  are  instantly  augmenting — there  may  be  3  or  400 
Colony  Forces  here.  I  rather  consider  it,  that  the  Enemy  mean 
only  to  possess  the  Fort.  This  Eveng.  I  married  Tho'  Atwood 
and  Elizabeth  Butts. 

28.  The  Quakers  at  Philad''  have  remonstrated  to  the  Assembly 
there,  again.st  pay'''  Taxes  for  the  War.  This  has  produced  warm 
Remonstrances  from  the  Friends  of  Eiberty.      Pensylv''  Assemb'' 


NOVEMBER   26-28,    1 775  637 

voted  Nov.  9.  Ins*  Instructions  to  their  Delegates  in  Cont.  Congress 
— "Though  the  oppressive  measures  of  the  B.  ParP  &  Adm.  have 
compelled  us  to  resist  their  Violence  by  force  of  Arms,  yet  we 
strictly  enjoyn  that  you  in  behalf  of  this  Colony,  dissent  from.  & 
utterly  reject,  any  propositions,  shd  such  be  made,  that  may  cause, 
or  lead  to,  a  Separation  from  our  Mother  Country,  or  a  Change 
of  the  Form  of  this  Government." 

The  6  Sep'  the  Town  of  Manchester  in  Engld  addressed  the  King 
against  America  [presented  Sep.  13.] — "we  behold  the  Standard  of 
Rebellion  erected  in  some  of  the  Amer.  Provinces  ' ' — as  force  has 
become  neces'"  to  bring  them  to  a  sense  of  their  Allegiance,  we 
think  o'selves  bound  in  duty  to  assist  y'  Majesty  in  the  Ex"  of  the 
legislative  Authority.  We  are  not  intimidated  at  the  Prohib.  laid 
by  the  Amer^  on  the  Exp.  &  Imp.  of  goods  &c  our  extensive  Trade 
happily  floivs  in  so  7nany  different  Chan7iels,  that  the  Obstruction  of  one 
can  but  little  distress,  much  less  deter  us  fr.  o''  Duty  to  o""  King  & 
Country.  But  w'^'ever  Check  o''  Manufactures  ma}^  receive  by  a 
necess^'  War,  we  shall  chearfullj^  submit  to  a  temporary  inconveni- 
ence rather  than  co7iti?i2ie  subject  to  lawless  Depradatio7ts  from  a 
deluded  &  7inhappy  People.'" — Eight  principal  Merch'*'  of  Manches- 
ter in  person  offered  the  King  the  L,oan  of  Six  hundred  Thousd 
Sterl^  towds  the  War  for  subduing  the  American  Rebels.  N.B. 
Manchester  proclaimed  the  Pretender  King  1745 — raised  ;^25ooM 
for  the  Chevalier  &  raised  a  Reg*^  &  joyned  him.  High  Tory 
Jacobites  !  &  now  subscribe  ^600,000  to  harrass  Americans. 

About  21  Aug'  M'  Penn  delivered  a  Copy  of  the  Petition  of  the 
Congress  :  A  few  days  after  the  King  issued  a  proclam^'  of  Rebellion 
&  Sedition.  M""  Penn  was  to  have  presented  it  on  18"'  Aug'  but 
instead  of  that,  he  was  admitted  into  the  Royal  Presence  in  com- 
pany with  Ld  North  &c  &  was  graciously  rec''  the  King  conde- 
scend^  to  enter  into  Convers^'  with  him  on  Amer.  Affairs.  This 
blinded  the  public  with  a  Report  that  the  Petition  had  met  a 
gracious  Reception.  There  was  Court  Manag'  to  get  out  a  Proclam" 
before  the  present^  the  petition.  But  the  King  had  Know,  of  the 
petition  about  a  Week  before  the  Proclamation.  Aug.  18  the  Inter- 
view—21.  the  Copy  delivered  to  the  Min>— 23.  the  King  issues  the 
Proclam^  of  Rebellion  &  Sedition  forbidd-  all  his  European  Subjects 
to  correspond  with  his  American  subjects — Sept.  i.  the  original 
Petition  at  length  prepared  by  M""  Penn  to  (the  Ministry)  I^d  Dart- 
mouth, who  said  no  Answer  would  be  given. 


638  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Gen.  Burgoyne  in  a  Letter  from  Boston  June  25  to  a  noble  Ld 
gives  an  Ace"  of  the  Battle  of  Charlestown,  "  on  17"'  at  dawn  of  day 
we  found  the  Enemy  had  pushed  Entrenchm'-^  w**^  g'  Diligence 
durg.  the  Night  on  the  17*^''  June — How  as  second  in  Command  was 
detatched  with  «<^c»?^/  Tiuo  Thoiisd  Men,  &  landed  &c — He  had  under 
him  B.  Gen.  Pigot ;  Clinton  &  myself  took  our  stand  (for  we  had 
not  any  fixt  post)  in  a  large  Battery  directly  opposite  Chariest" 
— Howes  disposition  was  exceed"  soldier-like  in  my  opin.  it  was 
perfect.  As  his  first  arm  advanced  up  the  Hill,  they  met  with  1000 
Ivipediments  from  strong  fences ,  &  zuere  much  exposed.  They  were 
also  exceedingly  hurt  b}^  Musquetry  fr.  Charlestown  (Lie!)  tho' 
Clinton  &  I  did  not  perceive  it  till  Howe  sent  us  Word  by  a  Boat, 
&  desired  us  to  set  fire  to  the  Town,  which  was  immediately  done; 
we  threw  a  parcel  of  Shells,  &  the  whole  was  instantly  in  flames. 
Our  Batt-'  afterwds  kept  an  incessant  Fire  on  the  Heights  ;  it  was 
seconded  by  a  N°  of  frigates,  float'  Batteries  &  one  ship  of  the  Line. 
And  now  ensued  one  of  the  greatest  Scenes  of  War  that  can  be  con- 
ceived :  if  we  look  to  the  Height,  Howes  Corps  ascend^  the  Hill,  in 
the  face  of  Entrenchments,  &  a  very  disadvantageous  Ground,  ivas 
much  engaged :  to  the  left  the  Enemy  pouring  in  fresh  Troops  by 
Thousands  over  land,  and  in  the  Arm  of  the  sea  our  ships  and 
float^  Batt.  canonad^'  them :  strait  before  us  a  large  &  noble 
Town  in  one  great  Blaze  ;  the  Chh  Steeples  being  of  Timber,  were 
great  Pyramids  of  Fire  above  the  rest ;  behind  us  the  Chh  steeples 
&  Heights  of  our  own  Camp  covered  with  Spectators  of  the  rest  of 
our  Army  ; — the  Hills  round  the  Country  covered  with  Spectators, 
the  Enemy  all  in  anxious  suspence  ;  the  roar  of  Canon,  Mortars  & 
Musquetry,  the  Crush  of  Churches  (N.B.  only  one)  Ships  upon  the 
stocks  &  whole  streets  fall'  together  in  ruins  to  fill  the  Ear  :  the 
storm  of  the  Redoubts,  with  the  objects  above  described  to  fill  the 
Eye,  &  the  Reflexion  that  perhaps  a  Defeat  was  a  final  Loss  of  the 
B.  Emp.  in  America,  to  fill  the  mind,  made  the  whole  a  Picture  &  a 
Complication  of  Horror  and  Importaiice  beyond  any  Thing  that  ever 
came  to  my  Lot  to  be  Witness  of.  I  much  lament  Toms  absence — 
it  was  a  sight  for  a  young  Soldier  that  the  longest  Service  may  not  fur- 
nish again. — A  moment  of  the  day  was  critical,  Hoive's  left  were 
staggered,  t2vo  Battallions  hadh&^w.  sent  to  reinforce  them,  but  we 
perceived  them  on  the  Beach  seem'  in  Embarrasm'  w"^  way  to  march; 
Clinton  then  next  for  Business  took  the  part  without  wait^'  for 
orders  to  throw  himself  into  a  Boat  to  head  them.     He  arrived  in 


NOVEMBER   28,    1775  639 

Time  to  be  of  vService,  the  day  ended  w"'  Glory,  ^S:  the  vSuccess  was 
most  important,  consid-  the  ascend^  it  give  the  regular  Troops  ; 
but  the  I^oss  was  uncommon  in  Officers  for  the  Numbers  engaged." 
Remark  i.  If  the  Reinforcm^  of  2  Batt.  consisted  of  7  or  800 
each,  the  whole  was  between  3  &  4000  as  our  pple  judged.  The 
least  reck«  is  above  3000,  which  Burgoyne  ought  to  have  said  were 
twice  repulsed  by  700  Colonists  only.  2.  The  strong  fences  were 
the  least  Embarrasm'^.  3.  How  large  did  our  Reinforcem'"  appear 
to  the  Eye  of  a  Regular  General,  when  1500  were  multiplied  into 
Thousds?  4.  And  really  does  the  Conquest  of  a  handful  of 
Yankies,  figure  in  his  picturesque  Description  of  military  Horrors, 
as  the  greatest  Action  of  War  Gen.  Burg,  ever  .saw,  or  will  ever 
again  be  seen  in  the  longest  service  ?  It  was  indeed  a  horrible 
scene.  But  it  shews  that  the  Conquest  of  Amer.  is  not  to  be  carried 
without  Horror.  5.  He  glides  over  the  critical  description  of  the 
Action  itself — only  Clinton  was  of  service  and  the  day  ended  in 
Glory,  tho'  there  was  a  moment  of  Anxiety  (  not  expected  in  Lon- 
don) thro'  Danger  of  a  Defeat. 

Acc°  Taking  vS'  Johns  :  Letter  Nov.  3,  1775. 

"I  have  the  pleasure  to  inform  y»  y'  I  had  the  hoii.  of  march-  into  &  tak- 
poss.  of  this  fortress  at  the  Head  &c — about  9  o'Clock  this  morn'-',  when  the 
Garison  consists  of  about  six  hundred  Men  marched  out  and  grounded  their 
Anns  on  the  Plain  &c." 

' '  On  Sat>'  y«  28"'  ult.  the  main  Body  of  the  Army  decamped  from  the  S'  & 
marched  to  the  N"  side  of  the  fort  under  the  Command  of  Gen.  Wooster  :  we 
were  joyned  in  the  Eveng.  by  Gen.  Montgomery,  and  the  same  Night  we  began 
to  throw  up  a  Breast  Work  &c  in  order  to  erect  a  Batt^  of  Canon  &  Mortars. 
This  Batfy  they  kept  constantly  pelting  at  with  Grape  shot  &  shells,  but  with- 
out doing  us  the  least  Injury,  until  Wed^  Morn?  when  we  opened  our  Battery 
C07isis't  of  three  tivelve  &  i  Nine  pounder,  3  Mortars  &  as  many  Cohorns,  w'*" 
which  zve  kept  an  almost  mcessant  Blaze  on  them  great  part  of  the  day  :  &  like- 
wise from  o''  Batty  on  the  E.  side  of  the  River,  w'^  the  Enemy  returned  with  the 
greatest  spirit." — On  2^  Nov.  the  Capitul''  was  signed  &  frid^  3''  we  took 
possession.  On  Mondy  preceed<^  Gen.  Carleton  with  5  or  600  chiefly  Canadians 
&  100  Indians  attacked  Col.  Warner  &  300  of  o''  Troops  about  two  Miles  fr. 
Montreal,  &  was  repulsed  without  Loss  of  one  on  our  side — '' DurO  the  whole 
siege  of  Si  Johns  our  army  has  had  but  Nine  Men  killed  &  4  or  five  wounded. 
I  think  their  preserv"  has  been  almost  miraculous." — "after  a  Siege  ol  forty 
six  Days."  Again  Gen.  MontgomJ'  writes—"  We  take  possession  to  day,  &  to 
morrow  his  Majestys  Troops  set  off  for  Connecticutt,  near  610  Men,  includ" 
several  of  their  Noblesse.  I  shall  not  lose  a  Moment  in  maks  prep"  to  proceed 
to  Montreal,  with  a  fine  Train  of  field  Artillery,  w'=  I  have  ventured  to  borrow 
from  his  Majesty  for  y«  Occasion."— Taken  in  the  fort  17  Brass  Ordnance  of  w-^ 
two  24  pounders,  2  Eight  Inch  brass  Howitzers,  22  Iron  Ordnance  &c. 


640  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

29.  The  ships  in  Virginia  attempted  to  fire  the  T'  of  Hampton , 
&  on  2''  Ins'  was  a  Battle  there,  50  of  the  Enemy  killed  and  taken. 
So  that  Conflagr''  seems  destined  for  the  seaports  thro'  the  Conti- 
nent. The  Cont.  Congress  have  advised  New  Hamp.  to  assume 
civil  Government — same  advice  to  S"  Carolina. 

The  Cont.  Congress  June  22.  ult.  resolved  to  emit  3  Million  of 
Dollars.  Resolved.  ' '  That  the  hoclve  confederated  Colonies  be 
pledged  for  the  Redemption  of  the  Bills  of  Credit  now  directed  to 
be  emitted  for  the  Defence  of  America."  The  proport.  for  the 
Credit  of  each  Colony  "  accord^  to  the  N°  of  Inhab.  of  all  ages, 
includ-  Negroes  &  Molattoes  in  each  Colony."      For  the  present 


N.  Hampshire 

1 24, 069  >^ 

Dollars 

Pensylv" 

372, 208 >^  Dollars 

Mass.  Bay. 

434,244 

Delaware. 

37,219;^ 

Rd.  Isld. 

71,959/^ 

Maryld. 

3io,i7i>^ 

Connect. 

248,139 

Virginia. 

496,278 

N  York. 

248,139 

N"  Car" 

248,139 

N.  Jersey. 

161,290}^ 

8°  Car" 

248, 139 

30.  Six  Deserters  came  ashore  from  the  ships  last  night.  Also 
two  officers  coming  ashore  last  Night  &c  were  apprehended  & 
carried  to  Head  Quarters — one  of  them  M*"  Stanhope  a  second  Lieu- 
tenant on  board  the  Man  o'  War.  This  day  we  hear 
that  we  are  in  possession  of  Montreal,  Gen.  Carleton  having  aban- 
doned it.  By  a  Letter  dated  at  N  Haven  21''  Ins'  I  find  the  Commit- 
tee of  West  Chester  near  N  York  disciplined  some  Tories.  On  this 
Occasion  300  Tories  arose  in  arms  there — &  100  Whigs  took  Arms. 
Both  Parties  kept  Centries  the  Night — while  the  Whigs  sent  to  the 
neighb^'  Towns  in  York  Gov'  &  Connect.  &  as.sembled  about  Two 
Thousd  Men  in  Arms  at  West  Chester.  The  Whigs  disarmed  the 
Tories  who  dispersed  w^'out  firing  a  Gun  on  either  side.  This 
about  8  or  10"'  Nov.  Instant. 

December 

1.  A  Kings  Transport  taken  &  brot  into  C.  Ann  loaded  with 
Artillery,  Small  Arms  &  military  Stores. 

2.  On  12  ult.  Gen.  Carleton  evacuated  Montreal,  &  our  Forces 
took  possession  on  13"^.  Carleton  embarked  with  100  Regulars  &c 
for  Quebec — where  Col.  Arnold  is  arrived  &  at  Point  Levy.  By  a 
Tory  from  Boston  14"'  ult.  via  ships,  we'  are  informed  that  Gen. 
Burgojme  is  going  for  Engld  to  represent  that  America  is  lost  to  G. 
Brit,  if  the  War  proceeds. 


NOVEMBER    29-DECEMBER    9,    1775  641 

3.  Ivdsdy.  I    preached   all   day    on   Jer.    xxxii,  37-42 
Read'g  Grotius'  Truth  of  the  Xtian  Religion. 

4.  The  28"'  lilt,  we  took  a  Transport  &  brot  her  into  C.  Ann, 
loaded  with  2500  Stand  of  Arms  &  Cloth-  for  three  Thousd  Men,  6 
field  Pieces,  .&  30  Ton  of  Cartridges.  Providential  !  Value  ^30,000 
sterP'. 

5.  On  the  i^'  of  Nov.  the  Kings  vShips  canonaded  Jamest"  in 
Virginia — &  on  2"*  they  canonaded  Hampton  in  Virginia,  ir  Church 
is  removed  to  Norwich  Goal  in  Connecticutt.  On  Oct'  5,  tlie  Town 
of  Chariest"  S"  Car"  evacuated.  The  12^'^  Nov.  were  in  Boston  &c 
the  follow^  Kings  Ships  of  War  : 

Guns  Guns 


Boyne 

70          Scimita 

ir 

14 

Phoenix 

40 

Cruiser 

8 

Preston 

50           George 

10 

Lively 

20 

3  Tenders 

4  apiece 

Scarboro' 

'     20           Spitfire 

8 

Emp.  Russia 

20 

Schooner 

4 

Viper 

10           Raven 

16 

Scooner  Hope 
AT  Halifax 

;  6 

Somerset 

60 

Nautihis 

14 

Fowey 

40 

Canso 

14 

Adventure 

20 

Falcon 

14 

Tamer 

18  N° 

Car°     Kingfisher 

14 

Virginia 

In 

Newp*  are  two  20  G. 

.  Ships 

In  N  York— Asia 

2  perhaps  10 

" 

About  30 

Vessels — Navy  in 

America. 

several  Tenders 

6.  More  Captures  by  the  Privateers.  This  Eveng.  Chh  Meet^ 
at  B''  Carys,  I  preached  on  Jn"  xiv,  23. 

7.  Not  long  since  a  large  Transport  Ship,  just  arriving  from 
Engld  at  C.  Ann,  was  struck  with  Lightning,  &  burnt  &  sunk. 
In  Sept.  last  about  4000  pple  perished  in  the  Vessels  at  &  about 
Newfoundland  in  a  Storm.  They  were  enlisting  them  for  the 
Ministerial  Army  at  Boston.  A  wonderful  providential  Disappoint- 
ment of  our  Enemies  ! 

9.  We  have  a  report  that  Quebec  is  in  our  Hands.  About  one 
o'clock  this  Aft.  a  small  open  Boat  was  coming  into  this  Harbor  : 
the  Glasgow  20  Gun  ship  Cap'  Howe  fired  several  shot  at  her  ;  but 
she  refused  to  bring  too.  They  manned  out  a  Barge — the  men  in 
the  Boat  had  small  arms  &  fired  three  Guns  into  her,  and  kept  on 
their  Way.  Cap'  How  thereupon  fired  several  shot  at  her  but  in 
such  a  Range  that  they  came  into  T"  &  struck.  I  was  standing 
on  a  Wharf,  when  a  Nine  pound  shot  came  &  struck  the  Stores 
41 


642  DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 

just  North  of  me.  As  I  turned  about  to  come  off  the  Wharf, 
there  came  two  shot,  one  a  Nine  pounder  within  a  few  feet  of 
me,  &  passed  a  few  feet  right  over  the  heads  of  about  20  Men 
stand-  on  the  next  Wharf,  &  struck  &  went  thro'  the  adjoyn- 
Stores  into  the  contiguous  houses,  &  another  lesser  Ball  struck 
&  fell  in  the  Dock  next  the  Wharfe  where  I  stood,  &  within  a 
few  feet  of  me.  But  thro'  a  merciful  &  gracious  Providence  we 
all  escaped  untoutched — nor  was  any  killed  or  wounded.  Triuni 
Deo  Laudes  !     Divine  Protection. 

10.  This  jMorng.  we  were  awaked  with  the  Conflagration  of 
Jamest"  on  Conanicott.  An  awful  Sight  !  The  Bomb  Brigg  & 
several  Tenders  full  of  Marines  went  over  last  Night,  &  about  V 
o'clock  or  a  little  before  day  landed  and  set  fire  to  the  Houses. 
The  men  continued  ravaging  &  firing  till  about  Noon  &  returned. 
I  preached  A  M.  on  Lam.  iii,  40.  P  M.  Luke  xxii,  28,  29,  and 
baptized  Bethia  Billings  Daughter  of  M''  Clarke. 

This  is  ni}^  Birth-day — I  am  thro'  the  Patience  of  Gd  this  day  48 
3'ears  old.  The  last  year  has  been  filled  with  Afiiiction  »&  Sorrow  : 
Gd  by  his  great  Grace  has  hitherto  carried  me  thro'  my  Trials,  & 
I  hope  in  some  degree  sanctified  them.  It  is  a  World  of  Sorrow 
&  Tribulation.  But  why  slid  a  liv»  Man  complain  for  the  Punish' 
of  his  Sins  ? 

11.  "  Abovit  I  o'clock  yest^'  morng  a  Bomb  Brig,  i  schooner  &  2 
or  3  armed  sloops  went  to  Conanicott  &  landed  upwards  of  Two 
hundred  Marines  Sailors  &  Negroes  at  the  E  Ferry  ;  and  marched 
in  3  Divisions  over  to  the  W.  Ferry,  &  set  the  vSeveral  houses  on 
fire  there,  then  retreated  back  sett^  fire  to  almost  every  house  on 
each  side  of  the  road,  &  several  Houses  &  Barns  some  dist '  on  the 
N  &  S  side  of  the  Rode,  driving  out  Women  &  Children  &c." 

Houses  Burnt  &  Lost 


Wid°  Hull 

I 

house 

Jos   Clarke  Esq 

2 

&  I  Barn 

Tho»  Fowler 

I. 

I. 

I  Crib 

Ben.  Ellery 

2. 

I. 

I  Store 

Benj.  Remington 

2. 

0 

Jn"  Gardner 

2 

&  1  Tanyard 

Gov.  Hutchinson 

I 

W   Franklin 

2 

Abel       D" 

I 

Bend'  Robinson 

I 

15 

Dwellfc'' 

DECEMBER    10-15,    1775  643 

A  Comp'  of  Minute  Men  had  left  Conan'  the  Aft.  l)efore  so  that 
there  were  but  40  or  50  soldiers  on  the  Isld,  of  w'  22  were  well 
equipped.  At  the  Cross  Rodes  there  was  a  Skirmi.sh  our  pple 
killed  one  Officer  of  Marines  &  wounded  7  or  8.  Not  one  Colonist 
was  killed  or  hurt  in  the  Skirmish.  The  Kings  forces  fired  on  M' 
Jn"  Martin  set  80  stand-  unarmed  at  his  Door  &  wounded  him 
badly.  M'  Fowler  had  above  30  Head  Cattle  :  these  the  Regulars 
carried  off  &  perhaps  a  dozen  Head  more,  about  30  Sheep  &  as 
manj'  Turkeys,  &  some  Hogs,  Beds  Furniture  &  other  plunder. 
They  returned  on  board  at  X  &  XI  o' Clock  &  came  to  this  Harbor 
about  Noon. 

The  Alarm  spread,  &  I  am  told  there  are  this  day  Three  hun- 
dred Men  on  Conanicutt,  &  Eight  hundred  upon  this  Island.  The 
T"  in  great  Consternation. 

12.  People  remov-  &  filled  with  Expect-'  that  the  present  Con- 
flict will  bring  on  the  Burning  of  the  Town  of  Newport  also. 

13.  Removed  the  Ecc.  Library  out  of  my  House.  Town- Meet- 
ing to  see  if  we  shall  supply  Wallace.  The  Town  generally  for 
supplying  him  notwithst-  his  Barbarit}^  in  Burning  Conanicott. 
Wallace  told  one  of  his  Prisoners,  that  he  should  soon  serve  Newp' 
as  he  had  done  Conanicott — and  that  he  had  assurance  that  upon 
his  Eand-  200  he  should  be  joined  by  250  of  the  Inhab.  of  New- 
port, which  would  instantly  joyn  him  upon  his  Landing. 

14.  Town  Meeting — sent  a  Committee  &  settled  with  Wallace  & 
agreed  to  supply  him.  Just  at  Night  Orders  came  from  the  Com- 
mittee of  Safety,  refusing  to  permit  Wallace  to  be  supplied  &  for- 
bidd'  all  Communication  with  him.  Instantly  another  T"  Meet- 
assembled  &  sat  till  IX  o'clock  in  Even'?.  In  the  present  Destress 
they  voted  a  Committee  of  25  to  set  of  to  Morrow  Morn-  for  Provi- 
dence to  petition  the  Committee  of  Safety  to  revoke  their  Order  ;  & 
nominated  me  for  one  of  the  Committee — but  I  declined  it.  The 
Committee  a  Mixture  of  Tories  &c.  I  have  Reason  to  believe  that 
the  Tories  are  inveigling  the  lower  sort  of  pple  with  Ministerial 
Monies  to  take  up  Arms  on  pretence  of  defend'  their  property,  & 
mak'  them  believe  that  it  is  the  aim  of  Providence  to  destroy  New- 
port. I  think  it  necessary  to  undeceive  them  by  a  Reference  to  the 
Continental  Congress. 

15.  On  ace"  of  the  public  danger  I  lodged  this  Diary  out  of  my 
house,  &  made  daily  Entries  upon  a  loose  paper— which  now  Jany. 
23,  1776  I  transcribe  here.     I  baptized  Elizabeth  Kennicott  in  her 


644  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Chamber,  confined  there  bj'  a  Consumption  :  present  Sister  Bennet 
&  Sister  Doubleday.  The  Committee  of  25  went  off  this  Morn- 
accompanied  with  Miss  Molly  Callender  a  Quakeress,  who  is 
moved  by  the  Spirit  to  intercede  for  the  Safety  of  Newport.  Wal- 
lace promises  that  he  will  wait  for  the  Return  of  the  Committee  ; 
and  Expresses  his  Desire  to  save  the  Town. 

16.  The  infamous  Cap^  Wallace  at  X  A.M.  sent  one  Brig  & 
2  Tenders  &  landed  Marines  on  Brentons  Point  to  take  off  hay 
as  they  have  13  head  of  Cattle  starving.  Two  Comp^  marched 
from  Head  Qu'"''  down  the  Neck  &  joyned  Cap'  Bartons  Comp"' 
there — in  all  about  120  men,  to  oppose  the  Landing.  The  Brig 
fired — the  Marines  &  sailors  had  got  to  the  Stacks — our  soldiers 
fired  on  them,  &  they  instantly  quitted,  left  the  Ha}^  &  fled  on 
board  ship. 

17.  Ldsdy  A  M.  I  preached  on  Jer.  xliv,  10.  P  M.  2  Thes.  ii, 
15-17,  present  100  persons  :  propounded  Bess,  Negro  Servant  of 
Wm.  Stevens.  The  Men  o'War  at  Noon  sailed  northward  in 
hostile  manner. 

18.  Men  o'  War  took  off  hay  from  Dyers  Isld,  burnt  some,  & 
killed  two  horses.     Our  pple  burnt  2  stacks  Oats  at  Hog  Island. 

19.  Newp*  in  Destress — Removal  again. 

21.  Very  cold — Therm.  7^  above  o,  this  Morning.  Yesterda3^ 
News  fr.  G.  Wash,  that  Transports  with  about  1000  Troops  & 
three  Comp^  of  Horse  sailed  from  Boston  for  somewhere.  This 
day  2  Comp''  of  Minute  Men  arrived  here  «&  more  are  coming.  In 
course  of  last  Week  five  thous''  Minute  Men  (3000  Mass. — 2000 
N  Hamp.)  joj^ned  the  Army  at  Cambridge  ;  called  in  on  the  Con- 
necticutt  Men  leaving  the  Army  in  Disgust.  Two  French  Gentle- 
men from  W.  Indies  landed  at  Dartm"  a  week  or  2  since  &  went  to 
G.  Washington.  This  Week  they  returned  to  Providence,  re- 
commended by  G.  Wash^'  to  Gov.  Cooke  to  be  sent  forward  to  Gov. 
Trumbull,  &  so  without  Expence  or  Delay  to  be  forwarded  to  the 
Cont.  Congress.  A  Report  that  Orders  are  sent  to  the  Eng.  W. 
Ind.  to  seize  all  N''  Amer.  Vessels  there.  Ld  Dunmore  issued  a 
Proclam''  at  Norfolk  in  Virginia  the  begin-  of  Nov.  inviting  all 
Whites  &  Negroes  to  the  Kings  Standard — had  enlisted  1200  Men. 

22.  Therm.  9.  It  is  said  that  Gen  Eee  is  at  Providence  on  his 
Way  hither — and  that  the  fleet  is  expected  here.  Reading  Madam 
du  Bocage's  Travels  in  Engld  &  Holland  A  D  1750  &  Italy  1757. 
She  is  a  Member  of  the  Academies  of  Padua,    Bologna,    Rome, 


DECEMBER    16-25,    1775  645 

Lions.     Last  Eveng.  I  married  Daniel  Phillijis  &  Experience  lirown 
jun. 

23.  Ther.  15.  I  saw  Major  Sherbiirn  from  the  Camp.  He  says 
Gen.  Eee  dined  at  Provid.  yesterda3%  &  was  to  dine  at  Gov.  Hrad- 
fords  at  Bristol  to  day — coming  with  75  Men.  The  Koyne  .sailed 
for  London  16'"  Ins^  &  Gen.  Bnrgoyn  went  in  her.  A  Packet  of 
Dunmores  interrupted  by  Privateers— his  Letters  inform  that  he 
has  associated  3000  at  Norfolk  &  sends  for  a  Reg'.  Latest  News 
from  Canada  dated  20  Nov.  when  Col.  Arnold  had  been  repulsed 
at  Quebec  &  retired  to  wait  for  Gen.  Montgom^'. 

24.  Ldsday.  Therm.  32.  A  M.  I  preached  on  Micali  vii,  9. 
P  M.  Ps.  36,  ID.     Stormy,  Snow,  Rain. 

25.  Xtmas.  I  went  to  Chh  &  heard  M""  Bisset  on  Dent.  A 
prophet  shall  &c  rise  &c.  At  II"  P.M.  Gen.  Lee  arrived  in  Town 
boldly,  accompanied  with  his  Men  armed  :  tho'  Wallace  declared 
he  would  fire  if  any  Troops  came  in  armed.  He  put  up  at  Layton's 
next  the  Court-House.  On  the  Parade  G.  Lee  declared  his  Advice 
for  all  to  remove  out  of  T°  in  ten  days.  The  Town  Council  sent  a 
Committee  of  seven  to  wait  on  him  four  Tories  &  3  Sons  of  Liberty, 
viz  Mess"  Bennot,  Peas,  Maudsly  Tories — &  Mess" 
Collins,  Ellery,  &  John  Wanton — offering  him  all  the  Assistance  in 
their  power.     But  hypocritically. 

On  31'^  Oct.  Ld  Dunmore  with  350  repelled  200  Colonists  near 
Norfolk.  On  i^'  Nov''  Canonade  of  Jamest"  Virginia  by  the  Kings 
ships.  Nov.  2.  Canonade  of  Hampton.  At  this  Time  Ld  Dun- 
more  erected  the  Kings  Standard  at  Norfolk  and  on  Nov.  7.  issued 
a  Proclam-'  command'  all  to  repair  to  it  &  abjure  Congresses  & 
sware  Allegiance  to  the  King — also  offering  Freedom  to  all  in- 
dented Servants,  Negroes  &c  if  they  would  come  in  &  take  up 
Arms  against  America.  By  2  Dec.  he  had  recruited  his  Army  in 
the  2  Counties  of  Norfolk  &  Princess  Anne  to  2000,  include  a 
Black  Regiment  with  the  Inscription  on  their  Breasts  Liberty  to 
Slaves.  A  Camp  of  Colonists  is  formed  near  Norfolk  Nov.  25 
under  Col.  Woodford.  Col.  Scott  had  marched  within  7  Miles  of 
the  Great  Bridge.  The  Committee  of  Safety  of  N"  Carolina  have 
offered  their  Troops  to  Col  Woodford  :  they  were  at  Currituck 
within  one  days  March  of  the  G.  Bridge,  where  Ld  Dunmore  has 
a  Stockade  Fort  garisoned  with  Tories  &  Negroes. 

Gen.  Montgom^^  Letter  from  Montreal  17  Nov.  covers  one  to 
G.   Wash.   fr.   Col.   Arnold  dated  S^   Maria   2>^    Leagues  from  P' 


646  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

Levi  Nov.  S.  He  says  he  got  there  safe  with  about  Two  Thirds  of 
his  Detatchm',  arrived  &  within  2  days  March;  most  of  them  in 
good  Health  &  high  Spirits  after  a  fatiguing  March.  "The  other 
Part  with  Col.  Enos  returned  from  Dead  River  contrary  to  viy  Ex- 
pectation he  hav^  Orders  to  send  back  only  the  sick  &  those  that 
could  not  be  furnished  with  Provision."  In  a  P  S.  of  14*''  he 
mentions  just  hearing  of  the  Taking  of  S*^  Johns.  So  the  News  12 
days  in  passing. — "  A  Frigate  of  26  Guns  &  2  Transports  with 
150  Recruits  arrived  at  Quebec  "  5'"  Nov.  from  S' Johns  near  New- 
foundld  ;  which  with  the  Inhabitants  persuaded  or  compelled  to 
take  up  Arms  amount  to  about  three  hundred  Men,  says  Col. 
Arnold.  G.  Mont^  says — "Col  Easton  has  six  Guns  mounted  on 
shore  at  Sotel  River  &  2  Row  Gallies.  M'  Carleton  with  his 
Eleven  Sail  has  not  yet  been  able  to  pass  him  by.  Indeed  Col. 
Easton  has  obliged  him  twice  to  weigh  Anchor  &  remove  higher 
up  the  River." 

This  Eveng.  (25'''  Dec.)  Gen.  Lee  called  &  bro't  before  him 
Eight  Tories,  viz  Col.  Jos.  Wanton  formerly  D.  Gov.  of  this  Colony, 
Rev.  M'  Bisset  the  Chh  Minister,  D'"  Hunter,  Mess''  Lechmere, 
Beal,  Nicols  &  Son  of  the  Customhouse,  &  M'  Jn"  Bours' — and 
proposed  to  them  an  Oath  purporting  their  Renunciation  of  Torj'^ 
Principles,  Fidelity  to  the  American  Cause,  &  that  they  would  be 
ready  to  take  Arms  in  its  Defence  wdien  called  upon  by  Authority 
from  the  Continental  Congress.  He  exempted  M''  Bisset  as  a  Cler- 
gyman, &  D'  Hvmter  as  a  phj^sician,  from  the  part  respect^'  Taking 
Arms.  All  took  the  enjoyned  Oath,  subscribed  it  &  were  dis- 
missed, except  Mess"^^  Wanton,  Beal,  &  Eechmere,  who  were  allowed 
while  Morn^'  to  consider  of  it. 

26.  This  Morn-  Mess"  Beal,  Wanton  &  Eechmere  still  refusing 
the  Oath  were  taken  into  Custody  :  and  this  Aft.  were  sent  off 
under  Guard  to  Head  Quarters.  Gen.  Lee  dined  with  Jn"  Collins 
Esq,  viewed  the  Town  and  examined  proper  places  for  erecting 
fortifications.  E'  Col.  Putnam"  an  Engineer  from  the  Army  was 
with  him.  The  General's  Presence  here  strikes  Awe  through  the 
Tories.     They  are  as  obsequious  &  submissive  as  possible.     They 

'  For  Col.  Wanton,  see  this  Diarj',  March  19,  1770.  For  Dr.  Hunter,  see  be- 
low, Feb.  9,  1777.  For  Nicholas  Lechmere,  see  Sabine's  American  Loyalists, 
ii,  S  ;  he  and  Richard  Beale  and  John  Nichol  were  all  Customs  officers.  For 
John  Bours  see  above,  April  24,  1775. 

*  Rufus  Putnam,  distinguished  at  a  later  date  as  the  founder  of  ]\Iarietta, 
Ohio. 


DECEMRKR    26-31,    1775  647 

wait  upon  him  &  invite  him  to  dine.  Cap^  And"'  Christie  was  this 
Afternoon  detected  in  communicat"'  Intelligence  to  the  Men  o'War 
&  was  taken  into  Custody. 

27.  This  Morn-  Christie  was  sent  off  under  Guard.  And  also 
Mess"  Wanton,  Beal  &  Lechmere— set  off  from  Head  Quarters 
under  Guard  for  Providence  &  the  Camp.  The  Rifle-Men  give 
great  Alarm  to  the  Men  o'War.  A  Tory  fled  on  board.  At  XT' 
A  M.  Gen.  Lee  &  his  Retinue  left  the  Town  and  set  out  for  Cam- 
bridge, after  signifying  that  he  shd  return  &  that  two  Regiments 
might  come  hither  from  the  Camp  to  commence  operations  in 
earnest. 

28.  This  Morn-  the  Men  o'War  drew  off  in  a  panic  (not  knowing 
that  Lee  was  gone)  &  removed  at  a  Distance  from  the  Wharves. 
He  dreaded  the  Rifle  Men,  &  feared  least  the  ships  from  Philad' 
were  to  meet  Lee  here.  To  day  News  of  Ld  Dunmores  Defeat  at 
Norfolk  in  Virginia.     Doubtful. 

29.  Wrote  Letters  to  D'  Franklin  &  D'  Zubly  at  the  Congress  in 
Philadelphia.  This  day  an  Express  sent  off  to  the  Congress  with 
Letters  from  the  T"  of  Newport  on  the  subject  of  further  supplying 
Wallace.  Christie  was  carried  to  Providence  &  dismissed  & 
returned.     Crossen'  took  up  Dec.  30. 

31.  Ldsdy  A  M.  I  preached  on  Acts  xiii,  22.  P  M.  i  Cor.  i,  18. 
I  admitted  to  full  Communion  Bess  a  Negro  servant  of  W"'  Stevens 
&  baptized  her,  &  also  Peleg  son  of  Geo.  Clark  &  Bridget  his 
Wife,  &  notified  the  Lords  Supper  &  sacramental  Lecture.  Read- 
ing Grotius  de  Veritate  X"*  Religionis.  Last  night  Crossen 
escaped  the  Guards.  It  is  said  that  Col.  Wanton  &c  are  likely  to  be 
dismissed  as  ready  to  comply  with  the  Oath  at  Providence. 

There  have  died  in  Newport  196,  the  year  past  ;  and  among  the 
rest,  my  dear  Wife.  This  year  has  been  the  most  afflictive  &  des- 
tressing  year  of  my  Life.  May  God  sanctify  all  the  afflictive  Dis- 
pensations &  Visitations  of  his  holy  Providence  to  me  especially 
the  Death  of  my  Wife,  the  Breaking  up  &  Dispersion  of  my  Chh 
&  Congregation,  and  the  present  civil  War. 

There  have  been  near  Twenty  Thousand  Men  of  the  Colonists 
in  Arms  for  the  Defence  of  their  Country  since  April  last.  Four 
Thousd  in  S°  Carolina  :  3000  in  N"  Car"  &  Virginia  :  1000  in  Jer- 
sies:  4000  in  Ticonderoga  &  into  Canada;  23,000  in  N  Engld  ; 
besides  about  5000  Minute  Men  called  into  Roxb-'  in  Dec.  and 
1  William  Crossing,  a  notorious  robber  and  criminal  of  Newport. 


648  DIARY    OF   EZRA    STILES 

about  1500  Minute  Men  &  Volunteers  assembled  repeatedly  in  & 
about  Newport.  Thus  there  have  been  40  Thousd  actually  em- 
ployed this  year. 

1776. 

[The  present  Civil  War  has  rendered  Paper  so  scarce,  that  I  could 
not  get  a  Blank  Book  till  the  latter  end  of  Febry.  And  now  I  tran- 
scribe the  minutes  I  made  on  loose  sheets  of  a  very  coarse  paper  : 
at  least  some  of  the  principal  ones.  And  I  should  have  made  more 
copious  Extracts  at  the  Time,  but  that  I  was  daily  expecting  that  I 
should  find  paper.] 

Janry. 

1.  Ld  Dunmore  Governor  of  Virginia  has  entrenched  himself 
at  Norfolk  in  Virginia  ;  where  he  has  erected  the  Kings  Standard, 
inviting  all  to  repair  to  it,  promising  protection,  &  declar'g  all  in 
Rebellion  who  refuse  to  joyn  him  &  renounce  Congresses  &  take  the 
Oath  of  Allegiance,  and  promising  Freedom  to  the  Negroes.  He 
has  perhaps  150  Regulars,  a  Battalion  of  Negroes,  and  others  chiefl}?' 
Scotch  Tories,  with  which  Norfolk  abounds,  forming  a  body  of 
perhps  1 200  or  more  ;  having  b}^  his  Influence  prepared  a  Body  of 
three  Thousand  in  that  Vicinity  ready  to  take  Arms  against  their 
Country.  Col.  Woodford,  Commander  of  the  Virginia  Forces  in 
that  part,  has  encamped  and  entrenched  &  joyned  with  a  body  from 
N"  Carolina.  After  several  Skirmishes,  there  was  a  considerable 
Action  on  the  9th  of  Dec.  last,  when  about  500  came  out  of  the 
Borough  of  Norfolk,  &  attacked  Col.  Woodford's  Lines  but  were 
repulsed  with  the  loss  of  Capt.  Fordyce  &  twelve  Privates  slain,  & 
Lt.  Bettit  &  17  privates  taken,  all  wounded.  The  rest  retreated 
under  cover  of  their  Canon  from  the  fort  &  were  allowed  to  return 
&  collect  their  dead  &  wounded  supposed  to  be  about  fift3\  During 
the  whole  action.  Thanks  be  to  God,  we  did  not  loose  a  single  man 
&  onl}-  one  was  slightly  wounded  in  the  hand. 

At  Wilmington,  N°  Car",  about  12*''  Nov.  arrived  a  ship  from 
Scotland  with  Highlanders  supposed  to  be  Soldiers.  The  Inhabi- 
tants immed^  took  Measures  to  prevent  their  Landing,  markt  out  a 
Camp,  &  400  Provincials  immed-'  took  post  there.  On  i  Dec.  500 
Provincials  were  to  encamp  at  Newbern,  No.  Carolina.  So  several 
Encampm"^"  at  the  southward. 

2.  This  morng  before  day  &  about  V  o' Clock,  some  of  our  Troops 
went  over  to  F'ort  Isld,  lately  evacuated  by  Wallace's  men,  set  fire 


JANUARY    1-3,    1776  649 

to  the  Baracks  &  Tn-house.  This  Afternoon  a  \'essel  loaded  with 
Goods  &  Families,  about  30  persons,  having  a  permit  from  Wallace, 
sailed  for  Providence.  But  Wallace  brot  them  too  &  detained  them 
all  Night.  This  day  some  of  the  ships  fired  upon  Conanicot — also 
sent  ashore  at  the  fort  and  extinguished  one  of  the  Baracks. 

Mr.  Belcher  Colonel  of  tlieRh.  Isld  Regim't  of  Militia  issued  war- 
rants 20  ult.  for  drafting  one  Qu''  for  Minute  Men.  The  Point 
Captain  told  me  this  Evng.  that  his  Comp'^  used  to  be  360  Men  on 
the  List ;  now^  on  Inquiry  he  found  but  30  left.  So  great  is  the 
Evacuation  of  the  Town.  I  judge  more  than  three  Qu""^  of  the  In- 
habitants are  removed.  If  so  of  9200  .souls  in  Town  last  year  are 
not  above  2500  left. 

3.  The  following  Inscription  was  made  out  three  years  ago  on 
the  Canon  near  which  the  ashes  of  Presd'^^Bradshaw  were  lodged , 
on  the  top  of  a  high  Hill  near  Martha  Bray"  in'Jamaica,  to  avoid 
the  Rage  agt.  the  Regicides  exhibited  at  the  Restoration. 

Stranger 

Ere  thou  pass  contemplate  this  Canon 

Nor  regardless  be  told 

That  near  its  Base  lies  deposited  the  Dust  of 

JOHN  BRADSHAW, 

Who  nobly  superior  to  all  sel6sh  Regards 

Despising  alike  the  Pageantry  of  Court  Splendor, 

The  Blast  of  Calumny  &  the  Terrors  of  royal  \'engeance, 

Presided  in  the  illustrious  Band  of  Heroes  and  Patriots, 

Who  fairly  and  openly  adjudged 

CHARLES  STEWART, 

Tyrant  of  England, 

To  a  public  and  exemplary  Death  : 

Thereby  Presenting  to  the  amazed  World, 

And  transmitting  down  thro'  applauding  ages 

The  most  glorious  Example 

of  unshaken  Virtue,  Love  of  Freedom  and 

Impartial  Justice, 
Ever  exhibited  on  the  blood-stained  Theatre 
of  human  Action. 
O  Reader 
Pass  not  till  thou  hast  blessed  his'IMemory, 
And  never — never  forget 
THAT  REBELLION  TO  TYRANNY 
IS  OBEDIENCE  TO  GOD. 
'  Martha  Brae,  a  town  on  the  northern  coast  of  Jamaica.     This  epitaph  first  ap- 
peared in  the  Pennsylvania  Evening  Post  for  Dec.  14,  1775.  and  is  supposed  to 
have  been  the  composition  of  Dr.  Franklin.     See  H.  P.  Arnold's  Historic Side- 
Lights  {iS()()),  pp.  238-48. 


650  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

To  day  Capt.  Wallace  gives  out  that  he  shall  observe  no  more 
Truces  vi'ith  this  Town,  as  he  finds,  it  is  not  in  the  power  of  the  In- 
hab.  to  keep  them.  This  Evg  Chh.  Meetg.  at  Sister  Channings.  I 
preached  on  Rom.  iii,   22-25. 

4.  On  12^''  Dec.  last  died  the  Rev.  Samuel  Dorrance  of  Vol  un- 
to wn  in  Connecticutt,  set.  89,  haviuQ  been  50  j^ears  Pastor  of  the 
Chh  in  Voluntown.  He  was  born  in  Ireld  &  educated  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Glasgow  (I  think)  and  was  Tutor  to  a  Noblemans  son. 
About  1720,  or  1725,  became  over  here  with  a  number  of  settlers, 
from  Ireld.  and  pitched  down  at  Voluntown  then  a  Wilderness.  He 
gathered  &  constructed  his  chh  Presbyterian  accordg.  to  the  Kirk 
of  Scotland  : — but  English  settlers  being  admitted  Communicants, 
the}'  in  a  course  of  years  increas'g  were  more  affected  toward  Con- 
gregationalism. This  with  New  Eight  wro't  some  Disturbance  in 
the  Ch'li.  But  Mr.  Dorrance  was  a  steady  man,  sound  &  ortho- 
dox  in  Principles,  of  exemplar}^  Holiness  &  left  a  good  Character. 

5.  Went  up  with  Col.  Dayton  to  Head- Quarters  and  waited  upon 
Brig^  Gen.  West  latel}'  appointed  by  this  Gov't,  to  the  Command 
"here,  &  obtained  Eibert}^  for  Mr.  Daj^ton  to  send  on  board  Wallace 
to  soUicit  the  Release  of  his  Son.'  The  Soldiers  are  diligently  at 
Work  on  the  Eines  laid  out  at  Mr.  Dudlys  house  b}'  Col.  Putnam 
brought  up  from  Cambridge  b}^  Gen.  Eee.  Wallace  has  sent  another 
haught}' threatn'g  Message  on  shore.  This  Aft.  was  my  sacramen- 
tal lecture.     I  preached  on  Jno.  xxi,  17. 

6.  East  Saturday-  Adm.  Shuldham  arrived  at  Boston  to  super- 
sede Adm.  Graves.  With  him  came  seven  Transports  without 
Troops.  It  is  said  Gen.  Burgoyne  sailed  for  Engld  16  Dec.  in  the 
Tamar. 

The  2  following  letters  have  made  noise  in  America  and  Engld. 
as  containing  an  Avowal  of  Independency  &c  by  Mr.  John  Adams,  of 
the  Continental  Congress.  They  were  last  Summer  intercepted  b}- 
the  Men  o'W^ar  at  Newport  and  are  in  the  Eondon  prints. 

"  Phii.ada  24  July  1775. 
"My  Dear 

It  is  now  almost  3  m"  since  I  left  3-011,  in  every  part  of  which  my  Anxiety 
about  you  and  the  children  has  been  extreme. 

The  Business  I  have  had  upon  my  mind  has  been  as  great  and  important,  as 
can  be  intrusted  to  one  Man  :  and  the  difficulty  and  Intricacy  of  it  is  prodigious, 
when  50  or  60  Men  have  a  Co)istiiutio7i  to  form  for  a  great  Empij'e,  at  the 

'  Benedict  Dayton,  of  Newport,  son  of  Col.  Isaac  Dayton,  was  taken  prisoner 
by  the  British  on  the  preceding  Tuesday,  Jan.  2. 


JANUARY   4-6,    1776  651 

same  Time  that  they  have  a  Covmtryof  1500  miles  Kxlent  to  fortify,  Millions  to 
arm  and  train  ;  a  Naval  Poiuer  to  begin,  and  extensive  Commerce  to  regulate. 
numerous  Tribes  of  Indians  to  negotiate  with,  a  standing  Army  of  27  Thousand 
men  to  raise,  pay,  victual  &  officer  ;  I  shall  really  pity  those  50  or  60  men. 

I  must  see  you  erelong— Rice  has  wrote  me  a  very  good  Letter,  so  hasThaiter, 
for  which  I  thank  them  both.     Love  to  the  Children. 

I  wish  I  had  given  you  a  complete  History  from  the  Beginning  to  the  Ivnd  of 
the  Journey  of  the  Behavior  of  my  Compatriots— no  mortal  Tale  could  equal  it 
—I  will  tell  you  in  future  and  you  shall  keep  it  a  secret— the  fidgctts,  the 
whims,  the  caprice,  the  vanity,  the  superstition,  the  Irritability  of  some  of  us 
is — " 

Addressed  "to  M'*  Abigail  Adams 
"To  the  care  of  Col.  Warren      \  Braintree" 

forwarded  by  Mr.  Hitchborn.    >  " 

Phil.^da    24  July   1775. 
"  Sir 

In  confidence  I  am  determined  to  write  freely  to  you  this  time.  A  certain 
great  Fortune  and  piddling  Genius^  whose  fame  has  been  trumpet  led  so  loudly, 
has  given  a  silly  Cast  to  our  whole  Doings— we^  are  between  hawk  and  buzzard 
— we  ought  to  have  had  in  our  haiids  a  month  ago  the  -uhole  Legislative, 
Executive  &  Judicial  of  the  whole  Continent,  and  have  completely  modelled 
a  Constitution,  to  have  raised  a  Naval  Pozuer,  and  opened  all  our  ports  ivide, 
to  have  arrested  every  friend  to  Govennuent  on  the  Continent,  and  held  them 
as  Hostages  for  the  poor  Victims  in  Boston — and  then  opened  the  Door  as  wide 
as  possible  for  Peace  &  Reconciliation,  after  this  they  might  have  petitioned 
&  negotiated  &  addressed  &c  if  they  would — is  all  this  extravagant  ?  is  it  wild  ? 
is  it  not  the  soundest  Policy  ? 

One  piece  of  news — seven  Thousand  weight  of  Powder  arrived  here  last  night. 
We  shall  send  along  some  as  soon  as  we  can — but  you  must  be  patient  &  frugal. 

"We  are  lost  in  the  Extensiveness  of  our  Field  of  Business.  We  have  a  Conti- 
nental Treasury  to  establish,  a  Paj'-Master  to  choose,  and  a  Committee  of  Corre- 
spondence or  Safety  or  accounts,  or  something  I  know  not  what,  that  has 
confounded  us  all  day. 

Shall  I  hail  you  speaker  of  the  House,  or  Counsellor,  or  what?  What  kind 
of  an  Election  had  you  ?  What  sort  of  Magistrates  do  you  intend  to  make  ? 
Will  your  new  Legislative  &  Executive  feel  bold  or  irresolute?  will  your 
judicial  hang  &  w^hip  &  fine  and  imprison  without  scruples?  I  want  to  see 
our  destresful  Country  once  more,  yet  I  Dread  the  sight  of  Devastation. 

You  observe  in  your  Letter  the  Oddity  of  a  great  Man,  he  is  a  queer  creature 
but  you  must  love  his  Dogs  if  you  love  him,  &  forgive  a  thousand  whims  for  the 

sake  of  the  Soldier  and  the  Scholar. 

Yours " 

addressed 

To  the  Hon.  James  Warren  Esqr.  Watertown. 
-"  Favoured  by  Mr.  Hitchburne  " 

N.  B.  This  letter  was  anonymous,  but  wrote  in  the  same  hand  with  that 
addressed  to  Abigail  Adams.' 

1  These  letters  are  noticed  and  explained  in  John  Adams's  Diary,  in  his  Life  df 
Works,  ii,  410-14. 


652  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTILES 

The  offensive  Expressions,  i.  Those  respecting  the  form'g  the 
Constitution  of  a  great  Empire.  2.  The  American  Navy  meditated 
so  early.  3.  Reflexions  on  his  Compatriots — fidgets,  whims,  &c. 
4.  Piddhng  Genius  who  has  given  a  silly  Complexion  to  all  the 
Proceedings  &c.  This  is  John  Dickinson  Ksqr.  of  Philad',  an  emi- 
nent Lawyer,  author  of  the  celebrated  Farmers  Letters,  of  an  Estate 
of  sa}'  ^80,000  sterl'g.  He  was  timid  and  very  fearful  of  going 
into  anything  be5-ond  a  defensive  War  ;  was  against  assuming  civil 
Government  in  each  Colony  out  of  the  hands  of  the  Crown  into  the 
hands  of  Congresses  or  Conventions  ;  he  is  sensible,  ingenious,  well 
read,  but  not  of  solid  &  profound  Erudition  ;  is  irritable,  delicate, 
nice,  whimsical  ;  he  would  not  let  the  Congress  rest  till  he  had 
persuaded  them  to  send  off  their  Petition  of  July  last  to  the  King. 
The  Congress  tho't  the}-  had  done  eno'  since  their  first  Petition  was 
rejected  or  taken  no  notice  of.  But  thro'  D''  Dickinson's  Impor- 
tunit}'  the  Congress  sent  a  second  hy  Mr.  Penn.  This  is  what 
M''  Adams  alludes  to,  as  giving  a  silh'  cast  to  their  Proceedings.  I 
suppose  this  has  produced  in  Dick"  an  irreconcilable  Displeasure  ag*^ 
M''  Adams.  They  meet  in  Congress  but  take  no  notice  of  each 
other  beyond  civility.  Rem^  5.  This  Letter  gave  the  Ministerial- 
ists the  first  Notice  that  the  Congress  carried  their  Tho'ts  forward  to 
assummg  Civil  Gov\  buildg  a  A^avy,  and  offer^  their  Trade  to  foreign 
Nations  :  all  which  were  ver}'  alarming.  6.  Gen.  Lee  is  alwa^'s 
accompanied  with  his  favorite  Dogs  ;  but  this  humourous  Stricture 
gave  him  no  Offence,  nay  it  pleased  the  General,  who  smiled  &  said 
upon  it,  then  I  perceive  they  know  me.  He  wrote  a  Letter  after- 
ward in  the  Language  of  Doggism,  &  signed  it  with  the  Name  of 
his  great  Dog.  The  Tories  have  talked  and  bellowed  themselves 
hoarse  upon  these  Letters  ;  but  the  public  ha\-e  now  pretty  well 
got  over  the  Blast.  These  Letters  shew  the  Clearness  &  Decisive- 
ness of  M'"  Adams's  political  Ideas,  and  exhibit  Ijright  Flashes  of 
his  political  Genius.  To  day  M'  Layton  came  to  T".  He  left 
Providence  }'esterday  &  says  the  Kings  speech  was  arrived  there. 
It  was  bro't  over  Ijy  Adm.  vShuldham.  It  is  said  to  be  a  bloody 
speech.     If  so,  it  seals  the  Independency  of  America. 

7.  Ldsdy.  A  M.  I  preached  on  i  Jno.  i,  3,  &  adm'd  the  Lds 
Supper  to  27  Coininunicants  still  left.  Present  Col.  Richmond, 
Col.  Putnam'  and  others  of  the  Army.     P.I\L  i  Tlies.  i,  2,  3. 

'  William  Richmond  was  Colonel  of  the  Regiment  rai.secl  in  Rhode  Island  in 
October,  1775.     For  Colonel  Putnam  see  this  Diary,  Dec.  26,  1775. 


JANUARY    7-12,    1776  653 

8.  Last  Eveng.  Capt.  Barton  of  our  Troojis  here  practiced  the 
following  Stratagem  to  decoy  a  Barge  from  the  Rose,  &  to  put  an 
end  to  the  communication  b}^  Negroes.  Havg.  stationed  20  men  at 
a  Distance  he  himself  &  about  a  dozen  went  to  the  extremity  of 
Brentons  Pt.  abot  XI  at  night  &  lying  down  concealed  them- 
selves. Then  he  ordered  a  real  Negro  to  hail  the  Kosc—U^  the 
Rose  a  hoi  !  come  fetch  poor  Negro,  want  to  get  aboard  Rose 
Man  o'  War,  run  away  from  his  Master — ha  the  Rose— Capt. 
Collins  Negro— got  Papers  Too.  The  Decoy  took— a  Barge  manned 
with  a  Midshipman  and  two  Sailors  came  off  from  the  Man  o'  W' ar  ; 
&  as  soon  as  they  struck  ashore,  Capt.  Barton  &  his  men  rose  & 
took  them  and  carried  them  to  Head  Quarters,  from  whence  they 
are  sent  to  Providence.  This  enraged  the  Men  o'  War.  They  .sent 
off  the  Szt'cifi,  Capt  Ayscough,  &  Tenders,  who  sailed  o\-er  to 
Conanicot  this  day,  &  about  11"  P.M.  begin'^'  at  the  S"  fired  on 
shore  as  she  passed  &  thus  sailed  along  the  whole  Extent  of  the 
Isl'd,  and  proceeded  up  to  Greenwich  &  Warwick  spreading  Thun- 
der &  Eightning  thro'  Narraganset  Bay.  But  with  this  foolish 
unmeaning  Fire  they  did  no  Damage. 

About  IV  this  Aft.  Capt.  Wallace  sent  a  Flag  o'  Truce  to  the 
Town  with  printed  Copies  of  the  Kings  speech  in  Oct.  last.  & 
delivered  them  to  the  President  of  the  Town  Council.  It  was 
publicly  read  in  the  Court  House. 

9.  A  Vessel  with  Flour  from  Philad'  left  Reedy  Isl'd.  last 
Saturda3^  The  Captain,  a  Tor}',  says  Mr.  Dickinson  had  left  the 
Congress,  shut  up  his  house  in  the  City,  &  removed  with  his 
Family  into  the  Countr3^  If  so,  the  Congress  are  proceed"^'  to 
higher  Measures  than  he  can  joyn  in  ;  besides  he  must  be  mortified 
to  find  that  his  favorite  Measure  the  last  Petition  to  the  King  had 
been  unsuccessful.     [N.B.  His  leav^  the  Congress,  a  Mistake.] 

11.  Nothing  remarkable.     Storm. 

12.  The  infernal  Wallace  incensed  with  the  Defeat  of  his  country- 
man Ed  Dunmore  &  his  Scotch  Clan,  this  morn-  pillaged  a  prize 
Sloop,  cut  her  Cables  &  let  her  drive  ashore.  Then  the  whole  fleet, 
3  Ships,  2  Brigs  a  Schooner  and  the  Tenders,  weighed  Anchor 
about  Noon  &  stood  up  the  Bay  to  Prudence,  on  which  are  about 
22  Dwellinghouses — landed  2  or  300,  &  set  fire  to  six  of  the 
DwelE^  instantly.  At  IV'  P.M.  I  saw  the  flames  from  the  Top  of 
my  house  due  North.  He  is  now  inhumanly  spreading  Barbarity, 
Desolation  &  Revenge  there— as   M'  Allen  informs  me,  who  came 


654  DIARY    OF    EZRA    vSTlLES 

from  thence  &  brot  off  his  Fam^'  this  Afternoon  and  was  in  T" 
about  IX  o'clock  this  Even-.  Upon  this  a  Detatchm'  from  Head 
Ou"  came  into  town,  &  went  over  to  the  fort,  &  set  the  remaining 
Barracks  and  all  the  Wooden  Work  there  on  fire.  So  that  we  are  as 
it  were  surrounded  with  devouring  Flames.  A  melancholly  destress- 
ing  Prospect  !     It  is  said  there  are  60  or  70  Soldiers   on  Prudence. 

13.  Capt.  Anton}'  from  Philad^  informs  that  on  the  first  Inst  he 
saw  a  grand  Review  of  2500  Men — that  two  Brigades  more  were 
raising  there — that  Adm.  Hopkins  was  at  NewCastle,  where  he  left 
him  the  6'''  Inst  with  2  Ships  of  between  30  &  36  Guns  &  300  Men 
each,  2  Brigs  of  10  to  16  Guns  &c  ready. 

Yesterday  morn-  Wallace  sent  into  Town  a  I,ist  of  near  40  Ships 
which  were  to  be  here  next  Spring,  lyast  Sat^  he  rec''  the  last 
Suppl}''  of  Beef,  till  the  Congress  &  iVssembly  order  further.  The 
Assembly  are  now  sitting  at  Providence  ;  &  Wallace  is  entertaining 
them  with  the  Conflagration  of  Prudence,  to  awe  them  into 
Supplies. 

We  hear  that  at  VIII  o'Clock  this  Morn-  our  p'ple  100  Men  on 
Prudence  attacked  300  [150]  of  Wallace's  Marines  &  Sailors  & 
Negroes,  &  were  repulsed  or  obliged  to  fight  on  Retreat.  There 
was  fireing  all  the  forenoon.  After  a  Reinforcem*  from  the  North- 
ward our  pple  attacked  them  again,  &  they  retired  on  board  Ships 
after  taking  off  some  Cattle  »&  Hay.  We  had  three  men  wounded, 
one  came  to  T"  this  Eveng. 

14.  Ldsdy  I  pr.  A.M.  fr.  Ps.  143,  2,  3.  P.M.  Heb.  iv,  16. 
The  men  o'War  still  up  the  Bay.  We  had  about  80  persons  below 
&  40  in  the  Galleries — 120  Whites  besides  Negroes.  In  the  Eveug. 
I  saw  another  Fire  &  judge  that  Wallace  has  fired  a  house  on 
Patience  or  Hope  Islands.  Gen.  Lee  sent  out  last  Tuesday  from 
Cambridge  for  N.  York.  Connecticutt  Assembl}^  have  taken  off 
the  Poll-Tax  from  their  Soldiers — and  have  sent  to  the  Congress 
that  they  are  read}^  to  raise  a  Quarter  of  their  Men  for  the  Conti- 
nental Service,  but  insist  upon  appointing  their  Officers.  They 
have  appointed  two  new  Delegates  for  the  Congress,  viz.  Mr. 
Wolcott,  M""  W"  Williams,  Mr.  Sherman,  Mr.  Hosmer  &  M'  Hunt- 
ington, or  any  three  of  them,  and  left  out  Col.  Dyar  &  M'  Deane 
— for  this  principal  Reason  that  they  think  Liberty  most  secure 
under  frequent  changes  of  the  Delegates — &  they  determine  to  set 
an  early  Example  &  Precedent.  M'  Deane  is  a  most  useful  Member 
in  Congress. 


JANUARY    13-14,    i-;6 


655 


656  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

15.  I  dont  yet  find  an  exact  Ace"  of  the  Prudence  affair:  onh' 
that  Wallace  landed  about  280  Men  &  carried  off  a  few  sheep  and 
half  a  Ton  of  Ha}-,  &  burnt  7  or  8  Buildings.  Cap.  Pierce  &  50 
Men  were  on  the  Isld  at  Wallaces  Land^  &  went  off  to  Warwick 
that  night  and  returned  next  niorng.  In  the  night  Capt.  Barton 
&  25  Men  landed  from  Head  Qu'^  and  a  Bod)^  from  Bristol :  they 
had  several  Skirmishes.  On  our  side  one  killed  &  4  wounded,  on 
the  Enemy's  one  left  dead  and  one  left  wounded,  besides  several 
killed  &  wounded  carried  off.  Wallace  said  he  had  four  killed,  and 
got  only  a  few  .sheep. 

This  da}'  M'  Antonj-  Express  to  the  Congress,  returned,  but 
bro't  no  letter  fr.  the  Congress  to  this  Town.  They,  the  Congress, 
sent  one  to  our  G.  Assembly  now  sitting  at  Prov.  leav-  to  them  the 
affair  of  supplying  Wallace.  Letters  from  Philad''  inform  that 
ministerial  intercepted  Letters  shew  the}-  mean  to  attack  Philad" 
this  Spring.  And  thereupon  the  Congress  are  collecting  an  army 
of  Ten  Thous'd  to  defend  Philadelphia.  This  Eveng  I  read  the 
Regulations  for  the  new  Navy  of  XIII  United  Colonies. 

A  more  particular  ace"'  of  the  Prudence  Affair  as  I  collected  & 
rec**  it  from  Officers  and  Men  of  Observ^  in  the  Action. 

Friday  12^^  Jany.  Wallace  with  a  fleet  of  twelve  Sail,  of  which 
three  w^ere  Ships,  canonaded  Prudence,  and  landing  about  200 
Marines  &  Sailors  .set  fire  to  eight  Houses,  besides  Barns,  Out- 
houses, Stacks  of  Hay,  &c.  Capt.  Pearce  with  40  men  stationed 
there  after  fireing  upon  the  Eneni}',  being  overpowered  retired  to 
the  N"  End  of  the  Isld  &  at  night  went  off  to  Warwick,  &  returned 
next  Morning.  Wallace's  men  hav^  driven  Sheep  &  Cattle  to  the 
S°  End  of  the  Isld  went  on  board  at  VIII  in  the  Eveng.  After 
midnight  Capt.  Barton  with  25  Men  from  Head  Qu'''  on  Rh.  I.sld 
came  on,  and  drove  away  the  Sheep  &  Cattle.  Before  da}'  Capt. 
Troop  came  on  with  35  from  Bristol,  also  Capt.  Waterman  &c. 
with  men  from  Warren  &c  making  about  ninety  &  not  100  Men. 
Next  Morng  Wallaces  Men  phaps  250  landed  again  &  an  Engag' 
took  place  represented  in  the  foregoing  plan.  Our  Men  fought 
bravely,  repulsed  &  routed  the  whole  Bod}'  tho'  they  had  nearly 
surrounded  them  on  each  Flank.  The  Enemy  retreated  on  board 
ship  carrying  off  their  dead  &  wounded.  We  had  one  killed  and 
three  wounded,  one  dangerously  (died).  The  Enemy  left  one  dead 
on  the  field  &  one  wounded — &  since  acknowledge  they  left  four 
killed   &  .seven  wounded.     They   carried  off  a   few  Sheep  and  no 


JANUARY    15-19,    1776  657 

cattle.  The  Engag'  about  Sunrise.  Capt.  Pearce  did  not  return 
before  the  action  was  over.  Capt.  Pearce  is  said  to  be  a  good 
Soldier. 

16.  Reading  Madam  du  Bocage's  Travels.  On  7"'  Inst.  Major 
Knowlton  with  100  Men  crossed  the  Mill-dam  between  Cobljle  hill 
&  Bunkerhill,  &  fired  ten  Houses  in  Chariest"  which  escajxid 
the  flames  in  June  :  this  within  the  Enemy's  Lines — killed  one, 
took  six  Soldiers  &  a  woman  &  bro't  them  off,  leav*-'  4  houses 
standing.  The  whole  was  performed  in  less  than  an  hour  without 
the  loss  of  a  single  man  either  killed  or  wounded,  notwithst-  the 
Enemy  kept  up  a  consid.  fire  of  Musquetry. 

18.  .  .  By  a  Vessel  arrived  at  Casco,  we  have  London  News  to 
5tii  Nov. — that  70  or  80  Members  of  Pari'  had  joyned  the  Minority  ; 
also  that  the  Abp.  of  Canterbur)^  was  come  over  to  the  American 
side  ;  that  however  the  Majority  are  determined  to  persevere.  This 
Archbishop  is  of  a  slender  capacity-  and  totally  under  the  Direction 
of  the  Cozif'f  &  Hierarchy.  If  he  is  directed  to  this  change  by  the 
Court,  it  indicates  that  the  Min^'  are  com-  about :  if  b}-  the  Church, 
it  denotes  that  the  Bishops  fear  the  Loss  of  Episcopacy  in  America, 
unless  in  this  critical  Time  the  Bench  appear  for  us.  Mr.  Stephen 
Sayer  (born  in  America,  &  whom  I  well  know)  late  Sheriff  of 
London,'  w^as  seized  &  sent  to  the  Tower  for  seditious  Words.  It 
caused  a  great  Tumult — «&  Ld.  Mansfield,  the  vScotch  Chief  Justice, 
was  obliged  to  grant  an  habeas  corpus,  &  dismiss  him  on  Recog- 
nizance. 

19.  In  the  Debates  on  the  Kings  Speech  I  find  all  the  sense  & 
best  speakers  in  ParP  on  the  side  of  America — but  the  Min-'  carry 
all  points  by  their  Majority.  The  Kings  Speech  at  the  Meet'''  of 
Pari'  in  Oct'  convinces  me  that  nothing  but  Blood  is  before  us  in 
America.  The  good  Lord,  the  God  of  our  Fathers  prepare  us  for, 
&  carr}'  us  through  all  Events. 

This  day  the  Fleet  returned  from  Prudence  &c  &  anchored  at 
the  back  of  the  Fort.  News  that  about  the  Middle  of  Dec.  Gen. 
Montgomery  had  fired  the  Houses  about  Quebec  :  &  thereupon 
Gen.  Carleton  sent  a  Flag  &  ofiered  to  capitulate,  if  he  might 
march  out  with  the  Honors  of  War  &  transport  himself  &  Troops 
where  he  pleased.     Refused  [Doubtful] . 

'  He  was  one  of  the  Sheriffs  for  the  year  1773-4,  when  John  Wilkes  was 
Mayor.     Concerning  his  arrest  see  Horace  Walpole's  Letters  to  Manti,  Oct.  28, 

1775- 

42 


658  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

20.  Melancholy  Tidings  !  That  our  Army  before  Quebec  had 
attempted  to  force  the  Trenches  &  enter  the  City  on  the  last  of  Dec. 
&  failed — with  the  loss  of  Gen.  Montgomery  &  70  killed,  &  300 
which  entered  the  City  captivated.  The  Ardor  of  the  Troops  made 
them  impatient  &  too  adventurous.  Had  they  contented  them- 
selves with  a  Blockade  the  City  might  have  fallen  into  our  Hands. 

21.  Ldsday.     I    preached  A.M.  on    i   Jn"  ii,  5.       P  M.  on  Ps. 
cvi,  40-45.     Reading  Dr.  Owen  on  the  Trinit3^     In  the  evening  I 
married    Cudjoe  Borden   &  Elizabeth    a  free    Negro    living    with 
Edward  Simons.     News  that  Cap*  Manly  had  taken  another  prize,  , 
a  storeship  more  valuable  than  any  other. 

22.  We  have  Gen.  Woosters  Letter  dated  Montreal  Janry.  6, 
1776  to  Col"  Warner  at  Bennington— informing  that  an  unsucces- 
ful  Attack  was  made  on  Quebec— Gen.  Montgomery  slain  &c. 
This  Evening  news  that  G.  Montgomery  is  not  killed. 

23.  Cop3'  of  my  Lett,  to  M""  Tutor  Lewis  at  Yale  College. 

'•  Dkar  Sir  Newport  21  Janry.  1776. 

Your  kind  Favor  of  24*''  Dec.  I  did  not  receive  till  iS"'  Instant.  I  am 
extreme]}-  obliged  by  j'our  Concern  for  my  Safety  in  this  Place.  My  Librarj-, 
INIss.,  &  most  of  my  Furniture  have  been  out  of  T°  eversince  the  2^  of  Nov.  last. 
And  I  have  held  m)'self  &  familj-  ready  to  depart  at  any  Warning  eversince. 
My  secret  Hope  that  the  Veil  would  be  removed  from  the  Eyes  of  the  Parent 
State,  is  nozu  at  an  End,  since  the  Kings  Speech,  &  the  Disputes  thereon  in  Pari' 
are  come  over.  Tho'  I  believe  the  Ministry  intend  an  Accomod",  yet  they  will 
keep  up  Hostilities  &  the  Parade  of  War,  &  so  dela^-  the  only  effectual  Remedy, 
till  it  will  be  too  late.  For  after  G.  Brit,  has  put  us  to  the  Trouble  of  assuming 
our  Self-defence  into  our  own  hands  &  repelling  their  Hostilities  :  they  will  find 
that  the  Pilnergies,  Exertions  &  Powers  equal  to  such  a  Conflict  &  Defence, 
will  sustain  a  Sovereign  State.  Already  Things  have  proceeded  so  far,  that 
royal  Negotiation  (&  parliamentary  we  will  hear  nothing  of)  may  effect  little 
more  than  a  Transaction  of  Alliance  &  Treaty  of  Commerce — stipulating,  that 
while  G.  Britain  furnishes  us  with  Goods  at  or  about  the  same  price  as  foreign 
States,  the  American  trade  should  be  restricted  to  the  Parent  State  ;  &  no  longer  : 
You  consider  Newport  as  indefensible — &  so  do  the  Congress  &  Army.  It 
would  be  Arrogance  in  me  to  hazard  my  Opinion  (which  however  is  really  dif- 
ferent) against  Opinions  &  Judgments  of  such  decisive  Weight.  It  did  not 
seem  to  me  that  Gen.  Dee  tho't  us  indefencible.  However  the  Situation  is 
dang er Otis ;  and  I  have  determined  to  move  my  Family  as  soon  as  possible. 
And  as  I  am  devoted  to  the  Work  of  the  Ministry,  I  have  purposed  to  offer  my- 
self to  some  vacant  Church,  till  it  may  please  divine  Providence  to  reassemble 
my  dear  scattered  F^lock.  I  should  have  accepted  an  Invitation  last  Fall 
to  remove  to  Bristol,  but  that  it  is  too  much  exposed  to  the  pyratical  &  merci- 
less Ravages  of  our  Sea  Rovers. 


JANUARY    20-29,    '^11^  659 

A  few  (lays  before  I  received  yours,  I  had  written  uiy  Purposes  to  a  Minister 
in  the  Massachusetts  requestinji;  of  him  a  List  of  Vacancies  in  the  interior  iS: 
middle  parts  of  that  Colony,  with  the  view  of  ofTeriuK  myself  to  one  of  them. 
You  say,  "  permit  me  to  ask,  whether  it  would  not  be  agreeal)le  to  come  to  Con- 
necticutt.  My  native  place  vSouthington— is  vacant—.  I  should  l)e  much 
obliged  to  you  to  be  informed  whether  it  would  be  aj^reeable  to  come  into  these 
parts  &  preach  if  you  should  leave  Newport.  I  mention  this  witliout  the 
knowledge  of  People  of  Southington  as  a  people."  In  answer  I  would  say.  the 
proposal  suits  me  very  well  :  if  it  slid,  be  agreeable  to  the  people  of  Southing- 
ton  &  you  should  send  me  a  Letter  from  their  Conmiittee,  I  should  endeavor 
by  the  Leave  of  Providence  to  visit  them  in  the  spring. 

For  this  Month  past  I  have  foreseen  a  Removal  inevitable  :  and  have  been 
revolving  in  my  Mind  how  to  dispose  of  myself  during  the  Dispersion  of  my 
Flock,  which  I  pray  God  maj'  continue  but  a  few  ]Months.  I  have  some- 
times tho't  of  teaching  the  Globes,  Geography,  Malhciiialics,  &  History,  in 
some  interior  populous  place,  as  Worcester,  Northampton,  Hartford,  Windham, 
or  Norwich,  wherever  I  might  collect  20  or  30  youth  &  Gentlemens  Sons. 

I  have  sometimes  had  the  Vanity  to  think  of  offering  myself  to  read  public 
Lectures  for  a  few  Months  in  one  of  the  Colleges,  on  two  Branches  of  Litera- 
ture, the  Oriental  Langziages,  and  Eccl.  History.  Nothing  is  more  cus- 
tomary in  the  European  Universities.  Martin  Bucer  did  thus,  as  did  Peter 
Martyr,  so  did  Father  Paul  of  Venice,  &  so  did  the  Blind  IMathematician  Dr 
Saunderson.  I  should  do  so,  as  well  as  offer  to  preach,  was  I  in  Kuropc  :  but 
the  Singularity  of  the  Thing,  more  than  the  real  Vanity  of  it,  forbitls  it  in 
America.  I  have  also  thought  of  other  Pursuits.  But  the  INIinistry  is  most  in 
Character  for  me,  if  it  shall  please  God  to  open  a  Door  for  my  Improvement 
therein.     My  Love  to  Ezra.     I  am  Dear  vSir 

To  Mr.  Jn»  Lewis  Tutor      »  Your  obliged  Friend  &  humble  servant 

of  Yale  College  New  Haven,  i"  EzR.\  Stiles. 

26.  Visiting  Mrs.  Grant :   &  di.scoursing  on  the  State  of  America. 

27.  News,  Norfolk  in  \'irginia  Nine  Tenths  in  a.shes. 

28.  L,dsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  2  Chron.  vi,  24,  25.  P.M. 
Tit.  iii,  7.     Congregation  100.     Reading  D'  Owen. 

29.  Williamsburg  paper,  5  Jany. 

"Mr.  Purdie. 

I  hope  our  Countrymen  will  not  be  at  all  dispirited  at  the  Destruction  of 
Norfolk,  but  rather  rejoyce,  that  half  the  Mischief  our  Enemies  can  do  us  is 
done  already.  They  have  destroyed  one  of  the  first  Towns  in  America,  and  the 
only  one  (except  2  or  3)  in  Virginia  which  carried  on  any  Thing  like  a  Trade. 
We  are  only  sharing  part  of  the  Sufferings  of  our  American  Brethren,  and  can 
now  glory  in  having  received  one  of  the  keenest  strokes  of  the  Enemy  7cilhout 
flinching " 

Thus  we  see  what  Effect  the  national  Hostilities  have 
in  alienating  Americans  from  the  Parent  State,  &  reconciling  them 
to  Measures  they  little  tho't  of. 


66o  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

A  Bod}'  of  Tories  have  arisen  in  the  back  parts  of  vS"  Carolina. 
The  Provincial  Congress  there  sent  about  five  hundred  Men,  and 
on  the  19^*"  of  Nov.  a  Battle  happened  near  Ninetj'Six  between  them 
&  about  Two  Thousand  Insurgents.  Of  our  part)'-  fourteen  were 
wounded,  one  mortally:  of  the  Enem}'  it  is  known  several,  some 
say  52,  were  killed  &  many  wounded.  A  Cessation  of  Hostilities 
agreed  to  for  twent}^  daj^s.  By  the  last  Accounts  Col.  Richardson 
was  on  his  March  &  near  the  Habitations  of  the  Rebels. against  the 
public  Libert}',  with  near  3000  Men  :  and  that  Col.  Pollock  of  N" 
Carolina  had  set  out  to  joyn  them  with  600  Men.  So  that  when 
all  our  Troops  are  united  there  will  be  a  Body  of  upwards  of  four 
Thousand  ]Men  ;  a  force  without  doubt  sufficient  to  restore  Peace  & 
good  Order  in  those  parts. — They  settled  the  matter — some  princi- 
pals taken  &  imprisoned,  others  pardoned  &  dismissed  &  Peace 
restored  in  those  Frontiers. 

30.  I  hear  that  we  have  taken  another  Prize  at  the  Westward, 
with  fourty  Tons  of  Powder,  and  that  the  Saltpetre  Works  are  so 
forward  thro'  the  Country,  that  the  Colony  of  Connecticutt  only 
expect  to  make  70  Tons  this  year. 

February. 

I.  Gen.  Clinton  with  a  body  of  Troops  sailed  from  Boston  the 
19'''  ult.     They  said  for  Newport :  supposed  for  Norfolk  in  Virginia. 

4.  Ldsdy.     I  preached  all  day  on  i  Pet.  i,  5-7. 

5.  Yesterda}^  Wallaces  Fleet  weighed  anchor  &  sailed  towards 
Block  Isld.,  &  at  Evening  anchored  at  Point  Judith  :  it  is  said  to 
bury  a  Eieutenant  dead  of  his  wounds  received  at  Prudence  :  To- 
da}^  they  returned  and  sailed  up  the  Bay  fireing  on  Conanicott. 

6.  Finished  Madam  du  Bocage On  the   21st  of  Dec. 

last  a  Battle  happened  at  Susquehanna  between  200  Connecticutt 
men  &  6  or  700  (perhaps  200)  Pensj'lvanians,  in  which  several  were 
killed.  A  Land  Contest.'  A  ministerial  Stratagem  to  excite  Con- 
fusion— set  on  foot  &  promoted  chiefly  by  D""  Smith  the  ambitious 
Tory  Provost  of  Philadelphia  College,  who  excited  about  half 
a  Dozen  large  Landholders  in  Philadelphia  to  whom  the  Proprie- 
tary had  given  large  Tracts  on  Susquehanna. 

8.  Last  Eveng  a  monthly  Chh.  meeting  at  Sister  Trevetts.  I 
preached  on  Heb.  xii,  2.  Dr.  Bartlett  returned  from  Westerly. 
He  is  appointed  Chief  Surgeon  of  the  Brigade  stationed  here. 

'  The  title  to  Wyoming,  or  the  Susquehanna  countrj-,  was  finally  decided  in 
17S2. 


JANUARY    30-FEBRUARY    16,    1776  661 

9.  When  Gen.  Lee  lately  passed  thro'  Conneclicntt  he,  at  Hart- 
ford, sent  for  a  Number  of  Gentlemen  in  the  Evening  &  told  them 
he  was  going  to  N  York  &  wanted  500  Men  to  accompany  him. 
They  said  the  Men  could  be  readily  raised.  But  next  morning 
something  was  mentioned  to  him  about  Pay.  He  replied,  Gentle- 
men, we  have  detected  a  Ministerial  Manouvre  at  New  York  :  I  am 
going  to  take  care  of  it.  I  want  such  Men  to  accompany  as  are 
Volunteers  &'above  pay,  &  that  are  able  and  willing  to  bear  their 
own  Expences.  I  hope  the  Business  may  be  accomplished  so  as  to 
return  in  about  a  month.  He  said  no  more — their  Ambition  was 
toutched — they  raised  instantly  &  accompanied  &  sent  after  him 
the  500,  &  have  since  augmented  them  to  i8oo  Men.  But  Gen. 
Eee  is  taken  with  the  Gout  at  Stamford,  &  proceeds  in  a  Litter. 

10.  It  is  said  that  a  Ship  arrived  at  N.  York  from  London  brings 
account  that  2  or  3  Lords  are  coming  over  to  make  &  settle  peace. 
But  nothing  said  of  Repeals  !     Only  Deception. 

11.  Ldsdy.  A.M.  I  preached  on  2  Cor.  xii,  9.  P.M.  Lsai.  xxviii, 
5,  6.  Reading  St.  Chrysostoms  Homilies  .  .  .  Yesterday  Mr. 
Ben.  Brenton'  was  taken  up  again  and  carried  to  head  Quarters  for 
going  on  board  Wallace.  Also  Col.  Jos.  Wanton^  taken  up  again 
&  carried  to  Head  Quarters. 

Gen.  Clinton  is  arrived  at  N.  York  i.  e.,  to  the  Ships  there.  But 
the  Transports  from  Boston  with  500  Men,  not  arrived.  Gen.  Lee 
is  at  N.  York. 

12.  London  News  to  18"'  Nov.  Parliament  is  apparently  embar- 
rassed. This  day  I  set  out  with  my  Daughter  Ruth  for  Rehoboth  ; 
to  look  a  House  to  remove  m}-  Family. 

13.  Left  Ruth  at  Judge  Russels  at  Bristol  :  and  I  lodged  at 
Rev"  M''  Rogersons  at  Rehoboth. 

14.  Lodged  at  Rev.  M""  Townsends  at  Barrington. 

15.  Returning  to  Bristol,  found  it  in  the  greatest  Confusion  & 
Destress  &  all  in  Removal  &  Flight,  as  the  Men  o'  W^yr  were  seem- 
ingly coming  in  there.     But  they  anchored  under  Prudence. 

16.  At  Bristol.  Had  the  melancholly  Spectacle  of  the  Conflagra- 
tion first  of  the  Windmill  about  XI''  A.M.,  then  of  the  Dwelling- 
houses  &c.  upon  Prudence,  fired  by  the  Men  landing  from  the 
Fleet.  The  Isld.  had  been  evacuated  of  all  its  Inhabitants  &  Stock 
the  Week  before,  by  order  of  Assembly.     I  returned  to  Newport. 

^Died  in  Newport,  1830,  aged  93. 
''See  above,  Dec.  25,  26,  1775. 


662  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

17.  Finished  reading  the  Bible,  which  I  began  the  day  that  my 
Wife  died  May  29,  1775.  The  ships  returned  to  Newport  this 
Evening. 

18.  lydsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Rom.  vi,  22.  P.M.  Dent,  iv,- 
30,  31.  Present  about  150  ;  some  of  Mr.  Hopkins  Flock,  he  being 
absent.  I  baptized  a  son  of  Capt.  Jn"  Topham  &  Ann  his  wife,  by 
the  name  of  George  Washington  after  Gen.  Washington.  This 
child  was  born  at  Warren  in  Nov.  last.  Capt.  Topham  is  now  a 
Prisoner  in  Quebec.  Read"^  Dr.  Owen  on  the  Div-'  of  X* — &  Math- 
er's Types. 

20.  Rode  to  Dighton,  &  there  hired  a  House  for  the  Removal  of 
my  Family  in  these  calamitous  &  dangerous  &  destressing  Times. 
All  marketing  from  Narrag.  &  the  northward  cut  off  at  Newport 
by  the  Fleet — the  Ferries  stopt — no  wood  Boats — The  Town  with 
perhaps  a  Third  of  its  Inhabitants  3'et  behind  suffering  greath'  for 
Wood  &  Provision — especialh-  Wood — Fences  &  Houses  rapa- 
cioush'  pulled  down  for  fewel — the  poor  &  rich  in  one  common  Des- 
tress.  Indeed  our  greatest  Destress  for  Fewel.  Rj'e  &  Ind.  Meal 
5s.  a  bush.  ■Mutton  &  Beef  4'^  L.  M. — But  all  Business  stagnated. 

24.  Returned  to  Newport.     Read  Common  Sense.' 

25.  Ldsda}-.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Acts  xxiv,  16.  P.M.  on  2 
Jn"  V.  8  and  notified  the  Sacrament.  Reading  Cliry.sostom's  Hom- 
ilies. 

26.  On  ist  Nov.  last  Ld.  Barrington  said  in  Parliament — "The 
Number  of  owr  A nny  in  America,  exclusive  of  ijji  Men  then  on  their 
Passage,  amounted  to  8^82  Men,  out  of  ivhich  134.2  w^ere  sick  and 
ineffective.'''  This  Return  received  from  Boston  dated  there  about 
20'"  August  last,  when  there  were  in  B"  probably  not  above  7000 
Men  : — in  Canada  1000 — in  Virginia  &  Nova  Scotia  500.  The 
Ministerial  Armj-  this  year  in  all  N"  America  was  Ten  Thousand, 
his  Lordship  said. 

27.  On  Ld.sday  4"'  Inst.  Gen.  Clinton  arrived  at  N.  York  in  the 
Mercury  24  Guns,  soon  followed  with  Transport  &  2  or  300  Sol- 
diers. The  same  day  Gen.  Lee  arrived  there  with  towards  2000 
Connecticutt  Men  &  Riflemen.  Soon  upon  this  the  Earl  of 
Stirling  arrived  there  also  with  1000  Jersey  Men  &c.  On  11"' 
Inst,  the  Mercury  with  G.  Clinton  on  ]:)oard  &  two  Transports 
sailed /r^7«  N.  York.  Gov.  Tryon  on  board  the  Asia  took  great 
pains  to  a.ssure  the    people  at    N.   York    that  G.   Clinton  did  not 

^  Thomas  Paine's  famous  pamphlet  was  published  on  Jauuar}-  8. 


FEBRUARY    17-MARCH    2,    1776  663 

meditate  Landing  there.       It    was    very    hajipy    tliat  Gen.    !.■ 
Gen.  Ld.  Stirling  arrived  at  N.  York  with  Continental  Forces. 

Last  night  an  Alarm  w^as  given.  The  Tenders  fired  on  N"  Kings- 
ton near  Quonset  P'  abottt  Midnight.  Tho'  it  is  said  our  Soldiers 
stationed  there  fired  first  on  the  Tenders  sailing  by.  The  Guards 
fiired  alarm  Guns,  &  so  the  Alarm  spread  &  propagated  at  once 
all  along  shore  from  the  Ferry  to  Providence,  where  the  Ik^acon 
was  fired,  and  the  whole  Country  rushed  to  Arms  &  jxiured  down 
to  the  Sea  Coast.  The  Flashings  of  the  Alarm  Guns  seemed  to 
be  a  kind  of  Engagement,  as  it  appeared  to  our  Troops  on  Con- 
anicott,  who  sent  off  70  Men  to  the  Main,  &  notified  our  Head 
Quarters  here,  from  whence  Gen.  West  sent  off  70  more  by  Two 
o'clock  in  the  Morning.  It  was  supposed  the  Men  o'  War  were 
firing  on  Updikes  Newtowai : — Mistake. 

28.  The  Men  o'  War  returning  along  Conanicott  fired  on  it.  Our 
Soldiers  there  discharged  a  Canon  on  the  ships  for  the  first  time. 
The  W.  Post  come  in,  brings  London  News  to  the  End  of  No\-em- 

ber It  is  said  that  a  Number  of  Commissioners  are  coming 

to  America.  But  if  this  is  all  the  Olive  Leaf  they  shall  bring,  they 
will  effect  nothing.  The  Parliamentar}^  Army  in  America  this  sea- 
son is  to  be  26  Thoiisand  :  and  the  Continental  Army  65  Thou- 
sand. 

The    York   Merd'  of   Feb.    19.    say, — "His    Majestys 

Ship  the  Phoenix  of  40  Guns,  Capt.  Parker  sailed  for  Sandy  Hook 
last  Saturda}-  (Feb.  17.)  morning,  &  about  2  o' Clock  the  same  da}' 
Capt.  Vandeput  in  the  Asia  64  Guns  got  under  sail  in  Company 
with  the  Ship  Dutchess  of  Gordon"  and  three  prizes,  but  got 
aground. — This  is  only  a  Feint,  to  get  at  a  Distance  from  the  City 
&  Gen.  Lees  Canon,  which  he  removed  from  the  Breastwork  in 
open  daylight  under  the  Nose  of  the  Ships 

29.  Ld.  North's  plan  universally  dissatisfactory  to  all  ])ut  Tories  : 
and  even  they  are  disappointed  because  they  see  it  will  not  produce 
Reconciliation, — &  in  reconciliation  still  retain  Parlamentary  Supre- 
macy. Sundry  people  in  Town  are  hereby  brought  to  a  Resolution 
for  Removal,  as  they  now  dispair  of  Accommodation 

March 

2.  The  Fleet  sailed  northwds.  firing  on  poor  Conanicott.  One  Gun 
a  Nine  pounder  there  returned  the  fire,  &  the  shot  entered  Wallaces 
Ship.      Towards  Evening  News  that  a  Pri/.eship  was  taken,  which 


664  DIARY    OF    EZRA    STILES 

bro't  News  from  London  to  6"'  January, — the  ParP  on  Quest, 
whetlier  the  Commissioners  should  treat  with  the  Congress,  200  for, 
207  against. — Orders  to  G.  Howe  to  act  on  the  Defensive. 

3.  Ldsda}-.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Luke  xxiv,  35,  36  and  admin- 
istered the  Lds.  Supper  to  28  Communicants.  P.M.  at  III  o' Clock 
I  preached  at  Head  Quarters  at  the  Desire  of  Col.  Babcock'  2 
Sam.  X,  12.  They  unexpectedly  collected  almost  Nine  Dollars 
&  presented  me.  In  the  Evening  I  married  George  and  Sabina 
free  Negroes.  On  Feb.  7  Rev''  Levi  Frisbie  was  installed  Pastor 
of  the  first  clih.  in  Ipswitch.  He  had  been  one  of  Dr.  Wheelock's 
Indian  Missionaries  at  Ohio. 

4.  We  hear  that  there  was  a  Canonading  at  the  Camp  last 
Saturday  Night — supposed  to  be  taking  possession  of  Dorchester 
Hill. — Gen.  West  resigned,  and  this  day  Col.  Babcock  took  the 
Command  on  this  Island.  M''  Marchant  came  to  Town  as  one  of 
the  Committee  to  settle  the  Army — he  has  not  been  in  Town  since 
June  last.  Reported  that  Adm.  Hopkins  has  had  an  Engagement. 
— that  a  Vessel  had  arrived  at  the  Eastward  with  the  plan  of 
Pari'  to  be  offered  the  Colonies,  viz.  Repeal  of  acts  to  1763,  & 
the  Colonies  pa}'  10  per  Cent,  on  all  goods,  &  this  to  be  accepted 
in  Lieu  of  all  other  Revenues. 

5.  I  find  by  Proclamation  Thursda}'  next  is  a  day  of  Fast- 
ing &  prayer  throughout  the  Colony  of  the  Massachusetts.  Report 
that  B"  in  flames  and  a  Mortar  split  &c.      [Mistake.] 

6.  We  have  News  that  our  Army  of  30  Thousand  Men  have  in 
earnest  begun  the  Bombardment  of  Boston  from  Dorchester  Hill  : 
Monthly  Chh  Meeting  at  Sister  Channings.  I  preached  i  Thes.  v, 
23,  and  then  notified  the  Brethern  &  Sisters  that  I  should  discon- 
tinue these  Meetings,  as  I  was  removing,  untill  God  should  be 
pleased  to  restore  our  Tranquillit)'. 

7.  General  Fast  in  Massachusetts.  I  observed  it  as  usvial  & 
preached  on  Ps.  Ix,  1-5.     Contrib.  for  poor. 

8.  This  Evening  I  find  by  the  York  Prints  that  the  Parliam*  have 
sent /our  Thousand  Troops  to  Carolina  [Ld.  Germaine's  Lett,  to 
Gov.  Eden  says  .seven  Reg'^] — voted  700  Thousd.  Sterling  for  Secret 
Services  for  corrupting  the  Congress  &c — 35  Commissioners  talked 
of — that  they  are  plainly  determined  on  the  most  insidious  &  force- 
able  Measures, 

^  Henry  Babcock.     See  below,  April  19,  1776. 


MARCH    3-13,    1776  665 

The  Swan  Man  o'  War  this  Aft.  j^ot  upon  tlic  Hhic  Rocks  within 
a  quarter  of  a  Mile  off  shore,  &  lay  there  fast  f<jr  several  hours. 
Col.  Babcock  bro't  down  to  the  Shore  two  iS  pounders,  &  stood 
read}-  to  discharge.  But  we  had  just  before  sent  a  Flag  to  carry 
Mrs.  Bell  on  board  Wallace's  ship  up  8  miles  at  Hope  Isld,  .Jt  it 
was  not  returned  : — and  it  was  against  the  law  of  Flags  to  fire,  and 
before  the  Flag  returned,  the  Ship  got  off.  vShe  lay  exceeding 
convenient,  &  could  have  been  easily  taken,  l:)ut  Honor  prevented. 
Col.  Richmond  with  about  200  Men  got  over  on  Coasters  harlior 
Isld,  within  Musket  shot  :  &  such  was  their  Kagerne.ss  &  Im- 
patience, that  without  Orders  from  Col.  Babcock  they  burst  forth 
into  a  Fire  of  small  Arms  almost  incessantly  for  an  hour — which 
cleared  the  Decks  and  the  Cabin  Windows,  &  sent  them  all  l)e- 
low.     About  sunset  the  tide  carried  her  off. 

9.   This  Evening  an  Express  arrived  here  from  R()xl)nr\-  tv  says 
all  Things  are  still  there. 

10.  Ldsday.  A.M.  I  preached  on  Rom.  viii,  t,^.  P  M.  Mat.  vi, 
33,  34.  Reading  Dr.  Owen.  The  Ships  come  down,  &  passing 
some  outwards,  &  some  upwards.     A  Blind  ! 

11.  Packing  up  my  Things  for  Removal. 

13.  Embarked  with  my  family  seven  persons  &  three  Loads  of 
Goods  in  a  Sloop  at  Fogland  ferry.  And  this  Evening  at  \TI"  Sailed 
from  Fogland — at  II''  Morning  anchored  at  Assonet. 


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